WEIRD electrical *****

[naughtyG]

so after sitting in heavy traffic for a good while on our way to the Main Strip at Biketoberfest, Robert and I found a spot to park our bikes.

I used the kill switch to turn my motor off, then turned the key and removed it as usual. Only my headlight, speedo and gauges lights stayed on, and when I flicked the kill switch back to 'on' I was able to start the bike, with the key out and the ignition turned off! WTF!?! Only things the ignition key turned off were my fan and my tail light..:ummm: Had to pull the main fuse to switch off.

So I'll be tearing into my electrics next, looks like some wire melted somewhere or some wire's touching another making a feedback loop. Fun fun fun there's always something.. At least it still ran fine and I made it home ok!

 

[KJShover]

I had a similar issue with my old '78 XS750. It turned out the ignition switch was gummy and had some good corosion happening.

I replaced it and no more problems.

 

[satariel666]

+1 to KJ.

Ignition switch have 3 wires: +12V suply, and another two wires to suply two sections in whole bike.

One for ignition and second for lights.


Ingition shuts off normaly but light section stayed in, propably stcked pin.

 

[maleko89]

+1. Clean or replace ignition innards.

 

[95spfldmax]

+1. Clean or replace ignition innards.

Same here. Had a couple of "hicups" while riding that wasn't cool at all and I could wiggle my key around in the "on" position and make things blink on and off. Inside contacts were wasted. Replaced key switch assembly. Good to go.

 

[zippo6]

Just keep riding? :ummm::clapping:

 

[CaptainKyle]

+ 1 for ignition switch to that has happened to 2 of my bikes.

 

[naughtyG]

Well it's not the ignition barrel. With it completely removed from the bike, I still have power. :confused2:

I disconnected most connectors, both LH and RH switchgear, took the TCI out, removed my horns wiring, went through every connector I could find, and I am still getting power. :ummm:

If anyone has any suggestion it would be most appreciated, if not I'm going to have to tear into the whole harness to find the fault. :bang head::damn angry:

 

[maleko89]

Fuse box?

 

[naughtyG]

Checked all the fuses + connections, can't see anything wrong.

Again, my problem is I have power on ALL the time! That's with the ignition switch disconnected and removed from the bike. Only way to turn power off is to pull the main fuse connector :bang head::confused2::ummm:

 

[maleko89]

Remove the brown wire from the ignition switch connector. The one that goes to harness side.

 

[GREEN light BLITZ]

pull the main fuse huh? GOOD THEFT DETERANT if nothing else!Watch a bike snatcher try to figure THAT one out.

 

[naughtyG]

Well, with the ignition switch completely removed, the brown wire on the harness side still carried 12V. Looking at the wiring diagram for possible feedback places, I removed the fuses one by one. When I removed the signals one, the 12V faded to nothing. Put the fuse back, it didn't come back:ummm:

So I started putting everything back together to see what happened, with all the fuses back in and the ignition switch still disconnected. By the time I refitted the Vboost servo to the TCI bracket and put the whole bracket back in place, 12V came back to the brown wire on the connector (harness side) of the ignition switch. Pulled all the fuses and it was still there :confused2:. Started tearing into the harness around the main junction where all the wires for TCI, ignition, RH bar switch, front coils etc come from, and then the 12V went off again. Wiggled the whole harness as much as I could but could not make it come back. Refitted everything once more, and all is now fine again.

Regardless, I know I'll need to tear into the harness soon to really check it out, but I haven't got the right kind of high temp protective tape to wrap it again.
Does anyone know where to find that stuff? I know normal electrical tape won't do the job, it falls apart in the heat.

At least I can go ride it to work today.. :biglaugh:

 

[satariel666]

Its not possible to have power without ignition switch in the bike, however if red wire from main fuse is fried somewhere in the cluster of harness then its possible. Red wire maybe sticked to another wire. Check that red wire.

 

[naughtyG]

Ya that's wot I'm thinking, the red and brown must be fried somewhere in the harness, for the brown to be able to have 12V without the ignition switch.

I couldn't find anything so far, I know I need to tear into the harness completely but need to get that special wrapping tape first.

 

[KJShover]

Does anyone know where to find that stuff? I know normal electrical tape won't do the job, it falls apart in the heat.

Here are a few places:

http://www.intengineering.com/Self-Fusing-Wiring-Harness-p6470996.html

http://www.englishparts.com/product...RE-HARNESS-TAPE-34-IN-X-60-FT/18178/C453.html

http://www.wiringharness.com/harnesstape.htm

 

[naughtyG]

Thanks KJ - that's the stuff! I found some at Advance Auto Parts too, but they wanted $9 for 10 feet!! Craaaaazy..

So after I put the bike back together, I gave it a quick wash as it was filthy, then went in the house to take a quick shower before going to work. By the time I came back out (15mns later), the bike had turned itself back on! Bloody harness gremlins, tearing into it tomorrow.

 

[KJShover]

So after I put the bike back together, I gave it a quick wash as it was filthy, then went in the house to take a quick shower before going to work. By the time I came back out (15mns later), the bike had turned itself back on!

Sounds like a certain car I know :th_smilie::hollowee::rip::hollowee: After all, it is the halloween season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sws88j_-JOE&feature=player_embedded#

 

[naughtyG]

hahaha! Maybe I should re-christen her...

 

[CaptainKyle]

Thanks KJ - that's the stuff! I found some at Advance Auto Parts too, but they wanted $9 for 10 feet!! Craaaaazy..

So after I put the bike back together, I gave it a quick wash as it was filthy, then went in the house to take a quick shower before going to work. By the time I came back out (15mns later), the bike had turned itself back on! Bloody harness gremlins, tearing into it tomorrow.

There is a place in Orlando called Skycraft I cant remeber what exit its at but its like an electrical surplus superstore that place has all kinds of electrical crap best place to but wire heat shrink,ETC. They might have that tape. I am gonna have to make a trip back down there soon.