bike quit on me

[kevxs]

Hi guys, I was riding into work this morning and all the sudden my bike stopped running and the starter wouldn't work.

the lights and everything stayed on so i tried to push start it, it wouldn't start but then the starter would work and it would fire right up, run great for 5sec then die. again the starter wouldn't work, this continued for an endless loop. (starter wont work, try to push start, then starter works and bike runs for 5sec, repeat)

i'm thinking my 'repaired' pickup coil wires have lost their insulation and are shorting out (the insulation was looking a little rough last time i was in there)

would these symptoms support that theory? any other suggerstions?

[soccer4m]

check out

Hi, I am sure the electrical gurus can really help, but it sounds like a 12 v. power issue that cuts off the bike and the starter. I would check the ground strap on the battery going to the frame. And double check your connections on the pos. battery. Maybe clean up both, make sure there is clean contacts all around the terminals. I had a semi broken ground strap, right at the frame, that did the same thing, cut out,would restrart if I tilted the bike, drove me nuts till I found the cracked, worn out ground to frame connection. So,,,,,,keep us informed. Of course, also check your pickup coil wire fix again, lot of info on the search .........................Mike in Sun Diego

[DGXSER]

The killing of the starter circuit is indicative of soemthing more than your pick-up coil wires. The circuit for the starter to work begins at the main fuse, through the key switch to the fuse box, then the ignition fuse, the e-stop switch on the right handle bars, and then to the starter relay.

The only component there that would kill the engine, and the starter, but leave you with lights (I think it leaves the lights on) is the kill switch on the handlebars. My guess is that you have a bad connection or loose wire in there.

[motoman]

Actually I had the white pick-up coli wire on my 81 give it fits and would die same way till it was fixed. And no, the start button would not work until things giggeled around a bit even tho all instrumentation worked still. Your issue is STILL under the ignition cover...

[kevxs]

sill stranded

my pickup wires seem to be fine and I'm getting power to the stop switch, need to know the next junction to check after the stop switch.

I bridged the silnoid and the starter would crank over, it fired up for me but by the time put some things back together it wouldn't fire up again. the starter will turn if I bridge the silnoid but theres no power getting to the coils.

i dont know why the starter motor and the coils lost power at the same time, It does seem like it has to be something with the stop switch but I need more info on the circuit.

electrical work is not my best skill, i did download this wiring diagram

http://webpages.charter.net/kbhahn/xs11/E-Fwire.JPG

its for the standard but I hope its close enough for my special.

anyway if anyone can walk me through troubleshooting the stop switch circuit I think that will help. you guys are always telling me to clean all my grounds but I dont know where they are actually located on the bike so I don't have much luck with that.

[ManagerMike]

By the clymers diagram, the stop switch provides a ground signal to the TCI module. The black wire is ground, the black/white wire is from (to) the TCI.
The TCI aslo has a connection to the starter solenoid, not knowing the details of how the TCI is wired internally my guess is that when the stop switch is closed, it shows the TCI a ground which shuts it down and it in turn deprives the start solenoid of ignition power on the red/yellow wire.
The simplest test for the stop switch is to check for consistent continuity (less than 5 ohms) between black and black/white when closed, and consistent lack of continuity (infinity, no resistance reading at all) when open. A digital multimeter is your best friend right about now.

[DGXSER]

It really sound sliek you have an intermittent connection in or at that stop switch on the handlebars. I would open the switch up, clean all the connections really well and see if there is a loose solder joint in there. Remember, your looking for voltage on BOTH sides of that switch, not just one side. When the bike is acting up, and not wanting to start, test for voltage on both sides.

As a temporary test, you can bypass that switch with a jumper wire or similar to see if the bike runs consitently. If it does, then you know that switch is the issue.

[kevxs]

getting closer

So the run stop switch is clean and working fine and i can get the bike to fire when the aluminum switch enclosure is apart but as soon as i put it together again it wont fire. Is somethng shorting out?
(my starter button also isint working so ive been bridging the silnoid.)

[skids]

Do you mean that you need to jumper the solonoid to start it even when the run/stop assembly is apart? If that switch is shorting to ground, you have no ignition, so if you can actually start the bike with the assembly together, that is not your problem.

[BA80]

Check your fuses. I had that happen to me at the grocery store once and it turned out to be a bad connection at a fuse.

Do your warning lights on the dash come on with the key? (oil and neutral)

[ManagerMike]

So the run stop switch is clean and working fine and i can get the bike to fire when the aluminum switch enclosure is apart but as soon as i put it together again it wont fire. Is somethng shorting out?
(my starter button also isint working so ive been bridging the silnoid.)

If I follow you, when you have the R.H. switch assembly apart the bike does run, but will not once it is reassemled?
If so, the run/stop switch is grounding the black/white wire through the housing (through the handlebar), that would be the same as having the switch in the stop position: no spark and no starter.

[kevxs]

That sounds like what is happening mike. How do i fix it?

[ManagerMike]

I suppose the simplest answer would be to replace the switch assembly.
There may be other minds here that have had to repair this issue before and have devised a quicker remedy, I myself, have not had to go there before and therefore do not have personal experience to draw from.
I would however refrain from the "bypass" method, that switch is a critical safety device; you really don't want to have to try reaching for the key in an emergency to shut down the engine.
I do believe I have read other posts here about availability of repacements from the likes of Bike Bandit, or Mike's XS (just don't tell him it's for an 1100).
A new switch assembly has the added bonus of coming with a new start button though...

[DGXSER]

I will pull my spare aprt and see what it looks like inside there. Been way to long since I had that apart.

[BA80]

They ar pretty simple inside but that old plastic is really brittle most of the time. MIKE'S XS has them new but they are kinda pricey and you have to change the plug because they are for a 650 and that's different. The switch itself is the same though.