Yet another electrical problem....help

[osborne]

I have a 2000 GZ and when I got it a charger hooked to the dead, old battery would get me lights......Neutral, headlight, directional, etc. Changed out the battery and the new one tests at 13.3 V. Changed out a bad solenoid as well and now nothing....no lights at all, no starter engagement either. Checked and rechecked the main fuse....Its good. Same for the fuses in the fuse box....all good. Hooking the charger directly to the starter will spin it. I even put the old, bad solenoid back in and no lights. This has all the markings of a blown main fuse yet its definitely good.


I could really use some help here. This has me stumped. Thanks in advance.

[alantf]

See my reply to boisegary. Looks like it could be the same problem (solenoid connected the wrong way round)

[osborne]

OK.......another total DUH! moment for the books. The primary leads on the solenoid were indeed reversed. Switched em around and bingo bango.....lights, horn ect.

Still no power to the starter though. Question.....the kickstand safety lockout leads run up to a green clip/harness just below and in front of the seat, left side.....correct? I ask because the previous owner has the two wires coming out of the green clip cut and twisted together. I assume to disable THAT safety lockout.
Going to try checking the start button next I think for power unless someone here has a more likely culprit for the problem.

[Water Warrior 2]

Are you pulling in the clutch while trying to start the bike? It has a safety switch too.

[osborne]

Yes, and close inspection of the clutch safety switch shows it to be contacting the clutch lever. Mechanically, it appears to be working correctly.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by osborne

it appears to be working correctly.

And it still may not be. You need to check with a voltmeter. Although - I'd still give it a blast with an aerosol of contact cleaner. The clutch switch is notorious for sticking. When mine wouldn't start, I didn't bother testing, just blasted the red switch, clutch switch, and sidestand switch, with contact cleaner, and "het presto" bike started straight up.

[osborne]

OK......you gents are Good. Opened and went through te clutch switch .....hose it out with contact cleaner. Nothing. Opened up the throttle side swtch housing and hosed that out too......Bingo Bango.....power to the starter! Sprayed it again and worked it a while. Catches every time now. Thank you gentlemen!

Now for the carb.......))

[alantf]

No problem. That's what we're here for.

[osborne]

Thanks again for the previous help. The carb turned out to be clean as a whistle. Opened it up and sprayed it out an the bike fired right up. Now I have a different bug. The ignition fuse blows after a few minutes running. 10 amp, red fuse......#3 in the electrical schematic. Change it out and the bike fires up. Burned through 3 of them now. The kickstand cut out has been bypassed by the previous owner who cut and twisted the wires together. Could the diode, now missing from the circut be causing the fuse to cook off? If so, is there a workaround other than replacing the kickstand switch which is missing from the bike?

As an afterthought I should mention that during my bservations the neutral light has been on and off intermittently.

[alantf]

This seems to point to someting happening in the side stand relay set up. Check that the wires are solidly connected together, then make sure that they're well insulated, annd dry, and not touching the frame (shorting out). If you don't find anything, let us know, and I'll go over the circuit diagram and see if I can come up with anything else.