OK, thanks guys. I think I will clean/insulate each connection as I go, as has been suggested, and go through the whole bike. Looks like I will be spending some quality time with posplayr's GS charging health link and BassCliffs electrical odds and ends this weekend. I am very grateful to have all of the great information found here. I intended the bike to be a mechanical education, and it has lived up to that for sure!
I think you should get back to a running bike before you start tearing into everything. Your bike was running and now you have electrical cutout (i.e. no lights, no starter cranking) and apparently
something that is blowing your main fuse. Solve this first; it will be easier for you to keep focused).
Step #1 Solve the blowing Main First:
Pull all of your fuses except the main fuse. Turn on the Key, see if the main fuse blows?
1a.)If it does, it is probably your R/R; disconnect the R/R and turn on the key without starting.
If the lights come on without the R/R connected then the R/R probably has a internal short. (you can test with an ohm meter to confirm)
1b.)If it does NOT blow the fuse then start inserting fuses one at a time till with the key on the Main fuse blows.
When you have a fuse that when inserted is blowing your main you know that circuit is causing the short.
In step #1 you should have figured out what is causing the main fuse to stop blowing.
Step #2 Figure out why the bike will not start.
2a) Turn on the key, do you have lights (yes this is what you fixed in step #1 above)
2b.) When you turn on the kill switch to
RUN and push the start button does the motor crank?: If NOT check the voltage to
Y/G wire to the solenoid
It should have +12V on it when you
PRESS START (with Ign on and Kill on and Clucth pulled unless you disable clutch interlock)
2c.) If you have voltage then your Solenoid may be what "
popped" and is bad. You can usually take these apart and clean if not get a lawnmower replacement from Lowes.
2d.) Once the bike is cranking again it should start (you said it was running before this problem started).
Step #3 Check your charging using the "Quick Test" (make sure the battery is good)
3a)
Report the results here so we have a baseline and can diagnose the readings.
3b.) You will probably be instructed to follow troubleshooting based on these results.
One we confirm your parts are good, then you should be OK to start generally cleaning and reconfiguration of the wiring as per "
GS Charging Health".
3c.) Follow the instructions in the
GS Charging Health steps #1 and #2 for cleanup of connections and the grounding, and then the revised stator pages. But if you do
step 3a above we can help direct you through the revised stator pages.
3d.) Strongly consider getting a SERIES SH-775 is yours is bad or you have a bigger bike.
Buy a can of DeOxit or the similar product that they have at Radio Shack. If you can't get that then get dialectic grease, but the spray is much easier to use. The DeOxit product, eats away corrosion and leaves a non corroding barrier on the metal that is still super conductive. For very dirty conenctiosn use Naval jelly of similar acid to get rid of the big stuff, flush with water the apply DeOxit.
