starting problem Starter??? Battery????

I just bought a xj 650. when i got the bike it started by putting a key or something metal in where the start button was. Just recently I tryed to start it and nothing happened. Green nuetral light is on and the tail light but the starter did not engage. Right turn signal will blink but not the right one, it just stays on. Is it just the battery or is it something more?

Any help would be greatly apprecieated !!

 

Send ArizonaSteve a PM and order your starter button from him. If the turn signal stays lit then the other signal on that side is burned out or the battery current is low and not enough to make the flasher work. This can be from a low battery or corroded connections.

 

Ok,,,,kewl thanks for the help....i just got back from the parts store with a new battery. It is on the charger as we speak. So...with any luck with the new battery and the soon to be ordered starter button this will solve the prob. Would the low battery also cause it to backfire as well. It only does it after it has idled like 5 min when you give it gas.

 

Finish your "Signature" section to help us recommend things you might need to do.

Year
Model
Total miles

83 Seca-900 59K

 

gotcha.....I put it in....1981 yamaha maxim 650 30K miles

 

OK ... much better.

30,000 Miles. You need to do a visual inspection of your Alternator Brushes.

If you are running on Brushes close to the Limit ... you'll have a few of the electrical issues you mentioned in your original post.
Check-out the Alternator Brushes and tell us how long both of them are. Look for the wear bars on those Brushes; too.

 

ok.....now im new to yamaha's so.......what side of the bike is the alternator on? I just dont want to be taking off any covers that I dont need to.

 

its on the left side you`ll see a cover (round)with three screws or alan screws take the screws off and the brushes are on the inside of the cover, theres two of em.just measure them and post in here there lenght in mm and someone can let you know if there a good order

 

ok.....looks to be almost 9 mm long....actually they look really clean !

 

You sound like my wife.

 

ok.......thats alot of help

 

9mm is below the service limit. Officially too short! You need new brushes. There's PLENTY to review regarding Alternator Brushes in the Forums by now. I harped about it all Summer long. Guess some people thought Yamaha snuck-in a few Nuclear Powered Maxim's; and they were one of the lucky-one's who had one.

The Electrical System is dependent on the Alternator Brushes being the right length. You can't make 9mm Brushes stand tippy-toe down there for too long.

Bet you find some on sale; someplace.
Replace the Alternator Brushes; please!
You'll be a step closer to edge you want that bike running on ... huh?

 

Im gonna check-out E-bay. I think that I saw brushes on there b4. Hopefullt that does the trick !

 

the strangest thing happened last night. I was putting the alternator cover back on my bike. I was using one hand to replace the cover and one hand was on or rear the fuse box....located under the seat that I removed. while I was working I heard a click like something switched on? to make a long story short...the fuse for the ignition was not properly making contact. But as RickCoMatic suggested im still gonna buy new brushes.

Thank you everyone for all your help !

 

If that's a stock Fuse Panel ... I'd get a new one of those; too!

 

Still sounds like that guys wife!
Seriously folks, I want to second RIck's advice to change the fuse box. The stock ones are notoriously bad at this age. Some have used the "littlefuse" box and others like me used one from wirewerksperformance.com.

 

would you happen to know where I could get a new one?

 

Shaun, try this one, it even has Rickomatics seal of approval (mine as well, for all that matters).

http://wirewerksperformance.com/index.p ... ducts_id=1

 

I went and got a new starter button...air and oil filter. did what I had to do and took it down the street. First off after installing the new button it popped right off ! VVVRROOOMMMM A truly great bike.....was well worth the $300.00 I paid for her. Quite a change though from a 400cc to a 650cc.


I LOVE IT !