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Annoying Electrical Gremlin

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  • #1

    Annoying Electrical Gremlin

    Okay, I've been chasing this problem ever since I bought my bike. Every now and then, the tach decides to just up and quit working. Usually it's only for a few seconds, but sometimes it takes a while to finally "wake up" and get going again.

    Because it's all connected, I'm sure my battery charging system is taking a hit every time this happens, too. It's never usually a big problem, as it's never "off" long enough to cause issues.

    I've checked the connections behind the fuse panel and one (the two-wire one) WAS loose (when I had the bike on and jiggled the wires there was a nice little blue light show in the connector, along with the assorted pops and crackles... ). I thought I fixed the problem, but this season it cropped up again. Problem is, whenever I jiggle the connections looking for a loose wire while the bike is running (not the best idea, probably), I can't get the tach to quit.

    What's weird is that I've noticed something new this time around. When the tach isn't working, the bike actually seems to run better. Revs pick up a bit and the engine seems to run a bit smoother. When the tach pops back on, the engine settles back down again.

    Any thoughts, advice, words of wisdom? Thanks.
    Currently XS-less.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Sounds like a problem with the charging circuit, rectifier or stator wires. I had this sort of trouble with a Honda v65. The bike would keep going on battery power and actually ran better at idle for a while because the motor was doing less work when it didn't have to deal with the effort of charging the battery.. The electrical gurus will chime in with more XS11 specific details. When I checked and fixed every dud connection from stator to battery, the bike ran again well and the tach was steady..

    Comment

    • #3
      Rather than just wiggling wires to try and replicate the problem, since you know there is a problem there, REPLACE that plug! There is a lot of juice that goes through there, and any corrosion/resistance causes a lot of heat. When I got my bike, that connector was actually melted, and I had the same issue you are describing. I ended up crushing the connector to get it off, then I just spliced the wires together, and shrink-wrapped them. I know it will cause an issue if I ever decide to remove the stator, but I'll deal with that if it ever comes up. You can always just replace both sides of it with a connector from Radio Shack if you want to retain the "removability".
      1980 XS850SG - Sold
      1981 XS1100LH Midnight Special (Sold) - purchased 9/29/08
      Fully Vetterized and Dynojet Kit added, Heated Grips, Truck-Lite LED headlight, Accel Coils, Irridium plugs, TKAT Fork Brace, XS850LH Final Drive & Black SS Brake lines from Chacal.
      Here's my web page devoted to my bike! XS/XJ User's Manuals there, and the XJ1100 Service Manual and both XS1100 Service manuals (free download!).

      Whether you think you can, or you think you cannot - You're right.
      -H. Ford

      Comment

      • #4
        make sure you check your headlight fluid and dont for get to grease your tires..... makes a big difference










        Disclaimer:NO ONE SHOULD DO WHAT I JUST SAID. IF YOU DO, we will make fun of you...
        Austin Ingalls

        MIDNIGHT FURY
        1979 XS1100 Special [Full Restore Project]
        XJ maxim rear air shocks
        KERKER 4-into-1 exhaust
        Pod Filters

        Money pit.......
        BLACKED OUT

        Comment

        • #5
          Hi Mike,
          check the big fat connector down by the fuses with the 3 white wires going into it.
          That one has been known to melt.
          Fred Hill, S'toon
          XS11SG with Spirit of America sidecar
          "The Flying Pumpkin"

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by kirmit77 View Post
            make sure you check your headlight fluid and dont for get to grease your tires..... makes a big difference










            Disclaimer:NO ONE SHOULD DO WHAT I JUST SAID. IF YOU DO, we will make fun of you...
            Most likely we will make fun of them anyways.
            Cy

            1980 XS1100G (Brutus) w/81H Engine
            Duplicolor Mirage Paint Job (Purple/Green)
            Vetter Windjammer IV
            Vetter hard bags & Trunk
            OEM Luggage Rack
            Jardine Spaghetti 4-2 exhaust system
            Spade Fuse Box
            Turn Signal Auto Cancel Mod
            750 FD Mod
            TC Spin on Oil Filter Adapter (temp removed)
            XJ1100 Front Footpegs
            XJ1100 Shocks

            I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.

            Comment

            • #7
              If you DO have to change the blinker fluid, make sure you know the difference between the "regular" and "halogen".

              With bikes this old, they PROBABLY take regular.



              (I'll take a look at that connector again. The big one seemed okay, so sign of melting. I may replace the two-wire connector anyway, it seems like a good idea.)
              Currently XS-less.

              Comment

              • #8
                But, like many old cars that run better on leaded gasoline, but will handle unleaded, these blinkers will work well enough to get you home if you can only find Halogen blinker fluid...just be sure to flush the reservoir before you go back to regular or the gunk created by mixing the fluids might cause your blinkers to get stuck "ON".

                I'm in the same boat on my XJ. I know I need to go through every connection and get rid of any corrosion, just on general principle, but I'm a little afraid of how many I'm gonna have to replace when I break the plastic trying to get them apart...Oh well, this is a good crowd to vent to when things go wrong. More fodder for the cannons.

                Good luck Lucien!
                __________________________
                Jon Groelz

                '82 XJ1100J-John
                '78 XS1100E-Name Forthcoming (It's a Girl!)

                Comment

                • #9
                  I know I need to go through every connection and get rid of any corrosion, just on general principle
                  One of the best ideas to do soon after you get an XS. Saves a few headaches that will for sure bite you soon if you don't.

                  About the tach failing. If your sure you have good connections and the tach itself is good. Engine running you should have 5 to 7 VAC on the white wire that come from the stator. Low voltage, bad connection.

                  The brown tach wire when testing to the black tach wire should have +12VDC.

                  If you have good voltage then your tach has a problem otherwise it should be a bad wire or connector.

                  mro

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Yeah, I've only had the bike for what...7 years now? One of these days I'll get around to it!

                    I've been able to live with the occasionally failing tach, but it's also been off the road for 2 years entirely. Time to get back up on 2 wheels!
                    __________________________
                    Jon Groelz

                    '82 XJ1100J-John
                    '78 XS1100E-Name Forthcoming (It's a Girl!)

                    Comment

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