Electrical Gremlins

[FiftyGS1100G]

I've just replaced the R/R with one of Duanage's and followed the guide on BassCliff's website. It all looked good and I peeled back the old insulating tape to make sure that a previous owner hadn't made a mess and also cleaned up some grounds and connections. Put the battery back and voila!, high and low beams, turn signals, running lights, brake lights. Sadly when I hit the starter nothing (yes the run switch is in the "run" position) and I also noticed that my side stand light, oil pressure light also do not light up. I've checked my connections over and over and now I'm stumped. I've checked behind the headlight and everything looks pristine, I've gone over the harness again looking for orphaned wires other than the white/green and white/red that are left over from the R/R upgrade. I had to step back and turn to a higher power : lol: in this case the most august members of this forum. Please head me in the right direction. Cheers Paul

[rustybronco]

Please help by providing us the information as to what bike you are working on...

[FiftyGS1100G]

82 gs1100g

My Bad; yes the bike is an 82 GS1100G. Sorry "bout that. cheers P

[Wizard]

Take apart the Right Handle Switch assembly on the handlebar and clean all contacts, look for broken/bare wires.

[ssbrazo]

Try tapping the stater relay/solenoid under the side cover to see if it you can hear it engaging.

Or use a multimeter to see if your getting voltage at the starter while someone else pushes the button. That would be a good start! Try to rule out the starter itself or the wiring.

Did the starter work before the R/R work?

[Missile99]

I suspect the connector in the bucket where the defunct green/white wire loops and becomes the red/white wire. This connector is the same one that power flows through from the kill switch. I think these wires affect all that you've said. It can become a brittle, overheated pile of junk. All of your fuses all okay too?

[Steve]

... voila!, high and low beams, turn signals, running lights, brake lights. ... and I also noticed that my side stand light, oil pressure light also do not light up.

I did not see any mention of "checked my fuses".

Your lights are on one fuse.
Your signals and brakes are on another fuse.
Power to the ignition, as well as the starter button, are on yet another fuse.

The confusing part is where the side stand and oil pressure lights are not on. They are powered by the same fuse that does the turn signals and brakes.

Remember, you can't just look at a fuse, you have to use a meter or a test light to verify that it is actually working.

Did you pull the clutch lever? (unless that has been bypassed)

.

[rustybronco]

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/GS1100G_1982_wiring.jpg

The oil pressure and side stand lights are on the same circuit. I'd start with checking the voltage on either side of the second fuse down from the top in the diagram I linked.

[FiftyGS1100G]

More checks

So yes I did pull the clutch in and yes I did check my fuses tho' not with a meter which I will now do.However with most of the items on the 2nd fuse working it strikes me as unlikely that the fault is there. But as Ed Ness says " to measure is to know" so I'm going to check in the bucket again where the diode and/or wht/grn to wht/red loop occurs. In reading the schematic it seems that the common thread is the wht/green wire which seems to connect all these components. When I had my R/H switch apart to check the wires, I didn't see a white/green wire in there.I believe they were orange with green and orange. I'll keep everyone posted. Starter worked fine before the "fix". cheers PK ps many thanks for your help I've been at this for days now and was unable to see the trees for the forest....

[rustybronco]

The horns and brake lights are still working?

[Steve]

I didn't see a white/green wire in there.I believe they were orange with green and orange.

The orange and orange/green are the ones directly involved with the ignition.

.

[Missile99]

So yes I did pull the clutch in and yes I did check my fuses tho' not with a meter which I will now do.However with most of the items on the 2nd fuse working it strikes me as unlikely that the fault is there. But as Ed Ness says " to measure is to know" so I'm going to check in the bucket again where the diode and/or wht/grn to wht/red loop occurs. In reading the schematic it seems that the common thread is the wht/green wire which seems to connect all these components. When I had my R/H switch apart to check the wires, I didn't see a white/green wire in there.I believe they were orange with green and orange. I'll keep everyone posted. Starter worked fine before the "fix". cheers PK ps many thanks for your help I've been at this for days now and was unable to see the trees for the forest....

In the headlight bucket is the point where the old stator loop occurs, probably wht/grn to wht/red. I wrote it opposite before. It should be the same point where orange + orange/white wires connect to send power to the kill switch.

[Wizard]

There is a device in the (series) circuit called a "Starter Disconnect Switch".
Don't know what its for, other than maybe a Thermal Switch that opens if the starter is run too long.
I would disconnect this switch and short the 2 GRN/WHT wires together (little piece of wire) into the connector (bypassing this switch for a test), assuming you have the same schematic.

[Steve]

There is a device in the (series) circuit called a "Starter Disconnect Switch".
Don't know what its for, other than maybe a Thermal Switch that opens if the starter is run too long.
I would disconnect this switch and short the 2 GRN/WHT wires together (little piece of wire) into the connector (bypassing this switch for a test), assuming you have the same schematic.

You would disconnect it, even though you have NO idea what it's for?

Please stay away from my bikes.


That "starter disconnect switch" is the one in the clutch handle.

Yes, feel free to disconnect it, then re-connect the two terminals on the main harness side of the connections to each other. That will eliminate the need to pull the clutch to use the electric starter, but BEWARE. If you happen to bump the starter while the bike is in gear, it's going to move forward. If you are lucky, you might catch it just as it's going off the side stand. If it happens to start the engine, it's going DOWN.

.

[Wizard]

Bypassing devices for Diagnostic Testing (as mentioned) is a reasonable way to Troubleshoot problems.
"if this,,. if that,,.." whatever, let your imagination run nuts,,..
Sure, I'll gladly stay away from your bikes, and obviously you too.