Electrics whizz in Auckland?! URGENT!

[Ragingrob]

OK I'm having some serious trouble here and I need it fixed ASAP!!!

Bike : '88 CBR250r

Details : Pretty much my bike was running perfectly, then I turned it off, then turned the key to turn back on again and nothing does anything... No dash lights, no starter, no indicators, no electrics!

So yesterday "Shingo" and I checked the main fuse and the 4 smaller fuses and found them in fine condition. We have discovered that my ignition is screwed, and only lets voltage through if held hard to the right so I've ordered a new ignition already.... But even then things should work if held to the right!

So... Voltage reaches both ignition wires as it should, it also makes it's way to the fuse box near the dash, but that's where we lost it... Somewhere between the beginning of the fuse box and the end of all wiring, voltage is being lost to EVERYTHING.

Hence there seems to be the fact that the "thing/wire" that's broken is something that effects every little thing such as lights, starter, dash etc etc...

Any ideas please?!?! I really need my bike for transport!

Right now it is at my gf's house in Herne Bay, so if anyone at all could help out that would be amazing!!! In return for some amber liquid or whatnot.

I have a day off Uni today and it would be so great if anyone was free today. The next day would be Wednesday. The back fairings, seat and tank are off so no need to muck around with those now, so it's sitting there ready to be examined!

Please I need my bike for Uni haha!!!! :scooter:

Rob.

[Gubb]

Maybe silly, but have you checked the killswitch?

[Ragingrob]

Maybe silly, but have you checked the killswitch?

Yeah definitely checked... Even if kill switch was on, the lights would still work and all, even the starter motor would kick but just not fire.

[TripleZee Dyno]

Yeah definitely checked... Even if kill switch was on, the lights would still work and all, even the starter motor would kick but just not fire.
Earth problem?
There maybe more than one o/p from your keyswitch as well.
Also when killswitch is operated the starter shouldnt operate.
Maybe your bike is different but havent come across a japanese bike that hasnt operated this way.
Good luck

[Ragingrob]

Earth problem?
There maybe more than one o/p from your keyswitch as well.
Also when killswitch is operated the starter shouldnt operate.
Maybe your bike is different but havent come across a japanese bike that hasnt operated this way.
Good luck

O/p? In terms of earthing, the main negative earth is fine but I'm unsure where the other ones are really... But if a component's earth was bad would that not just affect that particular component only?

Well yeah I dunno, the entire time I've had my bike I know that the kill switch only stopped the engine firing, that was all. The starter button would still work but just wouldn't kick in.

And yeah I definitely need the luck! :(

[Disco Dan]

Edit- my bad, did not read entire post... :whistle:

Check the wires behind the fuses, make sure they have not corroded?

[Ragingrob]

From the past hour I have found out that -

Voltage reaches both ignition wires only when i hold the key hard to the left, concluding that yes need a new ignition switch... I think?

Voltage reaches the main fuse which is on the starter magnetic switch and goes through the fuse BUT, there is no voltage at all on the other side of the starter magnetic switch... which then is meant to earth... Should there be voltage on both sides of the starter magnetic switch?!

Also, voltage reaches the first fuse in the fuse box when I hold key to the right BUT, doesn't reach ANY of the other fuses... Which I have all replaced but no voltage is reaching them?!

Here is the wiring diagram I have... My question now is should voltage be seen on both sides of the starter magnetic switch??

[TripleZee Dyno]

From the past hour I have found out that -

Voltage reaches both ignition wires only when i hold the key hard to the left, concluding that yes need a new ignition switch... I think?

Voltage reaches the main fuse which is on the starter magnetic switch and goes through the fuse BUT, there is no voltage at all on the other side of the starter magnetic switch... which then is meant to earth... Should there be voltage on both sides of the starter magnetic switch?!

Also, voltage reaches the first fuse in the fuse box when I hold key to the right BUT, doesn't reach ANY of the other fuses... Which I have all replaced but no voltage is reaching them?!

Here is the wiring diagram I have... My question now is should voltage be seen on both sides of the starter magnetic switch??
I would say the key switch is faulty. Wait til you replace it before pulling anything else apart.
To prove it jumper from A to B (fuse box on your wiring diagram). Everything should light up and be working.
Voltage should only be on one side of the starter magnetic switch(solenoid)
cheers

[Ragingrob]

I would say the key switch is faulty. Wait til you replace it before pulling anything else apart.
To prove it jumper from A to B (fuse box on your wiring diagram). Everything should light up and be working.
Voltage should only be on one side of the starter magnetic switch(solenoid)
cheers

As in the entire ignition? I can get an ignition from trademe for $50 so better do that then?

And you mean put a wire or some pliers from A to B joining them and that should light things up? I'll give it a go.

[TripleZee Dyno]

As in the entire ignition? I can get an ignition from trademe for $50 so better do that then?

And you mean put a wire or some pliers from A to B joining them and that should light things up? I'll give it a go.
"I've ordered a new ignition already"
presume you are talking about the ignition switch? thats what I am talking about. having to hold the key hard over is a clue. The switch has 2 o/p, one feeds the fan fuse (A on the diagram) the other feeds the other fuses(BCD on the diagram)
And yes jump from A 2 B
cheers

[EJK]

Having difficulty commuting to uni?

Welcome to my world lol

[Ragingrob]

"I've ordered a new ignition already"
presume you are talking about the ignition switch? thats what I am talking about. having to hold the key hard over is a clue. The switch has 2 o/p, one feeds the fan fuse (A on the diagram) the other feeds the other fuses(BCD on the diagram)
And yes jump from A 2 B
cheers

LEGEND!!! :niceone:

OK So I jumped from A to B and lights came on and all, even the headlights turned on fine :):):)

One thing though is that the starter button didn't do a thing, is this another problem or one that will be sorted out by a new ignition also? But yeah the horn and everything else worked.

And yep am in the process of getting a complete 2nd hand ignition so I guess I just replace the old one and plug it in and all should go, unless the starter button not going means something else is up too?

Thank you very much!

Edit : And also the neutral light didn't come on... So that and the starter not doing anything, hopefully a new ignition will fix those too?

[MGST]

Not to sound stupid or anything, but you sure the bike is in neutral? If it isn't then that will be why the neutral light isn't on and why the starter button doesn't do anything.

For your understanding, you should have power on one side of the starter magnet thingo with the key on ( you have got this ). Only once you have pressed the starter button will you have power to the other ( starter motor ) side of the magnetic switch. This is because by pressing the starter button you are sending a control voltage to energise the coil of the starter magnetic switch ( contactor or relay in simple terms ), which will pull in and then you have power across the magnetic switch which goes down the wire to the starter motor.

[Ragingrob]

Not to sound stupid or anything, but you sure the bike is in neutral? If it isn't then that will be why the neutral light isn't on and why the starter button doesn't do anything.

For your understanding, you should have power on one side of the starter magnet thingo with the key on ( you have got this ). Only once you have pressed the starter button will you have power to the other ( starter motor ) side of the magnetic switch. This is because by pressing the starter button you are sending a control voltage to energise the coil of the starter magnetic switch ( contactor or relay in simple terms ), which will pull in and then you have power across the magnetic switch which goes down the wire to the starter motor.


Yep bike definitely in neutral... But I'm sure the bike still tries to start if not in neutral and will just jerk forward and stall though too?

I've got an ignition coming hopefully for Wednesday for $50 and hopefully I'm able to install it although not too sure as how it connects to the frame yet, might be in the manual I guess.

But yeah, I'm just worried that maybe the starter is stuffed now too? Unless I've left something disconnected which could be it I guess... Not too worried about the neutral light if it's just blown lol :whocares:

Hmmm so yeah... The starter worries me now :yes:

[shingo]

I think the ignition was bolted to the underneath of the top triple clamp. Will make for an interesting time if you cant get a ratchet/spanner behind it without taking the front apart.

When i was thinking about it today i realised that i assumed because we had power going to the 10A fuse for the fan motor (when holding the key over), that we should have power going through the blue\orange wire to all the other fuses, when that in fact was the problem. If only we had found some spare wire i reckon we could have hotwired it pretty easily.

Fingers crossed the replacement ignition fixes the problem. I doubt it will arrive on wednesday if it has to come from chch, but then again i am a bit of a pessimist.

[Ragingrob]

I think the ignition was bolted to the underneath of the top triple clamp. Will make for an interesting time if you cant get a ratchet/spanner behind it without taking the front apart.

When i was thinking about it today i realised that i assumed because we had power going to the 10A fuse for the fan motor (when holding the key over), that we should have power going through the blue\orange wire to all the other fuses, when that in fact was the problem. If only we had found some spare wire i reckon we could have hotwired it pretty easily.

Fingers crossed the replacement ignition fixes the problem. I doubt it will arrive on wednesday if it has to come from chch, but then again i am a bit of a pessimist.

Hey yeah well I'm paying for overnight courier which will get sent tomo morning so hopefully make it on Wednesday! Went to Red Baron today and they quoted me $280 for an ignition :shit:, so yeah $50 aint too bad I guess! Second hand though...

Yeah I asked the guy for tips and he reckoned I may have to detach the front fairing and instruments to get at that triple clamp to detach and install the ignitions... Also that the bolts may have star heads which would add to the nastiness! Not sure how well I'd handle taking the front end apart...

So on that note :

Anyone free on Wednesday morning/midday to give a helping hand maybe taking the front end off and installing the new ignition?!

:headbang:

I'll check the bike tomo quickly and see if I can spot the bolts but it's pretty tight in there :confused:

[shingo]

If you dont get it done on wednesday, I can give you a hand on thursday or friday avo if your free.

[Ragingrob]

If you dont get it done on wednesday, I can give you a hand on thursday or friday avo if your free.

Lol next day I'm properly free would be Sunday :(, so Wednesday I need to try my hardest! I'm gonna have a study of the manual so hopefully I'll know how to detach everything from the beginning, and it should say what style bolts they have I'm thinking huh? And then I have to put EVERYTHING back together and not forget ANY nuts, bolts, wires or fuses :baby:

[shingo]

I had a look through a service manual and it didn't have any info any dismantling the front end. You'll just have to play it by ear, take your time and dont lose any of the bolts.

[Ragingrob]

Alright the main bolts are definitely star shaped so does anyone happen to have some star shaped drivers or sockets I could borrow for Wednesday??

Or if not, where would I go to get these?

And Shaun I may be lucky ay, depending on the tool I get for the star shaped bolts I may get away with not having to detach anything else!

[shingo]

Those star shape bits are called torques bits, i can get them from work but i wouldnt be able to get you some for tomorrow tho.

[Ragingrob]

True I think Stephen has some ay, gonna give him a call soon see what he's up to tomorrow... He mentioned a fuse may be under the dash which would cause problems but we'll see!!!

[shingo]

Did the ignition turn up today? Any luck getting it fitted?

[Ragingrob]

Alright, ALL IS GO GO GO! Yeeha everything's working fine. Only problem was one bolt was too worn to come out with my tools so I rode the motorway with the new ignition hanging off the side off the petrol tank :doh:. But last night went and saw my mate at the local garage and he managed to get it out and we chucked the new one on. Bike runs mint as.

Also, filled up with 96 to see if it would make any difference so I'm gonna see how many k's it gets me, does seem a bit more zippier already though!

Damn I love my bike.

Hey and I was thinking, all the problems over the last month or two could actually be caused by just the damn ignition?! The cutting out and all could've just been the barrel slowly getting worse and worse and losing connection. Well here's to hoping! :beer: