Friend with a 1st Gen Needs Help With Electrical Problem

[KeithR]

A friend of mine has a 84 Venture that he has an electrical problem with. His battery died so he bought a new one and everything was fine. He left the key on and killed the new battery.....this is when the problem started....he decided to boost it with his truck and while the cables were hooked to the truck his helper struck the handle bar with the positive cable....the negative was hooked to the battery and the key was turned on. Now everything works....lights - horn etc but the starter won't engage....no offer at all. He has checked all the fuses and all appears fine.

 

Sooooooooo any ideas?

 

Keith

[Squidley]

Kill Switch, or tap on the starter while pushing the button, perhaps the starter solenoid.....shots in the dark at a quick response. There are also the 4 spade fuses that are fwd and right of the main fuses on the battery, check them too.

[dingy]

Kill Switch, or tap on the starter while pushing the button, perhaps the starter solenoid.....shots in the dark at a quick response. There are also the 4 spade fuses that are fwd and right of the main fuses on the battery, check them too.

 

Not to say Squidly is wrong, but I think he is. I don't know of any spade fuses on a stock 1st gen MKI. There are 4 glass tube fuses & a main 'special' fuse. Also a couple of radio fuses.

 

Attached is a PDF of the 84 starting circuits.

 

Check the 15a ignition fuse. Make sure both ends are tight in the holder.

 

As mentioned, the Start switch is the main culprit, press it and check that head light goes out, this is normal.

 

Just hitting the positive cable to the frame, should not cause anything that would prevent cranking IMO. . With the exception of, causing already corroded cable connections to go even higher in resistance. Pull and clean all battery connections. 4 on positive side (Battery, start solenoid on left side (2) and starter). 2 on negative side Battery and ground to engine case on right front.)

 

Check and see if it will crank with the clutch in and/or side stand up, if it does, this will narrow problem down.

 

When jumping with a car, do not have car running, The car battery alone will be plenty big enough to crank this motor. It's another can of worms, may destroy reg/rect.

 

Gary

[KeithR]

Thanks Guys!!!!

 

 

 

I have passed on the info.

 

 

Keith

[CrazyHorse]

Jump the solenoid I had mine go bad see what happens.

[Flyinfool]

And tell your friend to come here and join.

It will be the best investment he can make in his bike.

[painterman67]

Im kinda agree with squidley here. Mine did the same thing. All the lights would and all electrical as far as that goes but would not crank. Quick call to miffinman revieled that I had blown the mian fuse located just in front of the battery box/fuse box setup. Put in a new one and charged the battery and cranked wright up

 

 

mine a 91 vr by the way so it should be close.

 

 

also agreee with dingy makes sure the car is not running

 

 

DAvid

 

 

Also a quick thought if you think the starter is the culprit you should be able to hook the ground to the frame and touck positive to positive side of starter. If its not the starter it should turn over at least

[dingy]

 

 

Also a quick thought if you think the starter is the culprit you should be able to hook the ground to the frame and touck positive to positive side of starter. If its not the starter it should turn over at least

 

Make dangity dang sure it is not in gear when you do this. It will run over you when you are lying on ground just after you touch that starter wire if it is on side stand and in gear.

 

An 83-85 (MKI) has a different fuse setup than a 86-93 (MKII's) they don't have the spade fuse block that MKII's have.

 

Gary

[bkuhr]

his helper struck the handle bar with the positive cable....

 

Sooooooooo any ideas?

 

Keith

 

bumped the engine stop switch on the right handlebar.

 

check easy thing first!

[painterman67]

good call dingy I didnt think of that

 

 

david