More advanced displays of muppetry

[bulldog2k]

Hi all,

Further to a recent thread, I changed the oil without drama, and went back up to Nottingham on another 320 mile round trip.

At the beginning of it, the tyre was flat, which baffled me. I have no idea why it was, but I had a few jobs to do in Bristol, so shoved some air in it, and thought, "Might as well see how it holds..." It held for an hour and a hlaf, so thought that was enough to stop at every services, so figured I'd chance it. It was fine, and still is, though have no idea what was wrong with it...

Now... Worse...

I was bought some Hot Grips for Xmas - excellent. Fitted them Xmas day. The instructions said 'use plenty of superglue' so I did, and superglue'd the entire throttle assembly shut.

Excellent. Luckily, I caught it in time, and 'broke the seal. Even so, the amount of glue underneath the plastic sleeve was causing it to bind, so I had to take the whole grip/assembly off, and clean the bar off underneath. I gave it a bit of WD40 - indeed, I'd tried this before taking the grip off, but it hadn't worked.

This was Boxing Day. I rode it for petrol - it was fine, and the grips worked sweet as a nut.

I cam back to it on the 27th, and it refused to start at all, and has been the same since.

When I turn the ignition to 'on', the neutral light comes on. Pressing the start button makes the oil light come on for however long you hold it in, but that's it - no turn over, nothing. I don't believe I can remember any clicking of relays or anything.

If memory serves, it's the same effect of trying to start it with the killswitch on. It bump starts fine, and when it's running, the kickstart switch still cuts the engine out when you try to put it in gear (D'oh!) and the killswitch still stops the engine.

For all the world, it seems like something electrical, but I haven't the first idea what. Well, my first idea was that somehow, liberally spraying the WD40 around had got into the switch on the bars and caused jiggery-pokery in there. I guess this is still plausible.

Or I wondered if it might be in some way connected to the neutral switch, but then it should start in gear with the clutch in (which it doesn't). Or I suppose it might have been the starter motor, except I wouldn't expect a sudden, total and catastrophic failure..? Or I suppose it might be a connection I've knocked putting the hot grips in - possible, but then why did it start after I'd fitted them.

Does anyone more knowledgable than me (that's all of you, btw... ) have any ideas on what I might try..? I have access to a multimeter, if that helps?

Cheers all

[biblebasher]

this thread should be on the general board for a better response. no help from me, i'm afraid. just sympathy! i hate electrical problems, but bear with us, some advice or help will come in eventually. i think everyone is sleeping off their chrimbo hangovers. only thing i would start with is to disconnect heated grips. that puts the bike back as it was. process of elimination!

[charlietbird]

Hi!

Try looking at the clutch switch or the sidestand switch

Charlie

[pilgrim]

It seems to me all works except the starter motor is not working so it could be there. If it's knackered brushes that usually comes progressively so most likely is a connection, maybe at the handle bar or connector, or in the switch as you hinted at.

Certainly go back over all areas you 'un-did' when you fitted the grips.

[HRHpenfold]

Check the starter relay, usually some green crud on one of the ignition fed wires is the problem, in fact turn on the ignition bridge the terminals of the starter relay, you should get a big spark and the bike should start

[amorti]

are the lights on, and staying on when you thumb the button?
in my recent experience the wiring to heated grips is rubbish and can drain a battery very quickly if not on a relay.

[teejayexc]

Sounds to me like the dreaded 'blue wire' syndrome?

Under the rear offside panel there is a block connector, check the wires in there, especially the blue one, it's a notorious spot for collecting the green crud, (verdigris, sp?), gives the 'like kill switch is on' symptoms you describe.

trev

[bobh]

Starter motor brushes can fail suddenly, as happened to me recently. But the symptoms you describe are not quite the same, in fact you would definitely hear the relay clicking in if it was the starter motor.

[bulldog2k]

Dec 28, 2009 18:38:39 GMT teejayexc said:

Sounds to me like the dreaded 'blue wire' syndrome?

Under the rear offside panel there is a block connector, check the wires in there, especially the blue one, it's a notorious spot for collecting the green crud, (verdigris, sp?), gives the 'like kill switch is on' symptoms you describe.

trev

Who's the Daddy?

Actually, HRH Penfold maybe too, as I didn't fully understand the bridge thing but suspect it's related.

Yeah, the blue wire was crudded to Chernobyl and back, and though I haven't 'mended' it, I have cleaned it out as best I can, though the blue wire was so corroded, part of it broke away, so it isn't long enough to reach the end now. However, I have found that by shoving a small screwdriver in there, I can touch the wire on the shaft of that and get away with it.

All very Heath Robinson, but wonderful to know what it is and to have a way round it. Thanks all so much.

Cheers all

[teejayexc]

Dec 29, 2009 16:17:40 GMT bulldog2k said:

Who's the Daddy?

;D. Pleased you found out what it was ;D

[pilgrim]

(Good spot though, or was it luck?)


;D

[teejayexc]

Dec 29, 2009 19:46:25 GMT pilgrim said:

(Good spot though, or was it luck?)


;D

Luck doesn't strike twice

diversionclub.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=600&thread=9932&page=1

Perhaps this 'blue wire syndrome' causing starting problems, should be made a sticky in the 600 thread?

[bigmick1981]

Any chance of a picture of what to inspect to check mine ?

[CD]

Get down to Tandy** and buy some heat shrink sleeve. You can bodge a broken wire by twisting the (stropped) ends together then slip over a suitable sleeve and warm it with a ciggy lighter.

Its a bodge because the wire ends are not soldered but the fix can last very well as the sleeve supports the joint.

Dont make a habit of it - bodges (even good ones) will go wrong eventually. But when time is tight it can get you out of a hole.

The tyre problems is likely to be a puncture. HTH.

** Check this out as well www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Heat-Shrink-Tube-Sleeve-Various-Sizes-Lengths-/160809668245?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&var=&hash=item257100ce95