DOH! I fried something, but what?

[emjay]

While trying to get my bike (GS850GLZ) started for the first time this spring on an old battery I foolishly tried to jump it with my car. It almost started but not quite. However, a little smoke rose up from some wires near the battery. I checked the fuses and wires but couldn't find anything that got fried.

I have since installed a new glass mat battery. The bike starts and runs great, but the headlight, turn signals, and rear light don't work. The break light works. I thought it might be a ground somewhere, but couldn't find any problems. All the fuses on the block by the battery are good as far as I can tell.

Does anyone have any ideas where to look? Is there a fuse somewhere I'm not finding? I'm not even sure what fuses go to what (the cover for the fuse block is missing). The riding is supposed to be good this weekend and I really want to get out.

[earlfor]

It will not cause any damage to your bike to jump start it from your car battery. The car canNOT be running. Jump from battery power alone.
The bike will only draw the amount of power it needs. It does not matter how much there is in the car battery. The first thing I would do is either replace all the fuses with a new fuse. Sometimes, a fuse looks good and isnt. I dont believe there are any other fuses besides those in the fuse block. It sounds like the lighting fuse is the problem. It will be the one with the highest rating and I believe it is a 15 amp. The rest should be 10 amp.

E.

While trying to get my bike (GS850GLZ) started for the first time this spring on an old battery I foolishly tried to jump it with my car. It almost started but not quite. However, a little smoke rose up from some wires near the battery. I checked the fuses and wires but couldn't find anything that got fried.

I have since installed a new glass mat battery. The bike starts and runs great, but the headlight, turn signals, and rear light don't work. The break light works. I thought it might be a ground somewhere, but couldn't find any problems. All the fuses on the block by the battery are good as far as I can tell.

Does anyone have any ideas where to look? Is there a fuse somewhere I'm not finding? I'm not even sure what fuses go to what (the cover for the fuse block is missing). The riding is supposed to be good this weekend and I really want to get out.

[Steve]

First of all, was the car running? Hopefully NOT. If it was, you might have fried the Rectifier/Regulator. If the car was not running, there is a chance that you might have touched incorrect terminals (I have done that before, myself ). Use a meter or a test light to verify continuity through the electrical system. Clamp the light on the ground terminal of the battery, touch the positive terminal to verify that the light works. Touch the connection at the starter solenoid. Touch both sides of all 5 fuses. The bottom two will be live at all times, the top three need to have the key turned ON.

Evidently you are getting some power here, as the bike runs.
The top fuse is for head light, tail light, instrument lights and turn signals.
The second fuse is for brake light and horn.
The third fuse is for ignition.
The fourth fuse is the master fuse between the battery and the rest of the bike.
The bottom fuse is only for the accessory terminals at the bottom of the fuse box.
Based on this, your problem is with the top fuse. If the fuse tests good (don't just look at it, test it), make sure it is getting power with your test light. Just follow the circuit until you find the culprit. If the fuse tests good, the next likely culprit would be the ignition switch.


.

[emjay]

Well, I replaced all the fuses - no difference. And I can't see how it could be the R/R - the bike starts and runs fine and all electical parts work EXCEPT the head light, tail light, and blinkers. The brake light works.

It appears as though all my grounds in the lighting circuit are ok, so maybe it's elsewhere. Any other ideas?

[ScottMc1100L]

:shock: If you saw smoke, I really doubt a fuse replacement will fix it. Is it charging?

The car canNOT be running. Jump from battery power alone.

Good to know...news to me, thank you!

[bonanzadave]

Well, I replaced all the fuses - no difference. And I can't see how it could be the R/R - the bike starts and runs fine and all electical parts work EXCEPT the head light, tail light, and blinkers. The brake light works.

It appears as though all my grounds in the lighting circuit are ok, so maybe it's elsewhere. Any other ideas?

Its possible you may have just smoked all the bulbs. The car jumpper cables are too big to get into tight spots. You might have just shorted it out.

[emjay]

... Is it charging?

With the engine revving at 5000 rpm I get 14.22 Volts accross the battery, so I'd say it's charging.

I pulled the head light and checked for ground at the connector - O ohms = good ground. With the ignition on I then tested for current between the ground and high and low beams - 0 Volts = no current.

So, unless anyone else has any suggestions, I'll start testing from the connector back - through the LH switch on the handle bars, the ignition switch, etc. toward the battery until I find the fault. It's got to be in there somewhere, right?

[850 Combat]

I blew a starter solenoid in my CBX 20 years ago after jump starting it from a truck at a gas station (it had stopped charging on a 350 mile return home). I always thought it was a coincidence. The same thing happened to my '80 GS 1000G last summer.

I am not so sure it was a coincidence. I don't understand why that should happen, but it has. Twice.

It will not cause any damage to your bike to jump start it from your car battery.

E.

[emjay]

Fixed, but how?

Well, I tested everything I could but didn't find anything wrong.
So, I figured I might as well put it all back together and start again another day.

Once I'm done I start the bike up to drive it back into the garage, and what do you know, the lights all work, :? except for the tail light. I shut the bike off, open up the tail light housing and find that one of the two filaments is fried. I go get a new bulb and everything is back to normal.

Maybe it was just taking things apart and checking them out that fixed it, who knows? All I care is that it's all working right.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Anyone need some fuses?

Go figure. These old bikes are full of surprises. :-D

[chef1366]

Good news! Did you happen to notice the area the smoke was coming from?

[emjay]

Good news!

Indeed! I Just went for a 2 hour ride. Woo hoo :-D Great to finally get some nice weather again up here in Maine. \\/

Did you happen to notice the area the smoke was coming from?

It looked like it came from the wiring harness where it runs between the fuse block and the battery. I unwrapped that section and everything looked OK. Maybe it was the battery. If so, no matter, it's been replaced.