complete electrical failure

Ok

I just started the bike up road it up the road and just dies on me, no lights no neutral switch, completely dead!! tried changing fuse in box, nothing, wait for a little bit and still nothing. Very strange.

This weekend I took the headlight shell off to replace side bolts but I didn't mess with anything else in the shell. Something tells me its else where as it started just now and road it around for a few minutes.

any advice on where to look first?

Daz

 

Is it an original fusebox - if so, it's likely to be the main fuse fuseholders. They corrode and open up (Or snap off).

Next I would look at the ignition switch. Could be the multi connector has pulled out which was under the tank on my 600. I had one of the wires come off the back of my ignition switch (The sidelight wire - UK bikes) on my 600 which stopped the rear light from working. A pain to get off - mine had tamperproof screws- but I resoldered it for nothing.

Do you have a meter or a wiring diagram? MiCarl hosts a range of XJ diagrams at Thundervalley powersports - should be able to find it on the "Search" button.

Dont overlook the obvious like battery + (The thin one) broken off or even the chassis earth (Ground).!

 

Hi Markie

I replaced the fuse box with a new blade one and changed all the connectors to it, I checked the fuse and replaced it with a new one and still no good, batterey terminals are tight and good.
, i will do a ingition test with a multimeter to see if I get results. As I said everything is dead, horn lights etc. Its like I hit the kill switch!!

Daz

 

See if you have 12v+ on the fusebox. the red wire comes from the battery, to the ignition switch and back to the fusebox on the brown wire. It could be a corroded terminal on a connector.

Try starting the bike with the clutch in. this happened to me when one of the connectors came apart behind the headlight. If the bike starts with the clutch in, check the neutral bulb and connectors.

If nothing at all works, it sounds like the wire between the battery and fusebox or ignition switch circuit.

Mark

 

i have the same bike and had that problem. It was the starter solenoid to the left of the battery, very common. tap it with a wrench. If it still don't work after the tap maybe it'll click when the key is turned or the started button is pushed. even the new one started clicking on me after a while and it was the battery ground. I needed to hit it with a wire brush

 

I had the earth (ground) strap between the engine and the frame break on me, leaving me stranded with similar symptoms.
Good luck!

 

Hi

I turn the key and have nothing no lights, no display panel lights no horn no indicators its completely dead. Would the solenoid [if working properly] still function?

Daz

 

no, that was my problem, or like Robert said, a bad ground, his was the strap to the frame and mine was on the Batt terminal.

Your question above is backwards, the display don't function unless the Starter Solenoid/switch Does

 

understood!

 

Daz: Tis is 550 diagram but should be similar to yours. 4=main fuse, 5=battery, 3=ignition switch.
This is the UK diagram. If you really have nothing there cannot be 12v+ on the brown wire - the wire that comes from the ignition switch.

As I said in my earlier post - the red wire comes from the battery, through the main fuse to the ignition switch. With the switch on 12v+ will come back on the brown wire to power ignition and lighting circuits. The second pair of wires to the ignition switch are for the parking light circuit.

Beg or borrow a meter and test for voltage on the brown wire! If there is no voltage - suspect the 4-way connector that goes to the ignition switch. Because the red wire is always at 12v+ it corrodes just like a battery terminal.

Trust me - I am an electrician!!

 

Hi Markie

Thanks for the help, I dived in with a voltmeter this morning, I got a good reading from the battery, tested the red wire nothing, then tested the fuse box nothing, I tried putting in a new fuse and still no reading, moved up to the head lamp ignition wires, took it apart tested wires away from and to the ignition, no reading, then put it back together and still nothing.

Should I be testing coils too?

 

If there is 12v on the battery but not the red wire coming into the fuse box, check the wire between battery and fusebox. On my 600 there was a thick wire to power the solenoid/starter motor and a thinner on to the fusebox.

Disconnect the battery then put the meter on the "Ohms" range. Test between the red lead that goes on the battery and the "Main" fuse. (Try both sides of the fuse holder) You SHOULD have a circuit.

There should be 12v on the "Main" fuse. If you can follow the diagram I posted, start at the battery and then fusebox, then ignition switch.

 

I'll back Markie up, you need to confirm the red wire is intact and not suffering with a high resistance issue.

 

complete electrical failure.........solved

Main fuse had blown, had a spare and replaced all systems go!.

Thanks guys!!!