New Issue on my 83'

[ActionJax]

This has probably been covered before, but I'd be darned I was able to find it during a search.

 

Here's my problem. This just started on my 83'. I was driving down the road. Nothing special, just normal driving, when all of a sudden everything drops. Tack, engine, everything. Just like I'd hit the "kill switch". I stopped the bike and turned the key on and off, and the bike fired right up. I thought strange! But drove on down the road.

 

Stopped to get some gas. When I turned the key to start the bike again, everything powered on...but when I hit the starter button...NOTHING!!

 

Now keep in mind that all the lights on the dash are on. I can hear the gas pump do its thing. I checked all the fuses (yes its an old fuse box) but they were all good. I have a Delka (sp?) battery in the bike. I've installed the heavier battery cables too. New spark plugs also. Yes, I have plenty of gas.

 

I then kept wiggling the "Kill switch" back and forth hoping that this would make a difference. (This is were I read something on the forum, but can't find the article now) Still nothing worked.

 

I then put the kick stand up and down a few times hoing that maybe that would make a difference.

 

Well, long story short...the bike finally turned over. I don't know exactly what worked though. So any ideas would be great! I'm a bit scared to take her out for a ride again, since I felt like I was lucky to get her home.

 

I've since went back out to the garage and she's still starting OK. But that's a pretty scary feeling not even getting a buzz or anything.

 

Thanks,

 

Jack

[dingy]

Even though the fuses appear OK, they might still be the problem.

 

Tug on each fuse at the end near metal band and see if one is loose, especially the middle one. This is the ignition circuit fuse, and it would cause your symptoms.

 

Gary

[bongobobny]

Don't you hate intermittant problems?!!?

 

OK the first suspect will be the kickstand switch for sure, but the neutral switch will do it as well!! I am assuming you are trying to start in neutral, but if you are trying to start in gear then maybe the clutch lever switch is bad.You can ohm out the kickstand switch and you should read near zero. One set of contacts is open asnd the other closed with the kickstand down, and reverse with the kickstand up! If you read even a few ohms unstead of zero the switch is probably bad. I had one that read 4 ohms and was defective on the bike!!

 

You can wire all 3 wires together to temporarily fix the problem but you can now start in gear with the clutchn out so be careful!! You may want to start checki9ng asll the connectors on the side of the bike for corrosion as there are a few conectors that can cause this or something similar...

[Dragonslayer]

Don't you hate intermittant problems?!!?

 

OK the first suspect will be the kickstand switch for sure, but the neutral switch will do it as well!! I am assuming you are trying to start in neutral, but if you are trying to start in gear then maybe the clutch lever switch is bad.You can ohm out the kickstand switch and you should read near zero. One set of contacts is open asnd the other closed with the kickstand down, and reverse with the kickstand up! If you read even a few ohms unstead of zero the switch is probably bad. I had one that read 4 ohms and was defective on the bike!!

 

You can wire all 3 wires together to temporarily fix the problem but you can now start in gear with the clutchn out so be careful!! You may want to start checki9ng asll the connectors on the side of the bike for corrosion as there are a few conectors that can cause this or something similar...

Also check and clean contacts on the ignition switch, start button switch and kill switch. Don't forget to check the connection at the bullet plug connection of the blue/white wire leaving the starter solenoid.

[mbrood]

"When I turned the key to start the bike again, everything powered on...but when I hit the starter button...NOTHING!!"

 

Assuming this meant that the STARTER failed to engage or the starter soilonoid to "click"... this means we aren't dealing with an ignition inhibit like the sidestand or gear position/clutch safety on that issue.

 

However, when she died on the road, that indicates either one of the "safeties" kickied in or power was lost.

 

It seems to only commonality is power. Although the clips may mechanically be holding the fuses, these holders are older and brittle, first insure that they are clean in the contact area and then GENTLY try to rotate them in their holder, there should be definite resistance to this, not locked but a solid resistance. Rebending them to get more tension is REAL tricky as they will tend to crack, opening up a new kettle of fish. New clips are out there but tricky to find.

 

Even a dash lightbulb with a 1' insulated wire soldered to the side makes a dandy voltage detector... when she dies, you could pull the false tank cover, open the fuse box, put the tip of the bulb on a good ground and probe the other end of the wire to the RIGHT side fuse clip of the ignition fuse holder with the ignition switch on... if she lights, check the others (since you are there). The small bulb and wire hides in a jacket or shirt pocket pretty easy. If there's no light there, there's no power getting to the ignition circuits, probe the clip on the LEFT side... there BETTER be power there or we are looking more toward the ignition switch.

[ActionJax]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

 

AlantaDragonSlayer, you don't happen to have any photo's of that process you're talking about do you? Like most folks I do better with pictures.

[icebrrg3rd]

I'm dealing with the same gremlin that you are. My '83 has cut off while riding, like the kill switch was thrown. Sometime it would restart right away, other times 30 minutes later. It's not a comfortable feeling, and I've been riding my Maxim cause I don't want to be stranded on the Venture, or at least late to work.

 

I still have the glass fuses, and I really think that they might be the issue. I've cleaned my kill switch and none of my other "kill" switches light up the LCD (kick stand, etc) when it dies. (Yes, they do kill it if the lights are on the LCD.) I'm going to replace the fuse block and hopefully I won't have any more kill issues.

 

-Andrew

[dingy]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

 

AlantaDragonSlayer, you don't happen to have any photo's of that process you're talking about do you? Like most folks I do better with pictures.

 

Below is link to cleaning throttle side switch on the MKI.

http://venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43027

The connectors for the solenoid are important, but would not cause a shut down of a running motor. They could be a problem for starting though.

Gary

[Condor]

Corroded kill switch.... funky side stand switch... loose neutral safety switch.... When trying to isolate an intermitant problem, don't wiggle a bunch of stuff before seeing if the problem goes away.... One at a time....