XJ 550 IS GETTING NO POWER AT ALL HELP PLEASE!

Hey guys so my 1982 Yamaha XJ550 is not getting any power to electricals at all, and i am running out of options! First it Ran fine, i even rode on it, then we hooked up my old battery which i suspect was the problem, once hooked up, it started just fine and when we went to give it gas it had a loud nasty backfire and all Electrical Power seemed to had completely died since then i get no power to any of my electrical components at all! i figured it was a major electrical issue so i just started researching and replacing old suspect electrical parts and components, narrowing and cutting down possible faulty pieces and electrical equipment, so far i have replaced the starter solenoid, wired up a new starter button, replaced the old ignition with a new one, replaced the old ignition coils with new ones, Bought a New Compatible battery, charged and hooked it up, now my bike turns over very strong when the solenoid is jumped, but still no power to electrical components, (Tank is off right now) i have even replaced the whole Wiring Harness/Loom with a new one, the 1 thing i do not have hooked up right now are the fuses/fuse box waiting to receive it in the mail hopefully sometime this week! have not replaced the CDI Box, and really do not want too, on the account that they are expensive, but if it is my last option then i will do so!.. guys i really want my bike to run, and i don't know what to do/try anymore, i do not want to mess with anything else without guidance, and possibly screw something else up, do you guys think you can help me. this is my first time asking advice online so i will try to be as competent as possible! Thanks, and i guess now i await help.

 

maxim or seca?

read ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OVERVIEW: in the link below then scroll down to bottom and read
DOUBLE BONUS ROUND!! Charging System Electrical Specifications:
BONUS ROUND! Ignition System Electrical Specifications:

The Ultimate Relay, Switch, Sensor, and Diodes Guide

have you upgraded your fuse box to blade style?
ohm out your ignition system

do you have a service manual?
do you want one?

this link is the worlds greatest wiring diagram it is for 550 seca but works for the maxim

http://lumien.se/stuff/xj550/XJ550ElectricalDiagram.html

 

welcome to the site you may find this list useful

some reading for you

The Information Overload Hour

The Ultimate Relay, Switch, Sensor, and Diodes Guide

IN THE CHURCH OF CLEAN

THE SECRET LIFE OF CARBURETORS

Something New, Something Naked

TALKIN' TECH: Various thoughts on various issues


AIRHEAD VALVE ADJUSTMENT with Pics

AIRHEAD VALVE ADJUSTMENT Part 2: The Tool vs. ZipTie -w/pics

Choosing Oil for a Wet Clutch Motorcycle


SAFETY ALERT Drum rear brake bike owners please take a look


our forum supporting vendor plenty of parts and advice Chacal

XJ4Ever - Supporting Vendor

his web site
www.xj4ever.com

 

Thank you very much, mines is a maxim, I'm not sure but I may have another problem, that just occurred, I was doing some trouble shooting on my bike with no luck, again, and as I was getting ready to call it and get some sleep, so i got on my bike just to walk it a bit and reposition it in my garage, and as I was doing it I I Heard and saw a few sparks fly, I think it was from my fuse connectors touching against the frame, it was very brief, but do you think that might have just killed all of my connections and components, (The New Ones that I mentioned earlier) and I have to start all over again, because I am really scared that small little spark just destroyed all of my new stuff :--(

 

I'd say, don't rush to judgement. The fuse holders on these bikes are a known problem area. I replaced mine entirely with blade-style fuses. Sounds like you ordered a new one as well? I'd get that sorted out and be sure that whatever sparked, isn't going to do that again. Once power delivery is assured, start checking things out again. I was going to suggest, if you suspect certain modules are bringing the system down, unplug that module and see if you start getting lights or whatever. Use the wiring diagram to see what effects unplugging the module might have since most would be local to that sub-system, though several things can affect the ability to run the engine (due to safety interlocks).

 

if your key was off it would only be the main fuse sparking
battery feeds main fuse which feeds key then back to the other 3 fuses.

 

I'm betting that your new few box and fuses will solve your problem.

 

[thanks everyone I guess I will just wait for the Fuse box to get here, as to not cause any future problems! And in the meantime I will be reading up on the links that XJ550H posted, and download the manuals!.. (what a godsend) Oh yeah (dkavanagh) you mentioned Blade fuses! what are those?

 

Bad part is my key was turned to the on position

 

Here's the writeup about installing an upgraded fuse holder. I posted a photo of mine on that thread somewhere, but it's all the same: http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/how-to-install-an-aftermarket-fuse-box.6350/

 

ATC fuses. Most every vehicle built after 1990 has them.

 

Umm....then it's a no-brainer, don'tcha think?

 

i guess, but i had read somewhere that fuses are just for safety, in case there was a voltage surge or electrical spike in the system the fuses would take the hit instead whatever component that was going to be messed up, so i thought the fuses had no real rendering on the direct powering and operation of the motorcycle! i'm sorry if i caused you guys any trouble :/ thanks for the advice anyways though :--j btw i'm still waiting on the fuse box, i hope it did not get lost in the mail! if it doesn't come by monday do you guys think you can help me pick out the right fuses for my bike?

 

That's true--sort of. but, if you don't have any fuses it's the same as having blown fuses… No current get through.

 

Ah!. holy crap!! you're right!...so fuses here we come lol.. thanks man!

 

One more item to check is the kill switch , a little corrosion can cause problems in starting circuit. You should also check all the grounds under the tank.

 

550 has 20 amp main
and three 10 amp fuses

the 20 amp feeds the three 10 amp fuses after going to the key

 

Arphax,

1. I doubt you killed everything with just a quick shorting like that. It happens, we've all done it at some point. It scares you more than it scares the bikes.

2.. Don't feel like asking us any questions is an inconvenience. This is what we are here for. You won't learn one thing unless you ask. I don't mind being asked 1000 questions, as long as the person is willing to listen and heed the advice. You've come to the right place......welcome home.

3. For blade fuses---read this forum.....
http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/how-to-install-an-aftermarket-fuse-box.6350/

 

See? Right there, that's it! That is why electricity baffles the poop outta me.

20 feeds three 10's.
10 + 10 + 10 = 30
20 - 30 = -10 (that's negative 10)
There's a deficit of 10 amps . . . . . sure you got, Ohm's Law, Gauss's Law, Maxwell's Theory of Electromagnetic Radiation, etc. etc.

I just need to come to terms with the fact that maybe I wasn't meant to understand electricity.

 

if you fused at actual current draw you would blow the fuses all the time
the 20 amp fuse is enough to power whole bike and has a safety factor built in for the initial current draw example the head light draws more current at start up than when running
all the bulbs do that.

 

Stop trying to add things up to make equals. They are parameters, not totals

 

It doesn't baffle...... It scares.

It's easy to understand---- stick your finger in a socket and it'll scare the poop out of you. Then, you'll understand why not to do that again

 

i did in the earlier stages of the problem solving, but i had no luck, i have even wired up a knew kill switch from a company called "Uxcell" i bought a Left & right combo pair of controls, and have wired the two red wires from the original kill switch/start button, to the New right hand control start button/killswitch, and still no luck with that. i wish someone had an OEM kill switch/start button that i could buy! but i can't find any! sigh.

 

thanks, i am looking at some fuses online right now, btw do you know of a store where i could walk in and buy some of these fuses?

 

Okay! thanks bro! and i am really hoping everything is alright because it's just so scary when you don't get any power, or at least seem!! to not get any power, to/from the bike, and then something like this happens and freaks me out

 

Lol weird to me too bro

 

hey guys do any off you know what kind of off road tires or knobby tires would fit this bike, i am thinking about doing a Tracker or Scrambler style for my bike! what do you guys think?

 

Don't. We go through this a lot here, too----- some gets an Xj then want to make it :

Off road;bigger; louder; faster; more powerful; sound like a Harley; etc......

Here's what you do:
Buy an off road bike;buy a bigger bike; don't get a louder bike, you'll just annoy everyone behind you; buy a more powerful bike; pay inflated price for a Harley;; etc.......

 

+1 for all the given advice. Purchase a manual(s) and a multimeter. Learning to test/record components in sequence will eliminate a lot of "scared" feelings.

Gary H.

 

Well, i don't really want a bigger, louder, or faster bike then the one i already have, i know everybody likes/wants Harley's, but i just don't see the pleasure in them, i don't want to ride around all day on a BIG OL! WATCH ME!!! LOOK AT WHAT I'M DRIVING VEHICLE!!, like all the other motorcyclist/Harley riders!.. sometimes their exhaust can be so loud that it shakes the ground, and i can feel the vibration in my feet through the car while driving, and i just be like, Why??? not to mention it hurts other drivers ears do to the dB rating being too loud, and that goes for all motorcyclist who want to drive on daily roads, with extremely loud exhaust, mucking everything up for fellow drivers! No offense to harley riders here! or anyone here who admires and likes their bikes to be extremely loud! that's fine and cool, but.. it's not for me.

 

thanks man!

 

i just want my bike to be mines! and i have really been into cafe racers since a year & 1/2 and have just been learning and discovering the beauty and freedom of motorcycles! in general and i have been through them all!! and have decided with my heart which too choose!.. modern day sports bikes just aren't for me, i understand they look cool and all but i mean come on we all know 75% of those who have them are just going for looks, and because they are the hottest, newest, fastest thing around in this modern day and age to ride!.. at least 2 wheels wise! basically just trying to fit into the cool crowd/group! and when that Hottest/Newest thing becomes old, all they'll do is just put it down and let it sit for years to come! like a child with an old used toy! once it becomes old, they throw it away, all to become a thing of the past, awaiting the next hottest newest thing to come around, hence is the situation with all of our old bikes of the past which where the hottest, newest, fastest things on two wheels in their time, only now to become an old machined relic of the past resurrected into our modern day era!..albeit, i know many take true passion and appreciation to the Newer and Better Design of our modern day bikes, but like i said they just aren't for me, maybe one day i will come around & grab one, but for right now i don't want the hottest newest toy to come to the shelves, i want my own personal teddy bear which i will love cherish and never let go! hmm.. touring bikes are nice but not really my style, Enduro's/dual sport bikes are cool and maybe someday i might get one for those, for extremely long and adventurist trips maybe some camping as well! every bike has/serves a purpose! bobber's are cool, but not my style either, tracker's are a bit hot right now but still not fully what i want, i'm going to get a bike specifically for a Tracker build someday! because i like their style and being able to do slight dirt bike activities, will be cool, Harley's are no. an Extreme really old Vintage Machine/Motorcycle would be amazing but i just don't have the time or money to look for/track down parts for a specific early to mid 1900's machine! it would be awesome though.. i love Rat style, brats/trackers/cafe's, and would love to have a Post Apocalyptic Rat style Steampunk type of bike that i would do EVERYTHING WITH!! lol, recently i was really settling on the Brat style cafe racer but i have been torn between, choosing the Cafe Racer style, Brat Cafe, Tracker, or Rat style.. and just could not make a choice, even with buying this bike because i have been looking and researching all over the internet of conversion's of my bike into one of the aforementioned styles above^^ and finally came across one style that seemed to have eluded my mind for some time! even though i am sure i have seen it before, i just did not see the beauty in it at the time, Scrambler's!!!... that's the type of bike i want to turn mines into, Design is just too sick, looks vintage, yet modern post-apocalyptic, looks great driving and riding around town, long roads, and even a little off road, just looks like a true grease monkey adventurer's bike! and i just love the way they are designed! Truly a bad A** creation of a motorcycle, and i want to Build my own, Daily Rider and all! hmm! :-j

 

From what I know, scramblers tend to have knobby tires. My father-in-law had a Triumph back in the day of this style and said it was fairly annoying to drive on the road. I'd go with a decent road tire if that's where you're driving it. There are plenty of threads here about tires. I run Avon AM26, which has suited me just fine.

 

Getting a multimeter and learning how to use it will take you a long, long, long way. There is a youtube video about how to use a multimeter that is about an hour long and it will educate you on the ins and outs of electricity more than you thought you could know. Don't cheap out on a multimeter, buy a good one with all the bells and whistles because it is just one of those tools that you can use on everything from vehicles to appliances to home maintenance and DIY projects. The multimeter is your friend, and can save you from trying to fix an electrical problem by replacing every wire on the bike one at a time.

As far as anyone telling you how to style/mod your bike? On one hand....f***em. Its your bike and you can do whatever the heck you want with it; paint it pink, mount 49" apes and buy glitter sidewalls if thats what makes you happy. Let them take care of their bikes, you take care of yours.

On the other hand.... these guys know these bikes. They know what they do well and what they don't do well. Your maxim is not a dirtbike, not an adventure bike, not a sport bike or a cruiser. You can chopit and dropit and some people make fine little bobbers out of them, but in the process they kill some of the best things about this bike, like its suspension. Its a Roadster. It thrives on-road, not off. I have considered putting knobbies on my xj550 so that I can get a little more 'fun' on the dirt roads and fire trails out here but I did my homework and learned... this is not the bike for that. Changing the tires won't turn it into an off road bike.... it will just make it marginally better at negotiating gravel while making it a royal PITA to drive on good roads. Good roads which it was designed to ride on.

Your 550 Maxim will take you through curvy mountain passes and let you dart in and out of traffic like a nimble little chipmunk. It will carry you for hundreds of miles on highways as a fuel-miser mini-tourer. It will get beaten off the line in a drag race against v-twins twice its size only to pass them like they are standing still once you hit the power band. What you have is a class-act, top notch bike that out performs and out-funs 90% of the other motorcyles out there. Learn what makes it great, and embrace that rather than trying to turn it into something that some other bike would be better suited for.

I have beef with anyone who thinks they can tell you what to do to your own bike, and people on this forum *will* do that, but consider that it comes from a place where they are watching waves upon waves of squids picking up cheap XJ's thinking that they are a good 'blank canvas' for their chopper/bobber/cafe racer/adventurebike ideas only to leave them as 'unfinished projects' or 'mechanics specials' once they learn that 1)building a custom bike isn't something that anyone can just 'do' and 2) almost ANY mechanical modification you do to a Maxim, especially those done in the name of style, is a modification that will negatively affect the performance of a very tightly and beautifully engineered machine.

Just keep that in mind when you're making it your own.

 

dual sport tires may be what you are looking for.


How to Use a Multimeter and Read Schematics and Wiring Diagrams.


How To: Ignition Troubleshooting

 

Wow, thank you I am still learning! Much appreciated for the drop of knowledge

 

Alright, dual sports huh? You got any idea what kind fits this bike? And thank you for the diagrams! Btw I bout a light Continuity tester to see if I was getting current through the bike and only a few components and wires lit up Red, when connected to negative, and a lot more lit up green when connected to positive is this a good or bad thing?

 

Here are a few pictures of scrambler/Brat style convergence of this bike, I just really love the way they look! The tires on the green one, are pretty much what i want to go for, i am not sure if they are knobbies or not, but they are the kind that I want, if not! something similar!

 

Nothing like not understanding what the kids are talking about these days to make a guy feel old.

Bobber, Scrambler, Tracker, Brat/ Rat, Grand Prix - aren't these all different names for what is commonly referred to as a Cafe Racer?

 

Only two of those are done well... and they are trackers. Its not so cut in dry building one. I am currently building one and its one thing after another.

I am not saying dont do it. Just if you do it, make sure its done right. Which will cost money.

 

Meh......

 

I Meh your Meh, good sir.

 

Looking at those pics of what you want our bike to be you should find someone to trade you an XS for your XJ. Or maybe a 70's honda CB. Just judging by the tanks, which is literally all I'm judging on because I'm at work and supposed to be repairing laptops not judging a motorcycle show, those appear to all be secas, not maxims. Not a whole lotta difference, really, but it just means you're one step further away from the bike you really want. Also note that except for the green one nobody is sporting knobbies, and the knobbies on the green one appear to be dual sports to me. I could be wrong.

The yamaha XS is a fine bike series as well, and it looks like that what you actually want. I love my XJ, but I damn near bought an xs1100 for under 1k this summer because they are face melting drag bikes that you can slap farings/panniers on and tour with. (Still kinda regretting not being able to pull the trigger on that 11... just the right price at the wrong time.)

 

Come on... throwing a seca tank on is easy... just need to know how to weld and modify the frame mounts. Then widen the seca tank with a hammer and wooden dowels. Easy peazy.

I am being a lil sarcastic, it can be done. I did it.

Also to get that tracker look you have to cut the rear frame that supports the back of the seat. Just past the supports. Then weld on a frame hoop. Make a custom seat pan, then upholster it, upgrade the electrical to handle the new led lights you will want, buy a new smaller antigravity battery and stress where you will now place it. Rip out the airbox (makes hogfiddle cry] and stress about flat spots, pods and oh my!

Not to mention and this is all based on how well you want to look. You will need to relocate the rear signal brackets, cause you just chopped them off. Oh and forgot to mention a way to support the new rear fender.

Its all do able dont be scared just need time, money, patients, money, time, welding skills, and money. A hooker and some beer wouldnt hurt either.

 

Starting with a seca or an xs would be easier. Plus xs bike have more aftermarket parts for it. Check out counter balance. They have some nice stuff for xs bikes. Expensive, but nice.

 

Alright guys so I have an technical update on the progress so far!.. The Fuse box hasn't showed up so I decided to just make my own, with ATM Fuses, and the Fuse Block seems to have fixed some of the issues, now I am getting the tail light to come on, no turn signals, no headlight, the oil light comes on bright red, and when I drop it into 1st gear the oil light dims a bit and the neutral light comes on but very dim just like the oil light, I am not sure if it is my starter button or the fuses/fuse block, but it's just not working right

 

Okay guys so I got it to start and I seemed to have hit an eureka moment! Unfortunately it was short lived, because now it's stuck trying to start itself!!! WTF what in the heck do I do I've disconnected the battery, but when I go to reconnect it, it just continues trying to start itself, what do I do???

 

Never mind guys, I guess it was just a scare, I disconnected the battery and let everything cool down for a bit and things seem to be fine now! Haven't hooked things back up yet though!

 

hey guys back with another update sigh. so after much tinkering around i finally got it to start, only to have what looks like 1 of the start wires to stop getting power, so no more oil light, only tail light still, and nothing else, bike still turns over when solenoid is jumped but that's about it, gosh i want to just set it on fire right now, but i can't doe's anybody have a starter button, that works for this bike, are not using, & willing to sell? :/

 

If you are just going to set it on fire do me a favor and ship it to me postage due. I could use the parts.

If it's just laying in the starter once you have the battery hooked you have a short and/or something wired wrong. Take a look at that wiring diagram, you can actually just disconnect your start switch and cross a couple wires to test if it's the switch or the circuit provided you are careful. You should be careful. You should be patient... If you order a part don't get impatient and try to rig something while you're waiting for the part. (do as I say, not as I do... I make intentional rat bike mods for the sake of making them, even doing stuff like replacing perfectly good taillight with leds in rusty soup cans)