newbie getting left by the roadside

[Transam]

Hi everyone,
This is my 1st post here and I need some of your expertise.
I purchased a 1989 Vmax about 3 weeks ago. It has about
16000 miles and is in great shape. It had ridden flawlessly
until a couple of days ago. As I drove through an intersection
it lost all power, just like I cut off the switch. I got no cranking,
nothing, nada. After playing with the kill, ignition switch and trying
to get it into nuetral it finally started and I made it home.
( great exercise in an intersection ) It did it twice to me today.
Is the kill switch a problem on this model ? I took it apart and
their isn't a lot to it but cleaned it and reasembled it today. There
wasn't any corrosion or anything really wrong looking with it.
The only problem is the only way to test it is to keep riding
it until it leaves me hanging as it happens sporadically.
Any help would be apprecviated.
Chris

 

[maleko89]

Welcome to The Forum!

I would check the three wires coming from your main switch. Everything goes through that so if red or brown wire goes nothing really works. The 3rd wire is blue and feeds the taillight, front running lights and gauge lights. Do any of those work when this happens? Next, I would check your sidestand relay and starting circuit cutoff relay.

 

[m-cman]

Might check the sidestand switch as it gets dirty easily due to its location.

 

[Transam]

Thanks for the welcome.
I've actually been a lurker for a while reading up on the
bike before I purchased it. Anyway the 1st time this happened
I don't remember seeing any guage lights. This most recent
time the oil and fuel lights were on. After a combination of
main switch, Clutch and kill switch toggling it started. I have it at
home now as I can't get stranded on the way to work. Only
thing I can doo is keep starting and running it outside until
it will die to see what is working or not. On the main switch,
relay and kickstand switch what should I be looking for ?
(voltage wise etc.) I'm not that great on electrical so any
help would be appreciated. Great forum by the way.
Thanks in advance,
Chris

 

[Akatora]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

I understood that you lost all power - do you mean a total black-out (no lights, no warning lights, not anything)?

If this was the case, it's better to check the main fuse. The fuse is located under the saddle, left side of the starter relay. The fuse can be blown or the contact can be rusty etc. My bike did ones have a black-out on the run and the origin was a loose wire that had jumped out of the main fuse!

In case of a black-out, I would check that first.

If it was not total black-out, check the main switch and engine stop switch. If still no problem found, confirm the starter circuit cut-off relay (continuity between the two blue/white wires there while pushing the start button).

Regards,

AT

 

[Transam]

Thanks Akatora,
Will check the fuse tomorrow. The 2nd
time it did it I still saw the fuel and oil lights
lite. I took apart the run/off switch ( I call it
a kill switch ) and cleaned and reassembled it.
It started but have not rode due to work.
Hopefully tomorrow I can get it do to it again
so I have something to test.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[Akatora]

Hello,

Is the situation that when you push the start button, the oil light comes on (and disappears when you release the start button), but nothing else happens? If yes, looks like the starter circuit cut-off relay is faulty.

Mine has had this condition for a while now and it has gotten worse. Earlier it made the problem after some assembly had been done. Then by connecting the blue/white wires at the relay end with jumper wire, it could be started and normal action of the start button also returned even after taking the jumper away.

But recently the problem occurs quite often. This can be solved by leaving the jumper wire in place between the wires and therefore bypassing the cut-off relay.
Anyway have to consider renewing the relay or doing something for the old one...

By the way, if the fuel light comes on, better to move the switch into reserve position, as otherwise it might not work.


Regards,

AT

 

[Transam]

What has happened is that while I'm riding the bike it
will die just like the switch has been turned off. When
I come to a stop the bike won't crank or anything. Then
after cycling the run and main switch a couple of times
all returns to normal until the next time. The last time
it did this I had lights on the oil and fuel guage, the
1st time nada. Unfortunatly the bike likes to die where I
have no way to test anything.
Soon as I get the thing home it runs fine. I took the
kick stand switch off and cleaned it with contact cleaner
even though it looked okay. Did the same to the start
and run switch assemblies. I did notice that the turn and
tail lights were lite but noticed the headlight was not on. Took
the light off and was getting no power to it. Did some
other stuff then put the meter to it and suddenly I had power
to the plug and now the light is on. Originally I could not
get power to it on either high or low. Is this possibly a sign
that the brown wire running to it from the main switch is
corroded or could this be a problem of the main switch and is
part of my other problem ? I'll check the main fuse
and check contacts on the relay etc and clean today.
Any other words of wisdom would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[113s&s]

new to the max myself..... more in tune to harley problems...sounds like something is heating up and quiting ,,ignitions can heat up and just quit...then when it cools its works normal.....have you checked the battery to see is pos and neg are tight

 

[Akatora]

Hello,

If the starter motor is not cranking after the problem occurs, the possibilities are:
- main fuse (causes total black-out)
- ignition fuse
- loose condition at battery end (causes total black-out at least when it kills the engine)
- extremely poor condition of the battery (can be confirmed by measuring the voltage between the battery leads - should be near 13 volts)
- main switch (this should switch off the warning lights and driving lights as well - meaning like total black-out)
- engine stop switch (this is maybe suspect number 1)
- starter circuit cut off relay
- connection ends corroded
- wiring between any of them

As you describe that moving the switches on and off few times are solving the problem, it is more likely that it's with the switches.

The first four possibilities are easy to rule out. The starter circuit cut off relay can be ruled out by putting a jumper wire between the two blue/white wires at the relay end and leaving it there. If the problem still comes, it is unlikely to be with the relay.

The switches can be opened, cleaned and measured with ohm meter (multimeter). To confirm the wire end condition, they should be checked one by one. Wire problem somewhere between the actual wire is of course possible, but not very likely. Usually problems occur with the connection ends.

Ignition component (TCI unit, pick-up coil or ignition HT coil) problem is possible but even if there was a problem, it would not prevent engine from cranking with the starter motor. Therefore I would not suspect these in this case.


Regards,

AT

 

[Transam]

Hi,
Thanks for the replies, where would that relay be at ?
I checked battery ( Tested good ) and connections were cleaned.
I have an update on the headlight thing. When I push the start
( grey switch ) in it seems to get in a bind sometimes. When this
happens the light doesn't come on, I can then wiggle or pull it
out a bit and the light comes on. Did not even know the starter
switch controlled this. Now the bike runs this whole time so not
sure if it's a related problem. I sprayed contact cleaner into the
switch but never took the grey switch out of the mount. I don't
remember it hanging up before. I'll take it apart again tomorrow
to make sure I didn' t get it in a bind. Also should the rear blinkers
light up all the time like the fronts because mine aren't.
I am leaning towards the kill switch or main switch as the culprit for the
dying problem as I was able to get ahold of the previous owner and he
said he needed to clean it once before. ( kill switch) Will ride to work tomorrow
and see if I get stranded or not. Need this think to actually go out so I can test it.
Anyway if anyone knows where to get a good deal on these parts I'd appreciate it ?
Thanks again,
Chris

 

[Akatora]

Hello,

The starter circuit cut-off relay is located under left side scoop (fake air intake) which you can release after taking the fake tank away and then loosening the two allen screws.

The relay is the box in the middle (there are three of them if you have a v-boost model, otherwise only two - and in that case it is the right one). There are plenty of wires coming into that relay, but you only need to put the jumper wire between the two blue/white ones. By this arrangement you can allow the current to by-pass the relay when pushing the starter button.

If the starter button switch has some problem, as it seems, that can of course be the faulty one as well. Then the problem could be existing with your kill switch and also with the starter button switch. It's definitely worth of opening, checking and cleaning these two switches completely.

I'm sure you can find it out soon.

Cheers!

AT

 

[Transam]

Thanks Akatora,
I took the thing apart again. All seems well. Rode
it to work today with no problems. Maybe the cleaning
did the job, we'll see this week. Thanks to all for the
input hopefully no more problems. Now I need a sissy
bar for the wife. (-:
Thanks,
Chris