GSX1400: No start this morning, got smoke instead! Who can help in Auckland?

[Auntie Podes]

Leapt on the steed this morning after a week or so away from it only to find that when I tried to start it, I got that "you've got a flat battery" sort of noise, like an attempt to turn the engine but just not enough grunt. Its done it before but then started on a second attempt.....not this time. I then realised that something was burning. Sure enough, on later inspection, one wire obviously had too much current through it and the insulation is no more.

What I am after from you, my fellow bikers is recommendations of bike electrics gurus who will do a good job for a fair price. The bike is only 3 years old and I have already taken it back to the dealers twice under warranty but typically, that has now run out.

Any suggestions welcomed.

Thanks.

[marty]

yeah those 14's are a POS

[Drew]

Which wire exactly?

It could be one of lots of things causing it though, and that shit can take time to find.

None of this helps you find someone to help fix it, but I like reading my own posts.

[BuzzardNZ]

Being a suzuki, it may suffer from the 'green connector issue' , which has been a problem for some SV owners. Sounds like similar symptoms. Try googling it.

[Auntie Podes]

yeah those 14's are a POS

Thank you for your stunning insight and particularly uninteresting reply

[Auntie Podes]

Being a suzuki, it may suffer from the 'green connector issue' , which has been a problem for some SV owners. Sounds like similar symptoms. Try googling it.

Cheers, I will.

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

Only place I can suggest is Colemans.
Prob with electrics is finding the course in a nest of possibilities.

Spend some time looking for a chaffed wire that could have caused the short first first.
good luck

[karmobRob]

And get the battery tested!

[Auntie Podes]

After a little tinkering and testing, I have discovered that the earth wire to the Gear Position Switch is the one which had the short as that is the one which no longer has any insulation on it. The weird thing is that the wire has only burnt off the insulation from the connector back into the main loom and not from the switch itself. If the switch was at fault and provided a nice fat short for 12v to shoot down, why didn't the wire fry all the way to the switch? Also, the Gear Position switch is working.

I will attempt to attach a picture.................

[Drew]

If the wire only got hot on one side of the connector, I'd have a bloody good look at the connector itself. Sounds like it could be as simple as a poor connection.

Scratch that, it got hot on the wrong side and a gear position indicator shouldn't draw anywhere near enough amps to melt insulation.

Still have a look at the connector to make sure there aren't a couple of the pins touching.

It isn't uncommon to only melt on one side of a connector though, I kinda guess it has something to do with the heat being dissipated there better.

[karmobRob]

Check you main earth cable from battery to the engine casing,the biggest cable ,both ends, take them off and clean and refit tight....but dont strip.

[Clean_up]

it also looks in the pic like that green wire behind and left of the main rooted one has some melting to the insulation....may pay to have a REALLY good look through your wiring, and I agree with previous post, check your main grounding cables.

[Laava]

If in doubt, take it to an auto electrician, not a bike shop. Would be an easy fix/solve for them. Would be like going to a gp with toothache.

[sinfull]

After a little tinkering and testing, I have discovered that the earth wire to the Gear Position Switch is the one which had the short as that is the one which no longer has any insulation on it. The weird thing is that the wire has only burnt off the insulation from the connector back into the main loom and not from the switch itself. If the switch was at fault and provided a nice fat short for 12v to shoot down, why didn't the wire fry all the way to the switch? Also, the Gear Position switch is working.

I will attempt to attach a picture.................

I would be saying that wire has had a shitload of grunt running through it while you were cranking it over, like the amps needed to spin a starter over (not the little power thats needed to run the switch), so my laymans guess is the power surge down that wire came from a short in the main loom not the switch and stopped at the block ! And most likely from a starting power source to or from the solenoid !

Out with the stanley and trace that wire !

[Auntie Podes]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. After some careful thought and remembering that a Suzuki dealer has worked on the bike, and its starter motor, I have decided to drop the bike off at a dealer. I know that it might bite me in the wallet later but if there was a mistake made by the dealer earlier, I don'r want to be in the "you should have gone to a Suzuki dealer" corner if I end up fighting it later.

Watch this space for the gory details!