ignition module

[the108penguins]

I'm having trouble with my electrical system currently and i believe i have traced it back to my ignition module but I'm not 100% positive. the symptoms are the lights all power up and it looks ready to start but pressing the start button doesn't start the bike. nothing happens. I've ruled out the button as the problem because I've disassembled the throttle casing and jumped the button contacts with the no results. it is also not the kill switch because I've bypassed that temporarily to rule it out. i can use a screwdriver to jump the contacts on the starter relay and the starter fires right up and cranks the engine over a few times and sounds like it's about to start but dies as soon as the starter stops.

Any ideas guys?

I'm flabbergasted! I thought I'd switch over to the "build your own ignition module" and see if that helps but I'm having trouble with the instructions. after I've made all the connections i still end up with two loose wires the red/yellow and the white/red.

i also checked the tip over shut off switch and it is functioning fine so that's not the problem.

[natemoen]

Have you dropped the bike lately?
Check the tipover switch. You can just unplug it.

[crazy steve]

If it's 'trying' to start while you have the starter button pressed, it may be either your ballast resistor (if so equipped, '78-79 models) or you may have bad coils. There's a comprehensive test procedure in the manual, just follow that...

[the108penguins]

no i haven't dropped the bike (yet) plus i took the tip over switch apart and looked at it (my curiosity makes a 10 second job into a 10 min one) rules out the tip over switch. i haven't checked the coils or ballast resistor. will do next. though the start button doesn't respond either for some reason. the only way i can get it to turn over now is with the kick starter or by jumping the terminals on the starter relay.

[James England]

though the start button doesn't respond either for some reason. the only way i can get it to turn over now is with the kick starter or by jumping the terminals on the starter relay.

I think this points to the starter solenoid or wiring to it from the starter button. I had a starter solenoid fail and I found that the coil inside it had stopped working. Disconnect the solenoid by undoing the thick wires and unplugging the 2-pin block connector, then connect a 12v battery to the pins in the block connector. You should hear it give a serious CLICK as the coil inside energises and pulls the heavy-duty contacts inside.

If you find that the solenoid doesn't click when the wires are briefly connected to a battery, then that's the problem. If the solenoid does click and close the heavy contacts, then it's a wiring fault or the starter button switch........

[DGXSER]

The starter circuit on the XS is pretty simple. The power starts at the battery and goes to the key switch. From there to the fuse panel and the ignition circuit. After that it goes to the e-stop on the right hand switch then back to the starter solenoid and then back up to the start button, then to ground. So the starter button is merely completing the ground side of the solenoid circuit.

You can check for power along that path and see where it stops. That will tell you what is giving you problems.

[yamahansolo]

There's a nice shiny new one right now on ebay for a steal...

[CatatonicBug]

You sound like you are pretty savvy with electricity, but I'll mention it anyway - remember that the starter switch grounds to the switch housing, then to the handlebars. If the handlebars are painted, the starter button won't work unless an extra ground wire is added back to the frame.

[the108penguins]

i know how finicky things can get sometimes so it could be a problem that my handle bars are painted but i haven't repainted them or done anything to them at all and the starter button did work. but it's possible that it vibrated to a part of the bar that wont work from where it was. knowing where the circuit runs should help me trace it back to the problem thanks illuminating that for me.

[Lamric]

DGXSER has already said it for me "You can check for power along that path and see where it stops. That will tell you what is giving you problems."

This should help ...

[b.walker5]

I occasionally have the same issue with mine, but in my case I know its the starter button itself. It's corroded and pitted to the point where it's becoming unreliable. Take your switch apart and check the contact point on the bottom.

[MaximPhil]

Hey 108,
I had very similar problem. In the end it turned out to be an accumulation of bad connections that were depriving the "black" box of voltage. If you can connect a volt meter across the battery and using the screwdriver activate the solinoid. watch the voltage drop.
Box requires 10.5 volts to fire the coils.
Charge the battery and clean up connections before ordering parts
An old battery will give you problems too.
Good luck. sometimes it is a bunch of little things othertimes one big one.
Phil
ps I am very observant Hamjam did the tests on mine

[ManagerMike]

Sounds like the solenoid is the primary suspect in this case, but I would suggest bringing in the ignition switch for questioning.