Electrical issues

[Bacchus]

Hi all,

Im ready to fire this bad boy up but not getting anywhere...

pilot box lights come on, except for neutral indicator which doesnt work, headlight on, blinkers on, but no power to starter, no v-boost cycle when key is turned on, and no fuel pump.

I belive I have checked all fuses, and all good... Im thinking a relay is dead but not sure which one I should be looking at. could use some direction and testing/ troubleshooting tricks

thanks

 

[ninjaneer]

sounds like the run/kill switch or your ignition switch. you could try to bypass either one of them and see if one of them has a gremlin.
or if you're game and want to dig in, use these as guides to look inside each of the assemblies:

How To: Recondition the Ignition Switch
How To: Recondition the Electrical Components of the Throttle-side Switch Housing

 

[Bacchus]

when I push the start button the headlight goes out but no power to starter...

 

[MaxMidnight]

It may be a red herring but if the neutral indicator doesn't come on does the safety cut out think the bike is in gear?

Does it start with the clutch pulled in?

 

[jfeagins]

Side stand switch could also be stuck and/or not connecting internally.

 

[RaWarrior]

Side stand switch
Neutral switch
Red engine stop switch

If either of those is "wrong", you'll have everything but cranking. If the bike "thinks" the stand is down, it will only crank if it also thinks it's in neutral. If it's not in neutral, it won't crank and wouldn't have spark anyway. There's a somewhat complex electrical maze of combinations between the neutral switch, side stand switch, and the clutch lever switch on when the bike will allow the starter/ignition to operate.

The headlight going out when pressing the starter is normal. Does that to allow more current to get to the starter.

You can try shorting the relay under the seat to ensure the starter physically works. With the key on and the bike in neutral, if you spark the two big terminals with a screwdriver the motor should spin and start. If it spins but won't fire, check the above 3 circuits. If you don't have it already, get the .pdf service manual (with wiring diagrams) off vmaxoutlaw.com. It details how to test all of them with a basic multimeter.

 

[Bacchus]

thanks for all the input guys,

still wondering if there is a relay in the system that could be the cause as I am not getting the vboost to cycle or the fuel pump to power up when the key is turned on

anybody know of any relay in the system that could be the problem??

seems like irreguradless of a sensor issue the vboost should cycle when key is turned on

 

[ninjaneer]

the v-boost servo motor on an '89 receives a power signal via the same wire that the fuel pump relay, the starter circuit cut-off relay/turn signal relay, and the sidestand relay get their's, which is red/green wire coming from the engine stop switch. If the 10A Ignition Fuse is OK, then the engine stop switch "gets hot" by the brown wire coming out of the ignition key switch.

if the fuel pump ain't priming the bowls and the v-boost servo isn't whirring, then i would look at the common denominator between the two, which next in line to the battery is the engine stop switch

 

[tugla]

all these guys are leading you in the right path, eliminate the 3 switches from having issues, then go forward, then you can try jumping the start solenoid but have to make sure other three work first.

 

[Bacchus]

how would I eliminate these swithces?

any input as to testing them or bypass?

thanks

 

[maleko89]

Put bike in gear, pull clutch and see if it turns over.

 

[bazwell]

Battery voltage? Tried jumper leads from a car?

 

[naughtyG]

There's is one lil' relay, I believe it's related to the sidestand/clutch/neutral kill switching, and it's located under the left scoop, behind the electrical panel that holds the Vboost, fuel pump etc relays. You need to remove both scoop and that panel to get to it.
Then it a little square thingy held in a rubber sleeve, with just one connector going to it. If I can find a pic somewhere I'll upload it.

I would check your killswitch on the right handlebar first anyway - the symptoms you describe point at that one being set to 'kill' the ignition to me.

cheerz
nG

 

[Bacchus]

thanks for the help guys... I pulled the right hand controls and went through all switches and everything seems to work fine...

would like to be able to bench test the relays... looking at that schematic it appears as though there must be more than one gremlin in my electric system as I believe the only component that would create all of my issues would be the kill switch and that is working properly.

I am thinking starter circut cut off relay, but looks like that is also the turn signal relay and I have turn signals..?

 

[Rob Cooker]

I'm not trying to high Jack anyone's post, but I have a similar situation. Bought a non running Vmax. They guy I bought it from said he couldn't get the bike to turn over. Got it home battery was toast, so replaced the battery. No ignition at all, crossed the solenoid switch and it will turn over, spray gas in carbs it runs great for a few seconds. The run/kill switch had been taken apart and was broken, replaced it. Still no ignition, no fuel pump and no V boost. Bypassed kickstand switch with no luck all fuses test good. What the hell is keeping it from making contact to all of these electrical components?

 

[one2dmax]

If it doesn't cycle the vboost or the pump then it sounds like the power through the "kill/run" switch is not working.

 

[Rob Cooker]

Replaced the complete switch run/kill switch and start button on the handle bar. With a new one from Yamaha. Trying to find a printable wiring diagram

 

[one2dmax]

I missed the Nuetral indicator doesn't work part. You need to put the sidestand up and pull the clutch lever in since the system thinks the bike is in gear. AND, make sure the switch is plugged in under the master on the left side.

 

[Rob Cooker]

Thanks, I tried that no luck. Has to be something I'm overlooking or missing. Have power to one side of the solenoid, but no power coming from the ignition. Have power to one wire connected to the start switch. Can here the fuel pump relay clicking, but sounds very odd. Bypassed the kickstand switch still nothing.

 

[one2dmax]

Unplug the pale blue wire with bullet connector on the left side going to the neutral switch. Ground the wire going up into the harness (female plug). This will at least get the neutral light on. There are so many safeties on this bike that it's hard to bypass them all. At least with the light on it will ignore many of them.