Guru, schmuru, we have problems, too!

[randy]

Riding to work today, stalled the motor at a light. At least I thought I had. I hadn't stalled the motor in a long time. Let out the clutch and POOF, DEAD. Stone dead. No nothin' as my brethren from Brooklyn would put it.

Fuse check - all good

Battery check - full and tight cables

Inside headlight bucket, sure enough, three-prong red/blue/brown main switch connector was hot to the touch. Main feed (red) was burnt. Quick fix, crimped tighter to get me the last few blocks to the orifice.

Those connectors are only 4 yrs old, I replaced every one in the harness back then. Just goes to show, anything can happen no matter what you've done to prevent it. Some things are just meant to be, like electrical problems on XS11's!

[bikerphil]

ign switch

Randy, I've had the same problem. I took apart my ignition switch and cleaned the contacts and all is good. Mine didn't melt any wires, but it would cut out and I would have to jiggle the key to get it to temporarily come back to life.

[boyat68]

Randy:

The magic words are: "Only four years old" and "crimped tighter"

The headlight on my 80G has been operating on the original connectors since birth and I have not had to replace them. (Knock Wood).

What this means is the factory used good/better connectors and the crimps were made with precision to preclude moisture, dirt and vibration. When average Joe replaces those connectors, they are retail connectors that are manufactured "good enough" to last only a few years "Obselence built in", and the crimping is done with whatever device is available.

[egsols]

Originally posted by boyat68

crimping is done with whatever device is available

My preference for a "crimping" device is a soldering iron followed by shrink wrap, whenever possible

[randy]

boyat68;

Excuse me, and i will excuse you because you obviously don't know me and I don't know you. crimping is NOT done with whatever is available, except maybe by the average joe. i've been in the electronic repair business since i was 14. No joke. 37 years. I know how to make connections and build circuits down to the board level, switching, amplification, oscillator & logic circuits included.

i'm not the average joe when it comes to these things, and I know you didn't know that. My point was, don't leave any stone unturned when you're troubleshooting, 'cause anything can happen, even to the most skilled technician.

just when you least expect it, something will come up on you broadside.

[blue giant]

Good find Randy!

I'm sure there would be many of us back yard mechanics scratching our heads for a bit before finding the bad connector plug!



Paul

[Geezer]

I take it you didn't pack it with dielectric grease?

I was in a hurry to get out of town and didn't pack the connections under the faring on my last bike and 3 months later I ended up replacing 3 plugs in the same condition.

Geezer

[randy]

Sorry, Geezer, wrong assumption.

[Geezer]

That's strange. I've never had a packed connection go bad.

You must have some nasty weather down your way if it will wash out a packed connection.

Geezer

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by randy
boyat68;

Excuse me, and i will excuse you because you obviously don't know me and I don't know you. crimping is NOT done with whatever is available, except maybe by the average joe. i've been in the electronic repair business since i was 14. No joke. 37 years. I know how to make connections and build circuits down to the board level, switching, amplification, oscillator & logic circuits included.

i'm not the average joe when it comes to these things, and I know you didn't know that. My point was, don't leave any stone unturned when you're troubleshooting, 'cause anything can happen, even to the most skilled technician.

just when you least expect it, something will come up on you broadside.

Well now if nothing ever broke then we'd never need technicians to fix 'em up...would we?

[randy]

Alaways the diplomat, Ben!

Hey, are you coming to Torrington?

[3Phase]

Same connector

I had to solder in the motel parking lot before the Mid-Coast rally. All connectors had been cleaned and greased, but on the way to Salinas from Aridzona the bike began to die while I was riding on the freeway, leaned over in corners and other fun and interesting places.

Squeezing the bag covering the wiring bundle (I have a Vetter fairing) would make it start firing again for a while.
It didn't melt the plastic connector but the Red wire on the ignition side of the connection came out of its terminal crimp the morning of the ride and left the terminal in the connector just as pretty as you please.

I'll fix it correctly the next time a unclaimed round-tuit comes my way.


Regards,

Scott

[Geezer]

Ditch the wiring bag behind the fairing. All those things do is collect water and speed up the corrosion process. The the wires hang out in the open and you'll have way less problems.

Geezer

[mro]

next time a unclaimed round-tuit comes my way

They be hard to find,
if you don't spend the time time




mro

[3Phase]

I think you're right, Tony.

I didn't have any trouble until after riding through a freak desert deluge in Aridzona. The ignition started cutting in and out just a day or two afterward.

I have some shiny new connectors and terminals ordered to rebuild the ignition and fairing harness connections so I'll leave the bag off and see how it goes, thank you!

At least I'll have a nifty vinyl bag to hold the 'tuit mro just sent my way. Thank you, mro!


Regards,

Scott