Odd Electrical problem-need help.

[mweber55]

Hello all, I have a '96 Vmax that has an odd electrical issue. Bike fires up fine(new battery& plugs installed before issue). Bike has COP, V-boost switch, & fan switch-all work normally. Never had a problem until 3 weeks ago. Riding along it backfires then stalls. Pulled over, re-started, put in gear, stalls. Then lost all electrical. All indicator lights, headlight, turns, starter switch...everything is dead. Nothing. Turned the key on/off. Nothing. Completely dead.(reg/rec is good...I checked voltage at battery). After 2-3 minutes the power just comes back(I didn't wiggle anything), v-boost cycles, lights are back, bike fires & runs like normal. I took it out this past saturday for a short test run. Same deal...fires up normally, runs great, but got to a stop light and then completely dead. No backfire this time. 2-3 min. later the power is back, & rode less than a mile to get home. 1st time bike was at full temp, last time is was not at temp yet. . I'm thinking one of 3 things. Ignition switch/tumbler contacts are going bad. The ignitor box is intermittently going bad(had that happen on previous bike) or the stator is starting to go. I'm leaning the ignition switch since all power is lost like the switch wasn't even turned on Any advice or someone who has had similar issue would be appreciated. :ummm:

 

[Dragmaxster]

Hello all, I have a '96 Vmax that has an odd electrical issue. Bike fires up fine(new battery& plugs installed before issue). Bike has COP, V-boost switch, & fan switch-all work normally. Never had a problem until 3 weeks ago. Riding along then a backfire then stall. Pulled over, re-started, then stall. Then lost all electrical. All indicator lights, headlight, turns, starter switch...everything is dead. Nothing. Turned the key on/off. Nothing. Completely dead.(reg/rec is good...I checked voltage at battery). After 2-3 minutes the power just comes back(I didn't wiggle anything), v-boost cycles, lights are back, bike fires & runs like normal. I took it out this past saturday for a short test run. Same deal...fires up normally, runs great, but got to a stop light and then completely dead. 2-3 min. later the power is back, & rode less than a mile to get home. 1st time bike was at full temp, last time is was not at temp yet. I'm leaning the ignition switch since all power is lost like the switch wasn't even turned on. Any advice or someone who has had similar issue would be appreciated. :ummm:

Check the main fuse next to the battery.

 

[Miles Long]

Check the main fuse next to the battery.

+1.
Only a few items that will leave you completely dead in the water ....
- bad battery connection(s) or ground wire/ground connection.
- Red battery positive wire/main fuse/main fuse connections.
- Loose/corroded ignition switch connector.
- Wonky ignition switch.
- Brown feed wire from ignition switch to fuse box.
Cheers!

 

[sdt354]

Unplug & by-pass the ignition switch, then go for a ride. Cheap and fast process of elimination. They do wear out.

 

[jfeagins]

DON'T forget to check the big multi-connector right below your main fuse housing. I've seen them get hot, and go bad while riding. Too hot = no connection. Cool back off a bit = reconnect for a bit before reheating again. If bad, it will show the melting around the wire connectors inside it, and some charring is possible as well.

 

[mweber55]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I finally had time to look over the bike, and found out two issues. I found the ground wire insulation had rotted away(being 19 year old)...cleaned and wrapped with electrical tape. Thought it was all good. Did two rides, 10 miles around town 1st time, then a few blocks from home, bam all lost. Took the seat off, & found out it's been the main fuse. The 30 amp fuse was good, and the wires looked pretty good, but I wiggled the 2 red wires and power came back. It would quickly go back out though, & I had to push the bike home. Power would flicker on & off, and luckily it came on right before I had to push up a steep hill to my house(it shut off as I pulled into the driveway) Went back out an hour later, & all power on. Connector looked ok(no charring, or melted wires). So it's getting hot and shutting off. So I'm thinking just get a new main fuse block. Thoughts?

 

[Miles Long]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I finally had time to look over the bike, and found out two issues. I found the ground wire insulation had rotted away(being 19 year old)...cleaned and wrapped with electrical tape. Thought it was all good. Did two rides, 10 miles around town 1st time, then a few blocks from home, bam all lost. Took the seat off, & found out it's been the main fuse. The 30 amp fuse was good, and the wires looked pretty good, but I wiggled the 2 red wires and power came back. It would quickly go back out though, & I had to push the bike home. Power would flicker on & off, and luckily it came on right before I had to push up a steep hill to my house(it shut off as I pulled into the driveway) Went back out an hour later, & all power on. Connector looked ok(no charring, or melted wires). So it's getting hot and shutting off. So I'm thinking just get a new main fuse block. Thoughts?

I would replace the entire fuse assembly with a good aftermarket unit. Solder the connections, before applying heat-shrink tubing.
I'd stick with a blade type automotive fuse and holder, rather than the glass in-lines. More readily available.
One thought - if the fuse is "getting hot and shutting off".....was it replaced with a circuit breaker type of fuse?
Cheers!

 

[Bill Seward]

Happened to my '85 at Thunder a couple years ago. Bought a real high quality fuse holder at Eastern Beaver along with good quality fuses, the cheesy aluminum ones blades never make good contact and get really hot. Problem solved.

 

[mweber55]

Thankyou guys. It's the original OE main. The previous owner is an electrician who did the COP's, and switches. I'll get a new unit and go from there. I was going to Thunder (I live about 30 minutes from Johnstown) but if you went this year you know how shitty the weather was that weekend...actually the entire month of June was cool & wet around here.

 

[mweber55]

Bill, I checked Eastern Beaver's website. What specific products did you buy? I'll just get what you bought.
Thanks

 

[Dragmaxster]

I always carry an extra main fuse under the seat.

 

[Bill Seward]

Eastern beaver has a $20.00 minimum purchase, so you will need to either build your order up a bit, or find the fuseblock on the site, and look elsewhere. Look at the fuseholders and get the single waterproof fuse holder.. I think he sells them for around five bucks. I bought a couple of his 30amp fuses too, as they are better quality than the cheesy ones from WalMart. If you are handy with wiring stuff up, grab a couple of those Panasonic headlight relays, or buy one of his plug and play kits.. Relaying the headlights on my '85 made an INCREDIBLE difference in the light output of the stock Halogen bulb.

I think the relay kit is $50 or $55 dollars, and is very well made. I made my own harness, it was not difficult.

 

[lookforjack]

I'm having the same issue with my 85 currently. I'm suspecting the keyed ignition switch. I started having trouble with it earlier this year. I noticed the main contact wouldn't close. Like the spring is weak. The contacts don't look really worn or anything. I soldered a jumper over to the acc contact which seemed to work. But suspect this is the reason it died on the freeway. Even the tach was dead.
I'm in the market for a new keyed switch. They use to be all over eBay. But all the ones on there currently are looking like junk.

 

[dannymax]

Something to try that won't cost anything other than some di-grease...disconnect, clean and apply di-electric grease to all connections including all fuses...seen this solve some strange electrical issues.

 

[Fire-medic]

dannymax has a good idea. I keep a tube of dielectric grease and use it after burnishing connector contacts if I work on something. ninjaneer has 'recondition your switches' threads that are helpful in eliminating electrical gremlins.

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