Greetings --
just a few notes if someone might search the forum in the future.

When I got the '81 xj550 it started right up and ran fine. I test rode it a half dozen times, no more than 10-20 miles. no noticeable electrical issues. I was helping my sweetie learn to ride (the word "teaching" would imply I knew what I was doing!) and like the class I just took we turned the bike and practiced restarting it every time she got off. After a dozen restarts it wouldn't kick over -- the starter ran fine and it would pop now and then, but nothing more.

I pushed it 95% of the way home before I thought to push start, and she started right up. I put it on the charger overnight with no success. The started would run but it wouldn't catch, but I could push start it. Weird, thinks me.

The PO had actually soldered a fuse in place, which was a clue. In checking the ignition fuse I squeezed the clip together to get a little more pressure, and the clip broke off. The metal was old and 'crystallized' and was not passing enough current to run both the starter and the ignition coils (if I am using the correct term) at the same time.

A replacement fuse box from chacal (info @ xj4ever.com) fixed it right up. chacal forever!

yeah the "IGN" fuseholder in my '81 fell to bits when I touched it once... Quite honestly, I have never seen anything like it. I think you hit it with "crystallized" the metal apparently was never meant to carry current?

bigfitz52 wrote:

yeah the "IGN" fuseholder in my '81 fell to bits when I touched it once... Quite honestly, I have never seen anything like it. I think you hit it with "crystallized" the metal apparently was never meant to carry current?

Predetermined obsolescence ?