Ah crap...

**Ollie.T** · 1st December 2009, 20:34

Hey all, I know this should be in the maintenance forums but bear with me...

Im riding down to Christchurch tomorrow (from Wellington) so decided to do a bit of stuff on my bike - it was due for its 10k service. So I changed the brake fluid, changed the oil, clean, oiled and adjusted my chain and all was fine.

However, just took it for a spin to check it all out, lo and behold, 2km from home it died. Its short circuiting somewhere, found fuse was blown.

Its a 2004 GN250, when it died I was repeatedly accelerating up to about 40-50km then braking with front brake only.

Anyway, both my Dad and I are stumped as to what it could be, you lot are my only hope of making the 8:15 ferry. So please, if anyone has suggestions as to what it could be, fire away!

Cheers

Ollie

**p.dath** · 1st December 2009, 20:37

Any chance there is a wire with worn insulation that has been moved with the recent maintenance that is now shorting? I'm guessing near the brakes, since that triggers it?

Second guess, is a wire near the suspension or braking mechanism, and is getting pinched when you brake?

**White trash** · 1st December 2009, 20:37

Trapped wire in the loom or the mess they pack into the headlight has worn through.

**p.dath** · 1st December 2009, 20:38

Is the battery loose, and sliding forward under braking? Are the terminals properly covered? If not, perhaps the battery is moving forward and the terminals are shorting on the chassis.

**p.dath** · 1st December 2009, 20:39

Which actual fuse is blowing? That will at least identify the system with the issue.

**YellowDog** · 1st December 2009, 20:39

I'm sure the acellerating and braking is just a red herring.

If you have spent some time cleaning, there is a good chance you have got something wet that should not be.

A role of paper towels and a hair dryer should sort you out.

It's a shame you don't have more time. Take lots of spare fuses with you.

BUT first do check that you don't have any bare/loose wires floating around. Especially look at any aux extras that have been added.

Good luck.

**nothingflash** · 1st December 2009, 20:39

Originally Posted by p.dath

Is the battery loose, and sliding forward under braking? Are the terminals properly covered? If not, perhaps the battery is moving forward and the terminals are shorting on the chassis.

Yep, that was my guess too... Good old Murphy's Law huh. If I ever catch the bastard....

**p.dath** · 1st December 2009, 20:42

If you rev the bike up while in neutral does the effect still happening? i,e. Is it definately braking that triggers it, or is that a co-incidence?

While the bike is running, if you lean it left or right does the same problem happen? Try giving it a good shake as well.

**CookMySock** · 1st December 2009, 20:42

Put another fuse in it, and wriggle the loom gently until it pops the fuse, and slowly isolate the area where the fault is. Consider doing in a darkened room so you can see the flash. You will need a box of fuses.

DO NOT bypass the fuse with a piece of wire, or you WILL fuck the whole wiring loom.

Steve

**Ollie.T** · 1st December 2009, 20:56

Originally Posted by p.dath

While the bike is running, if you lean it left or right does the same problem happen? Try giving it a good shake as well.

Well the problem is, the bike wont start at all...

Is the battery loose, and sliding forward under braking? Are the terminals properly covered? If not, perhaps the battery is moving forward and the terminals are shorting on the chassis.

Battery is secure, and properly covered.

If you have spent some time cleaning, there is a good chance you have got something wet that should not be.

Cleaned it yesterday - was running fine then. No water has gotten on my bike today.

Which actual fuse is blowing? That will at least identify the system with the issue.

GNs only have one fuse i though, right next to the battery.

Found a few spare 15A fuses in the garage, tried another one, it blew straight away - and the keys were out of the bike (which seems decidedly odd)

Dads gone down to the petrol station to get some more fuses, I'll go check the rats nest behind the headlight

Thanks for all the replies!! Man, was going to try and have a early night tonight....

Ollie

**p.dath** · 1st December 2009, 21:02

Originally Posted by Ollie.T

GNs only have one fuse i though, right next to the battery.

Found a few spare 15A fuses in the garage, tried another one, it blew straight away - and the keys were out of the bike (which seems decidedly odd)

Does it have a distribution box? Aka, wire from battery to a bar, and then feeds out from there to the rest of the systems?

If it does, I would try disconnecting all the "outputs". Put the fuse back in, and with the key off, reconnecting each output from the distribution until you blow the fuse - then follow that wire.

If it blows with the key off, I would be tempted to look closely at the wires that go to the ignition key lock.

I would also be tempted to try pulling out the relays, and see if that stops the fuses from blowing. If it does, then plug them back in one at a time.

Do you have a multimeter? If you do then you could save a lot of fuses doing some tests ...

**izzyc** · 1st December 2009, 21:09

sometimes it can be that the battery is knacked...ie the plates can come disconnected from the lugs...[an internal battery problem]...get it tested, wont cost anything..[usually]

**Ollie.T** · 1st December 2009, 21:11

yeah I got a multimeter, and I just started tunneling my way towards the ignition... will also check in the workshop manual about the distribution bar.

Lucky my ferry ticket is one I can change up until check in time, I just gotta be in christchurch by 8.45 am on Thursday!

**Dean** · 1st December 2009, 21:21

Its a stuffed regulater/rectifier, you are looking at around $300 repair I had the exact problem when I had the dam thing. ALL gn's suffer from this. In the meantime you can have it running by - Take the right side cover off you should have a white casing with fuses in it and a little amp bulb, buy the correct bulb replacements from repco or I think petrol stations and have them on hold. So whenever it dies you can put another one in, start the bike up and should last you for few days. And they said I was a newbie.

**huff3r** · 1st December 2009, 21:27

Originally Posted by Dean

Its a stuffed regulater/rectifier, you are looking at around $300 repair I had the exact problem when I had the dam thing. ALL gn's suffer from this. In the meantime you can have it running by - Take the right side cover off you should have a white casing with fuses in it and a little amp bulb, buy the correct bulb replacements from repco or I think petrol stations and have them on hold. So whenever it dies you can put another one in, start the bike up and should last you for few days. And they said I was a newbie.

I call bullshit, but lets not get into this again

This might be the right advise, but just ignore anything else Dean has to say about GNs... he has some kind of personal issue with them