78XS rehab

[Eab]

Cleaned the grounds at the rectifier, the battery ground cable point and at the engine bolt and it's still acting the same. I'm re-doing all the crimps the PO did near the fuse box, though considering it wouldn't run even when I jumped the solenoid contacts I don't know that that'll do anything. Getting a new ground cable tomorrow, I'll install that and cross my fingers. In the meantime, might as well check other possibles off the list. I've got the tank off now and nothing is screaming "rotted wire!", which is a shame.

[Bax]

Hi Eab, I can offer some face time electrical trouble shooting assistance this evening when I get home, if interested, I'll PM you my number.

---Bax

[Eab]

Hi Eab, I can offer some face time electrical trouble shooting assistance this evening when I get home, if interested, I'll PM you my number.

---Bax

That'd be amazing but can I take a rain check? Got 50/50 custody of my 4 year old and this is one of my nights. Incredibly generous offer in any case, many thanks.

[Bax]

Eab, totally understand. Yeah, rescheduling is not a problem.

---Bax

[Eab]

Eab, totally understand. Yeah, rescheduling is not a problem.

---Bax

What's your schedule like this weekend? Plans later tonight but this is my off weekend, plus my SO is on a trip with her family so I'm going to be doing a lot of fiddling. Swapped out the main ground and redid all the crimps near the fuse block and I'm still getting the same results on turnover. Still stumped - I was able to run it before jumping the solenoid contacts but even that isn't doing the job now.

[DiverRay]

Try running a second ground wire from the frame/battery connection to the engine. I used one of the middle drive bolts. I'll try and get a photo later today.
For the voltage leak, try unbolting the positive lead from the solinoid and see if you still have a draw.

[Bax]

Eab, I'll send PM.

Bax

[Eab]

Try running a second ground wire from the frame/battery connection to the engine. I used one of the middle drive bolts. I'll try and get a photo later today.
For the voltage leak, try unbolting the positive lead from the solinoid and see if you still have a draw.

Key in the off position and the positive terminal pulled from the solenoid and I'm getting .5 volts across the main fuse terminals.

There's this loose wire that had been tied into the accessory port before, can't see what it does but I suspect it's related to a three-way toggle on the top of the head light housing (possibly handlebar heaters that some PO added and removed?). When I re-engage that wire to the post it had been attached to, the voltage across the main fuse jumps to 7.5, with the key in the off position. Could some remnant of whatever this was be causing the leak? I've left this thing disconnected as I've been troubleshooting this. It's the yellow wire in the photo, you can follow it all the way to the headlight housing.

[Eab]

Figure I might as well solve SOME problems at least this afternoon: got these replacement turn signals in from Mike's. Apparently material being chrome also applies to plastic... but I've found a workaround. Old signal housings are in great shape though the rubber boot and wires are no good, be a shame to let them go to waste HAH

[Eab]

I stumbled across a diagram someone had put together that showed the starter motor circuit and nothing else, a bit simplified. I'd been looking for something else at the time and immediately lost it. I've got my Haynes, but I'm still a bit green on reading a diagram that complex - anyone have something like that handy?

Also, these ARE the three grounding points....? A lot of folks have said this sounds like a bad ground and I've serviced the heck out of these three points: wire-wheeled away corrosion etc on both the wire and grounding points, and it seems to be acting the same regardless. For good measure I cleaned up the connection point from the hot wire to the starting motor as well.

In the process of checking the starting motor one of the bolts holding it on snapped so... hopefully I don't need to replace that. #@*%.

[JonnyO]

Lucky day! This community is friggin awesome. Many thanks.

Yes it is!
Many of us could fix something if WE KNEW what was wrong...which is where experience comes in to play.
Even more desirable is the knowledge OF WHERE AND WHO HAS WHAT...and are HONEST sellers.
An invaluable resource from those who've gone before us and have learned through trial and error.
So many thieves with no scruples are out there -and those amongst us that have been wronged will share that info.

[MaximPhil]

EAB, while you are checking and cleaning up wires. Behind the fuse panel are two large connectors that have been known to melt so check clean or replace those. Probably not related to your starter problem just an area of known issues. With your 6 fuse holder you can discard the fuse accessory block.

Phil

[Eab]

EAB, while you are checking and cleaning up wires. Behind the fuse panel are two large connectors that have been known to melt so check clean or replace those. Probably not related to your starter problem just an area of known issues. With your 6 fuse holder you can discard the fuse accessory block.

Phil

Thanks for the suggestion but it turns out the problem was behind the dang handlebars. My three-week-old battery AND my portable jump starter both were apparently failing on me. Took it back to get tested and it's junked. MANY thanks to Bax for help isolating the problem - both the (new!) battery and the jumper were getting the same results. Learned how to rebuild and test a starter motor! Big win, just took it for a victory lap around the block. It won't run on zero choke just yet, but I've got a 30/70 mix of seafoam and gas soaking the tank and carb inners now, we'll see how it runs tomorrow.

You guys are #$%#in amazing.

[Eab]

Anyone got any tricks for uploading vids? Got one of freebie's new old rumble but can't get it up here!

Edit: here it is! Figures id leave the side covers off for this, but still! https://youtu.be/utxCxRMHnl8

[JonnyO]

Anyone got any tricks for uploading vids? Got one of freebie's new old rumble but can't get it up here!

Edit: here it is! Figures id leave the side covers off for this, but still! https://youtu.be/utxCxRMHnl8

Good job! ...