2 Problems-starter and taillights

[CAZCO]

I came to work to night and when I got here the tail lights were not working, I checked the bulbs (OK), looked in the online manual and haven't found any help there. Will look for the fuse to see if it is a lone fuse. Brake lites work. Any ideas?

On the starter, it starts great sometimes, then about every 2 or 3 times it will pull the amps down to about 5, then hesitate, then crank like a new one. Cleaned the batt cables, and tested it (OK). This happens cold or hot?!?!?!?!?!? Any ideas?

 

Thankx,

Gary C

[93 venture]

The fuse box on these bikes kinda suck,they have the old glass fuses and the contacts dont always work real good,might want to upgrade it to a new atc fuse box.

check out the link below for the battery cable up grade this helps out the hard start problems.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1398

[skydoc_17]

You might have good luck taking the starter switch assembly apart and clean the contacts well with aerosol contact cleaner (I use CRC QD Electronic Cleaner, Wally Mart) and put dielectric grease on the contacts, That worked for me. The battery cable upgrade is a great idea and on my winter "to do" list. Also, check my profile, in my photo gallery is a description for replacing the stock fusebox with an ATC fusebox.

Ride Safe,

Earl

Edited October 28, 2008 by skydoc_17
forgot something!

[CAZCO]

Thankx guys!!

 

Skydoc, I looked at four different bike photos and didn't see the pic for the new fuse box. Computer is acting up tonite, that might be some of the problem.

 

The fuse box is first on my list for when I get home, been a busy nite here at work, so can't think about looking now.

 

Gary C

[Gearhead]

When you say "pull the amps down to 5", I assume you actually mean volts on the dash meter? That's got to be an intermittent short somewhere in there, maybe in the solenoid, maybe in the starter motor - brushes, cable stud insuator or winding insulation come to mind.

 

Jeremy

[CAZCO]

The taillite is on the same circuit as the cig lighter. I charged my cell on the way to work, but it didn't completely charge. The fuse had blown, put in new fuse and guess what I HAVE taillites!!!

 

There was a thread on VR about what fuses go to what circuits, does anyone remember where it is? I searched but got nothing.

 

Will check out starting problem more this weekend when I have time.

 

THANKX guys for the help!

 

Gary C

[skydoc_17]

Hi Gary,

I sent you a PM, and here is the layout for the fuse box.

Hope this helps!

 

FRONT OF BIKE:

10A ACC

15A HEAD

15A IGNITION

20A SIGNAL

10A TAIL

Ride Safe,

Earl

[Dragonslayer]

I came to work to night and when I got here the tail lights were not working, I checked the bulbs (OK), looked in the online manual and haven't found any help there. Will look for the fuse to see if it is a lone fuse. Brake lites work. Any ideas?

On the starter, it starts great sometimes, then about every 2 or 3 times it will pull the amps down to about 5, then hesitate, then crank like a new one. Cleaned the batt cables, and tested it (OK). This happens cold or hot?!?!?!?!?!? Any ideas?

 

Thankx,

Gary C

On the starter, I had similar problems, I ended up replacing it but when I did I opened the old starter up and found the solder joint on the power lug that connects the windings of the starter had broken causing it to have random continuity. If the nut on the power lug had been overtightened at some time the power lug can turn causing the crack at the solder joint. I would suspect that many starters were damaged in this way. It is a easy thing to do without realizing it or that you had caused a problem.

[Dragonslayer]

Hi Gary,

I sent you a PM, and here is the layout for the fuse box.

Hope this helps!

 

 

FRONT OF BIKE:

10A ACC

15A HEAD

15A IGNITION

20A SIGNAL

10A TAIL

 

Ride Safe,

Earl

This being the case, sounds like your cig lighter is on the 10 amp circuit with the tail lights. The cig lighter being a heating coil draws a lot of amps by it self and probably should be wired directly to battery with a 20 amp inline fuse and taken off the tail light circuit.

And thanks for posting the fuse panel schedule, this helps me out with another problem I have when I replaced the fuse panel I failed to lable them. Now I know what goes to what.

[CAZCO]

Thankx,

Skydoc and Atlanta Dragonslayer!!!!!!

Will give the starter a look at in the NEAR future, sounds like the place to start. Good batt, cables not heating up, will check relay at same time.

 

Take care and God bless.

 

Ever in Ft Smith, Ark lets riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiddde!

 

Gary C:cool10:

[saddlebum]

Sorry to say but usually when a starter intermittantly draws high amperage causeing the voltage to drop very low as in your case 5 vlts it usually indicates worn out or binding bearings in the starter, or bad windings in the starter. If the starter cranks like the battery is almost dead but the voltmeter shows you still have high voltage eg: 11 to 12 volts at the battery then you have a voltage drop between the battery and the starter in other words bad or dirty conections. if the later is the case then definitly do the cable upgrade because by the time you go to the trouble cleaning and trying to find the exact location of the fault your pretty much half way there. Tip use a proper volt meter conected direct to the battery to check it out dont just trust the one on the bike

[CAZCO]

Hello,

Thankx for the info, the bike starts like a new one, except every 2nd or 3rd time . When it pulls down, the volt meter reads about 5, have tested battery- good full 12 volts, charging sys at about 14 V. Have cleaned the battery post and cables on top, not at starter yet. Will do that and check the relay (solenoid) in a few days when I get other projects finished. (Honey do's before turkey day). Will also tackle (clean) the starter switch when I start the project.

 

Thankx again Guys!!! Some good advice.

 

Gary C