Help, cycle won't shut off

[djrider]

Hey gang,
I searched and searched but I couldn't find an answer to this one. My problem is when I trun my key to the off position, my bike keeps running and only my signal lights turn off. I used the kill switch, but the lights remained on (headlight/tailight and instrument lights). I pulled all the fuses and still had power to the ignition and starter switch. Had to let it sit like that and had to jump start is to come home from work. Anybody ever run accross this, if so HOW DO I FIX IT????

[81xsproject]

Wow... all fuses out and no dead bike. I am not the electrical guy ( I can't even get my led turn signals to work ) but my first thought is some bad home-done wiring mods by a PO?

[John]

Try checking the MAIN fuse under the LEFT side cover, It sits right in front of the battery box, and is totally encased in rubber. That should kill power to the ignition switch. Sounds like the ignition switch contacts are stuck in the on position. The headlight has a latching relay, so that may be stuck also. It is located under the fuel tank, and it is righ behind the steering neck. It has 4 wires going to it. It may have been bypassed at some time.

[djrider]

Thanks, my wife just came home with my tools and I will definitely take a look at these suggestions.

[randy]

I'm with John on this one. I bet the wafer in the ignition switch has sheared off the spindle. Pull the plug at the iggy switch and the bike should die.

[prometheus578]

Thanks, my wife just came home with my tools

"DJrider... you git on back upstairs. I told you to stay out of the garage. I'll fix your bike for you... again!"
Must be nice.

(Hey... if I didn't write it, someone else would've. It was so temptin')

[Geezer]

When this happens the problem is usually that because of crossion there is high resistance and more heat on the terminals at the ignition switch and the hot terminals melt the plug until everthing touches. Clean the terminals, coat them in dielectric grease and install them in a new plug if you need one.

[shameless plug mode on]
I have these plugs on my website if you need any.
[shameless plug mode off]

Geezer

[djrider]

Thanks, still haven't had a chance to dig into the problem, too many things going on with the the kids. Hey, if anyone has a garage and wants to fix this, let me know....LOL I have lots of work to do on this machine...

[djrider]

Hmmm, still baffled. I looked at all the wiring and did continunity checks and everything came out fine.....even the ignition switch so either my wiring diagram from CLYMER is wrong or I have a gremlin living in my bike......

Does anyone know of a good cycle repair shop in the northern VA area?

[TopCatGr58]

I hate Electrical Gremlins!

Sorry,

I don't even know a good mechanic is SOUTHERN Va.!

Continuity checks may not reveal the GREMLIN! Sounds like you have TOO MUCH CONTINUITY, power running to the TCI and other circuits even with the key turned to off. I still think it sounds like the switch. You can take it off, and take it apart...screws together. I got a cheap replacement from PNM, but the wires were not right nor were they thick enough, so I took the wire/plate off of my old one(the key cylinder was damaged), and put it/swapped it with the one on the new switch, worked just fine! Corrosion can also cause wires to loose their solder, can work loose and short against neighboring wires!
T.C.

[79XS11F]

I'm with TC on this. You likely got a short at the bottom of the main switch. i rebuilt my main switch. It's a fiddle fart job but easy enough to do.
Rob

[djrider]

Okay, between rain showers, I am look on how to take the ignition switch off my bike.....is there an easy way to do this? I have a Vetter fairing on the front and all the wires are in a pouch in the front, just how do I get the switch out???

[Geezer]

Originally posted by djrider
Okay, between rain showers, I am look on how to take the ignition switch off my bike.....is there an easy way to do this? I have a Vetter fairing on the front and all the wires are in a pouch in the front, just how do I get the switch out???

I would bet my lunch money that the bag the wiring is in, is part of the problem. Those damn wiring pouches hold water and increase corosion of the terminals.

Unplug the pig tail from the fairing and remove the fairing. Open the pouch and discard it. Now unplug the connection to the igntion switch and odds are the wires in the plug are melted together.

After you fix it, let the wire just hang out behind the fairing. The connections will corrode a lot slower that way. While you're in there, clean all the connections and coat the terminals with dielectric grease.

There's no other way to fix this than digging into it. So don't be shy, dig in.

Geezer

[djrider]

Update on my problems,

Finally the weather broke and I was able to get into the wiring. Found the pig tail from the ignition switch to have a burnt contact that melteed part of the pigtail. I was able to center the contact and plugged everything back together. IT WORKED, pulled the pigtail apart and cleaned it. Now I can shut the bike off with the ignition switch, but need to change the battery.
Found one thing while tinkering with the pigtail, the pigtail itself gets very warm when the bike is running, hmmmm, went to the fuse box and found that 2 of my fuses had been swapped out and 20A fuses in there place. I need to change these, has anyone changed out their fuse box for a new one that takes the small bladed fuses?


Thanks for all the help, DJ

P.S. Yes, temp fix need to find a place and pull the fairing and rewire the pigtail.

[Geezer]

Be sure and coat those cleaned terminals with dielectric grease or they will corrode right up again.