XJ650 (UK) Model, has cut out and won't start.

Hi Guys,

My 1981 XJ650 was driving really well, drove over 200 miles on the weekend. I stopped for something to eat, bike stsrted but cut out and wouldn't re start. Ignition lights are all coming on as normal, but bike will not turn over. Got tow truck to bring me and the bike home.

A couple of days later, I went to the bike, and it stsrted straight up. I turned it off and it won't restart. I have noticed that the ignition cut off relay is not clicking any more. I have ceaned and checked the kill switch and stsrter button in the right hand handle bar switch. I have checked the clutch switch, oil light switch and neutral switch, which all seem ok. When I unplug the ignition cut off relay, I am not getting a feed to the relay on either of the red and white wires. But when checked I am getting battery voltage on both sides of the kill switch, when its in the on position.
I am also getting a good reading on the red and white wire from the kill switch to the ignition cut off relay when checked with an ohm meter, so no broken cable.
Is there any checks I can do on the diode pack in the headlight? Or any other checks I can carry out? I'm fairly good at checking out the electrics, but I'm stumped.

 

Have you checked the side-stand switch? If MY xj650J is running and I lower the side-stand, the engine cuts off.

D

 

Thanks for the input, but my bike doesn't have a side stand switch fitted.

 

No sidestand switches until '82.

@Rooster53
or @XJ550H would be of help. One of them should be along shortly.

 

which 650 do you have ?
a UK 4K0 Model UK 11N?

 

starter cutoff relay only controls voltage to solenoid . relay gets ground to close it with clutch safety switch or neutral switch

so if both switches test good look at the relay internal contacts may be burnt, or coil may have failed. the bypass is to connect the 2 red/white wires and then bike will start
doing this will rule out bad solenoid. and you can test /exzamine relay. some have internal diode but it is not to latch relay closed but to seperate the ground path

 

test relay by putting hot to pin that r/w input wire goes ro and a ground wire to one of the 2 pins that the clutch or neutral switch hooks to. you should get 12 volts out of the r/w output pin. depending which bike you have there may be a diode inside of the relay.

you also want to test for voltage at starter cable at solinoid or starter use meter or test light to confirm solenoid is allowing voltage to pass through it. you can do this before removing starter cut off relay and after jumping the 2 r/w wires together.

your starter could be failing

"When I unplug the ignition cut off relay, I am not getting a feed to the relay on either of the red and white wires. But when checked I am getting battery voltage on both sides of the kill switch, when its in the on position."

this statement concerns me as one r/w wire should be live with key on and run/kill switch is on.

still using glass fuses?

put a fused jumper across the crimps on the ignition fuse see if problem goes away

 

My vote if it will not crank is the start solenoid , when it wont crank try jump solenoid it cranks then , replace solenoid they are cheap and can corrode internally . You might want to get an overhaul kit for starter , again cheap , just realized your in Ireland you have high VAT tax correct? Or is that only in England? Cheers

 

I agree this does not really make any sense if you are truly getting a good continuity reading from the R/W wire at the kill switch to the starter cutoff relay. Did you happen to try and bump start the bike, which if successful would indicate ignition circuit that also uses the output of the kill switch for power was OK. Is the oil light illuminating brightly when pushing the start button?

 

Thanks for your input.

I have changed to a blade type fuse box. All fuses are good.

 

My oil light is not lighting when I push the start button. It's like the kill switch is off. But the kill switch checks out ok? Bike will not bump start, tried that.

 

1 the oil light grounds out through the starter button could be a bad ground wire inside the control or where it meets the main harness. unless the oil light is burnt out.
2 could also be a bad contact on the starter button
3 voltage for starter button comes into solenoid red/white wire then to starter button blue/white wire . unplug solinoid wire connector and check for 12 volts at the main harness connector red/white wire. then test the blue/white wire to see if it is grounding when starter button is pushed meter to plus on battery and other end to blue white
wire look for 12 volts.
the coil on the solenoid may be burnt open.

 

No bump start, no oil light, no cranking are all pointing to a problem with the ignition power. I would revisit those voltage checks at the input / output of the kill switch - check the voltage at the TCI R/W wire and maybe the ignition coils R/W wire for 12 volts.

 

Ok, I got to do some more looking into this. When I go to the bike after a couple of days, It acts normally! Turn on ignition, I can hear the cut off relay working, then try kill switch from side to side, and can hear the relay clicking. Hit starter button and it turns over normally and oil pressure light, lights . But after couple of minutes with the ignition turned on, it all goes bad again. So it seems that something is "getting hot" electrically.

I tried disconnecting the two ignition coils, one at a time. No change. I tried disconnecting the electronic ignition module, and the relay started clicking again? But then I re connected the electronic ignition and it all seemed good again? Then my battery went flat. I think the battery issue is normal as the temperature here is now 4 degerees celcius! And the bike has been off the road for 8 weeks. I'll charge the battery up and try again later.

 

After charging my battery over night, the bike started up straight way. I did hear the ignition cut off relay clicking first.
I let her run for a few minutes, then turned it off.
It has started every time since. But I'm worried because I don't want to go driving and get stuck on the side of the road again!
Are there any tests I can do to the TIC unit? It is type TI14-06, 5G2-10. I'm suspecting this may be the cause of my trouble.

Any input greatly appreciated.

 

check your charging system output
For all XJ-series models, the maximum available charging output VOLTAGE should be as follows (all values are approximate):

* approximately 500-2000 rpms: 1.8 volts gradually increasing to 14.2 volts
* 2000+ rpms: 14.2 volts up to about 14.8 volts, with a maximum of 14.8 volts

also test output at 3000 rpm voltage should not go over 14.8 volts
low output look at the brushes high out put look at voltage regulator

you will find ohm specs in this thread
The Ultimate Relay, Switch, Sensor, and Diodes Guide

also look into your safety relays listed above thread

 

My charging system checks out ok? 12.8V at tick over and max of 14.2V at 3500 rpm.
The bike also starts everytime for the last week? All seems normal?
I haven't changed any component or changed any wiring?

But I still am not confident in it, I don't want to go for a ride and get stuck at the side of the road.

 

it is possible that when you went through connectors unplugging them you fixed the problem