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stupid question regarding where the ground connections go

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by hutch400, Jul 11, 2012.

  1. hutch400

    hutch400 New Member

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    hey folks

    okay, new motor is in my maxim and (of course) i didn't pay attention to where the ground wires connect. Here's what i have and where it is currently connected:

    1. Ground wire from the starter
    2. Ground wire from the starter solenoid
    3. Ground wire connected to back of engine (does other end go to the frame? this wire is only about 8 or 9 inches long)

    where do the other ends connect to? obviously one of them goes to the battery.....

    i THINK........ground wire from starter to starter solenoid. Ground (negative) from battery to solenoid. Other short ground from engine to the frame.

    Thanks.

    feeling little dumb.... :?
     
  2. FrankenSeca

    FrankenSeca Member

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    Disclaimer: I only have the Yamaha-published diagrams for '81-'83 XJ 650s + 750s (Seca/Maxim) which includes my model. Others may be different.

    The negative (ground) side of the solenoid (probably blue/white) comes from the start button and is only grounded momentarily when you push it.

    The positive side of the solenoid (probably red/white) comes from the starter (safety) cut-off relay so that positive connection is only made in neutral or clutch-disengaged.

    edit disclaimer to add only: "(Seca/Maxim)" because '81-'83 XJ650 or XJ750 is gonna be one or the other.
     
  3. ManBot13

    ManBot13 Well-Known Member

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    This is from my XJ750 seca. Yours could be different. Get a wiring diagram to be sure. I'm assuming by "ground" wires you are talking about all of the "thick" gauge wires.

    1. I believe the starter is grounded to the engine (i.e. bolted onto it).
    2. Starter solenoid just connects 12V from the battery to the starter. So it doesn't have a "ground" (obviously the low current wire does perse, but it's part of the harness, and I believe the switch is actually grounds that whole circuit).
    3. This is the wire that connects the engine (everything else eventually grounds to this via the frame) to the negative battery terminal.

    PLEASE DO NOT GROUND YOUR STARTER SOLENOID TO THE BATTERY (-) TERMINAL. That's an instant short across the battery terminals with a VERY thick gauge wire. Battery go BOOM!

    EDIT: Since you just dropped a new motor in, it's possible that the #2 wire you think is a ground for the solenoid and the #1 wire you think is a ground for the starter are one-and-the-same. The solenoid CONNECTS to the starter motor directly.
     
  4. FrankenSeca

    FrankenSeca Member

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    I guess you didn't read my disclaimer. Yamaha says these years of Seca and Maxim have the same solenoid wiring. Yes, (again) others may vary.

    Having said that, I should clarify that I was referring to the two "coil" terminals on the solenoid. OP probably was referring to the two "contact" terminals.
     
  5. hutch400

    hutch400 New Member

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    ok, you guys are great! to further clarify.......

    there's one big ol' wire coming off of the starter.......guess that's not ground. My bad. Where does this connect? (to the solenoid i assume)

    The black wire of the starter solenoid....where does the other end go?

    short wire from the engine i'm almost postive just goes to the frame.

    and the last dumb question....there's no black wire to connect to the battery as far as i can see.....i have some extras though.....if i connect one end of a cable to the negative terminal on the battery, where does the other end go?

    Sorry i wasn't very clear on it.......shouldn't have called them all grounds. Wasn't thinking it through enough.. :p
     
  6. ManBot13

    ManBot13 Well-Known Member

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    No worries FrankenSeca, I was just finishing typing as your post went up. That post was directed at the OP, not you. I was assuming that hutch400 was talking about the thick black wires, and that's why he was referring to them as grounds, because they are black.

    Starter solenoid has ONE red wire, going from the positive terminal of the battery, and the other large diameter wire (black) goes to the starter motor. This is all onthe contact side of the coil.

    The large black wire that connects the negative battery terminal to the ground goes on the engine on my 750 seca. This is a short wire.

    I think you have an extra wire in there (is there a black wire from the starter motor on your old engine?).
     
  7. hutch400

    hutch400 New Member

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    thanks ManBot

    Yeah, i just checked and it was off the starter on the old engine........DUH!!! ok. All makes perfect sense now!!!!

    Sometimes it helps to talk these things out. Wow, talk about a massive brain fart.

    Thanks for all the help!!!!!!
     

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