Starting/charging q's?

i have two quick questions.

- what is the electrical component that is connected directly to the positive battery terminal on the xj650 max?

- can you mess up a bike by trying to start it while connected to a battery maintainer? (can you mess up a maintainer by starting the bike while its connected?)

thanks
ben

 

Should be the starter solenoil.
You won't damage your charger or your bike if you start it while conected. I have done it many times with no dammage.

 

OK, thanks, good to know.

Here's the deal; the last time I started the bike was over a week ago after I installed a new set of bars. I had gotten a cable bound or something since the throttle was sticking about halfway open and it revved to oblivion. So I shut it down and fixed the cable routing. I ran out of time to play with it then, and only got around to it again today. After I charged up the battery today, the bike didn't want to start. I tried the petcock on all three settings (I have about a 1/4 tank in it).

Where should I start troubleshooting from? I have a complete and known good set of electronics from my parts bike, so if I can't get the results I want maybe I'll start doing some swap-tronics.


Ben

 

First, the bike will not start if the battery is not providing enough juice. So hook the charger up and then try to start it.

If that is not the problem,

Second, Shoot some starting fluid or carb cleaner in the air box. And see if it will start.

Third check plugs for spark.

As for the petcock leave it on reserve since you have only 1/4 tank.

If none of those things are your problem. Get back and I'll give some more ideas. Any questions give a shout back.
Also out of curiousity when was the last time you cleaned your carbs?
Good Luck,
nsosh5

 

Will the engine turn over? If so follow nsosh5, if not what could have happened when you fixed the throdle cable?
Check fuses first.
Did the tank come off to fix it? What may have been disconected?
Check any wiring connectors that may have come loose.

 

Try it on some Carb Cleaner or Starting Fluid.
See if it pops or if its Ignition related.

 

it cranks all day (battery is good). i reconnected both lines to the fuel tank when i removed it. i reattached the choke, and it moves through it's full range. i reconnected the throttle and it seems to move through it's full range of motion. although, i haven't verified that the throttle is closing all the way other than visually on the outside of the carbs. fuses are all solid. i'll try to give it some life support via carb cleaner or similar tomorrow. I also plan to take apart the carbs from my midnight and clean them as well. also, the choke does nothing to help it try to start.

here are some more of my thoughts:
- could it not want to start due to a too far open throttle condition?
- could the throttles hanging open flood the carbs to the point of no starting, even after 15-20 minutes of attempted starting (intermittently)?
- if the carbs flooded from a open throttle, do they need to be cleared before attempted starting? how?
- how do you guys like to check for spark?

 

Pull the plugs, see if they're wet. Reconnect a plug, lay it on the head with the body of the plug grounded to the head and crank it over. You should see spark. DO NOT HOLD THE PLUG UNLESS WEARING GLOVES you will get zapped. I (and others) have experienced the phenomenon of having the battery charged enough to FURIOUSLY spin the motor but not have enough juice left while doing that to run the ignition. You could also have a "flaky" sidestand switch affecting the safety relay, if your neutral light is on it's not that switch. Also, you do have the killswitch in "run" don't you?

 

i got it started.

it turned out to be a not-all-the-way-closed-throttle condition.

 

It seems to always be something simple that cause us the most grief.