Bike just wont start!

[Shuriken]

Originally posted by edavi394
ok I made some progress I did get all wires to spark! but now I keep blowing a fuse as soon as i turn the key on. the fuse that keeps blowing is the one closest to the front of the bike in the fuse block

This caught my attention as I was browsing posts....

I had an XS that did this. Pulled my hair out trying to solve the problem. The horn had a problem with it and when I would turn on the key, it would short out and blow the fuse. I disconnected the horn from the wiring harness to discover the problem.

[Shuriken]

You may also want to see this thread:
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...threadid=18937

I used something similar when I was trying to find electrical problems....

[edavi394]

ok thx I will try the horn thing out. as well as look at thew other thread. I did get the fuse block on today but as soon as I turn the key on the ignition fuse blows (unless the kill switch is in off) then it blow when I turn it on. the kill switch assembly with starter button ect is all new. I put the ohm meter on it and everthing is fine up to the switch. something I should not is when the key is turned on right before the fuse blows you can hear a sound I think coming from the solenoid but not for sure. also I took the cover off from the ignition mod and there is a lead on the baord that is broken. I was going to solder a jumper wire on it but I thought I better ask around first.

this bike is really getting frustrating. I might never have even started on it if I knew it was going to need this much work. but now I have started and I don't like to quit

[edavi394]

also on the board if I have one side of the ohm meter hooked to the red/white wire and the other side to where the lead is broke it does sho a dead short on one side of the lead and the other side gives a reading. don't remember what it was though so I really think the problem lies here.

[egsols]

If IIRC the kill switch completes the circuit between the 10 amp fuse and the TCI. I believe the starter button allows ground to the starter solonoid. Sooo...I'm thinking that either the TCI is shorted or the wire running from the switch to the TCi is shorted. It should be red/white.

I'm not a 100% on what you're saying about the broken lead but if you are showing a short on the red/white, that's most likely the problem.

If you unhook the TCI and turn the key, with kill switch on, does it blow the fuse?

[edavi394]

are you talking about the red/white wire that hooks to the coils?
if so it dosen't mater if it is hooked up or not. even the grey and orange wires can be unhooked and it still blows the fuse. I am thinking it is some where after the starter button and kill switch the red/white wire goes to a relay or somthing then to the ignition box. and i think it is one of the leads on the board that hooks to the red/white wire that is broke.

also I don't have to hit the button to make the fuse blow. and I can still get the engine to crank over jumping acrossed the solenoid.

[edavi394]

sorry brain fart you said TCI meaning the IGNITION BOX no I have not unhooked the red/white from there and tryed it yet. let me do that and see what happens

[edavi394]

ok unhooked from the solenoid (there is a plug with a red/white wire) that goes there and when the ohm meter is hooked to it and to the red/white wire the goes to the kill switch it shows it is a short. also unhooked the TCI IGNITION BOX. with either or both un hooked it still blows the fuse as soon as the key is turned to on. so maybe I have a short some where in the red/white wire?

[egsols]

The red/white from the solenoid, I believe, is shared with red/white to the TCI. It also joins through the ballast resistor.

If its blowing with both the TCI and sloenoid unhooked then it must be before both of those, but after the kill switch, since you said it doesn't blow until you turn it to run.

I think you said you bypassed the ballast resister. If you did, you know where it is, so unhook the connection and see if it blows again. If it does then the short is in the wire between the resistor and the switch, if it doesn't blow, then it is probably between the resistor and the TCI/solenoid.

You'll find it.

[randy]

edavi394;

I had your exact problem when I first tried to fire up swamp thing after my total rebuild. Must have gone through a whole box of fuses.

What I found was, I had crushed the red/white inside the clamshell when I bolted it down to the handlebar, it shorted to the handelbar. Man, did i feel stupid. And they call me the electrical Guru!

Just for grins, try unbolting the clamshell. of course, you must relaize that when you unbolt it, the starter button will not operate, it gets it's ground from the handlebar. but, if that cures your fuse blowing, then you can isolate the frayed wire and fix it.

[edavi394]

Hi thx one of the first places I looked it is off the handle bar but is does carnk when i hit the button... any way i did fix it the problem was so simple when I took one of my new coils off before to check something i hooked the red/white wire to the negitive side of it and the red/white wire was also against the frame. I had un hooked the red/white wires before and it didn't fix it don't know how I missed it but anyway it does not blow the fuse anymore and it does crank over when i hit the button. now to put the tank on and get some more gas in it

[randy]

Great news, good riding!

[thewiz]

We're pullin' for ya', Bro'

got my fingers crossed.

[edavi394]

well good news sortof I don't have any gas in the tank so I have to go get some. but i did spray some starting fluid in the carbs and she came to life and ran a until it was out of fuel. but it did start right up so I am very hopeful. as soon as I get some gas I will see what happens and let you know. there is a big storm coming in though so I don't know if I will get a chance to work on it any more tonight. no garage just a bike cover to protect it

[edavi394]

on thing that really upsets me about working on it this time is my gas tank fell on the concrete and got a big scratch in it. not dent so I guess I am lucky but my tank was flawless untill then now I either have to deal with the scratch or pay to have it painted again I was so upset.