No Power Need Help!!!

[cleats]

Ok with my bike still out of commision I need to come to you guys for more help. My bike lost power last week from a dead battery and when I charged the battery and put it in I got power but as soon as I replaced the seat the bike went dead. I noticed I hit the negative ground terminal while putting the bike seat back on and that is when the bike lost all power. I got nothing right now. After checking some connections I wiggled the fuse box and got power for a split second before losing it again. So I ran a wire directly from the battery to my fuse box and whala I have power but I know its a terrible way to fix a electic connection. However when I run the line directly to the fuse box I still dont have any power to my tachometer or my head light. This is starting to really become a chore so I need some advice from an outside source. Would it be a bad play to just replace the entire wiring harness and not worry about the headaches of old corroded wires? Or does this sound more like a bad ground? Thanks for all the advice you have given me in the past and I will stay close to the computer waiting for more.

[Dennyz]

Both my "F" and "SF" had this problem. I would be sitting at a stop light and the bike would die. No electrical power anywhere. I would walk home and return with my truck, to have the bike start right up and run fine.

There is a heavy wire with a red cloth cover on it that attaches to the solenoid (aft of the fuse block on the left side). This is the bikes main power wire. I found that the connector crimp had become corroded and loose. I cleaned the wire up and soldered on a new connector on both bikes. I have not had the problem on either bike since.

[nwilley]

Re: No Power Need Help!!!

Originally posted by cleats
Ok with my bike still out of commision I need to come to you guys for more help. After checking some connections I wiggled the fuse box and got power for a split second before losing it again.

Check out the new tech tips listed in the XS/XJ discussion forum. If you have not replaced your main fuse and fuse block with something newer you will be plagued with problems! BTDT

[Dragonrider]

Do not forget that (at least on the 80 special) there is a seperate MAIN fuse, located in a rubber thingy under the seat near the left side cover (or it may be under the left side cover).

Those are prone to making a bad connection. I highly recommend the fuse box fix on the techtips, and put the main in the new box as well.