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S Barker

2024-01-06, 15:48:05
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Dead.....

Started by BigYin, 19/04/16 - 22:21:37

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BigYin

So, bike has been behaving perfectly. Parked it up a week past on Sunday, it had it's swingarm off on the Thursday and we fired it up then to warm the engine and help get the swing arm pin to loosen. All good.

Bike sat a few days until today when we refitted the swingarm. All looking good.

Key in ignition - to On - nothing - nada - no lights, no dash display, nothing.

Battery? Stuck it on the Optimate - all good apparently. Left it on a few hours and fully charged.

Main 30A fuse checked and good (continuity test)

All fuses in fuse box checked and good (continuity test)

Battery negative to engine earth point shows good continuity.

Battery positive to various part of bike frame shows 13v - so earthing definitely good.

Tried ignition on and swinging handle bars back on forth. Nothing.

Good guddle down behind the ignition barrel, manipulating wires with ignition on, still nothing.

Run out of ideas now  >:( >:( >:( :'( :'( :'( :'(

Jayling28

This is probably not the case but just to eliminate this as a factor and i'm unaware what bike this is regarding  whether it be a 125 or varabeast.
Could it be possible that during the removal and refitting of the swingarm that a cable has been pinched or knocked out of place?
Have you tried turning the engine over since the refit?
Current Bike - Baby Dero
Full Stainless System
Oxford heated grips
Taller touring screen
Small top box
Loobman Chainoiler

Previous Bike - Honda Vision 50

S Barker


Are you measuring the Voltages with the ignition on or off ?

Turn the ignition on. Connect one side of a multimeter to the frame and then trace the +12V (ish) at various points from the battery through the fuse block etc.
I wonder what happen if I click on this - Ooops

BigYin

It's an 08 Vara XL 1000 V

Voltage measurements were identical across the battery, and from battery positive to various parts of the frame (so good earth). Ignition on or off made no difference.

The positive path is from battery +ve to main fuse, to fuse box, to ignition, to starter button, to starter relay, to starter motor.

As the main fuse and all fuses in the fuse box are good, the next point is the ignition - on turning ignition to ON, the dash should light up, sidelight and headlights come on, and fuel pump primed. NONE of that happens. There's no difference in the state of the bike between ignition off and ignition on.

So, power is reaching the fuses, but either not getting to the ignition switch, through the ignition switch, or back from the ignition switch....

Broken wire, broken connection, or broken ignition switch.

My mechanic pal who has all the experience, and all the test kit needed, has promised to come over tonight - mind you, he said that wednesday night and thursday night too.....  To be fair, I'm not the only 'out of hours' guy he helps.



Varareco

Good luck. I hope your pal can fix it, it sounds like a nightmare.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to seek permission.

BigYin

#5
And..... *drumroll*.... the bike is fixed - well, temporarily....

Tested it with a different starter relay - no joy. A bit of fairing off and we got to the plug into the loom from the ignition switch - a test there confirmed that the ignition wasn't making a complete circuit.

Cue lots of discussion about what to do about the ignition switch - replacing it means a new key and having to bodge the HISS chip from the old key to the new one...

Once my mechanic pal was away I set about removing the wires from the back of the ignition barrel, and only after managing to snip away a tie wrap that secures the cables to the barrel to stop them moving relative to the connection, lo and behold, one of the wires was loose and covered in green corrosion - so that was the issue!

Temporary fix is a hidden switch to act as the ignition switch - without the HISS system satisfied that the key is in the ignition the bike won't start, so it's still secure - you really have to know where the switch is and have the key in the ignition, so I'm pretty pleased with it  8)

Hopefully we'll be able to clean up the contacts on the base of the ignition switch unit and solder on new wiring, and that will be it back to normal, but in the meantime it's still useable  ;D

aboynamedsue

That is strange for a 2008 Varadero, it sounds more like a Triumph or BMUU problem. At least you're going again.

BigYin

Aye, 'tis great to be back on the road  ;D

Wasn't too confident about my wiring - I only had 5amp cable to hand, and the switch I was using was one I salvaged from a popcorn maker!!

I measured the current through the new switch circuit and it varied between 6.5amps and 7.5 amps, so too much for the wiring. Have now replaced the wire with 15amp cable, and the switch with a proper DC 16amp rated rocker switch. Feel much more confident about it all now  :)


Jayling28

Well i personally would count that as a massive success as its nothing overly serious and you seem to have made something that if anything is more secure than the original system.
Ive just had to spend ?40 on my 125 rear calliper bracket just for the sake of one poxy nut that hols the static pad up and off the wheel.
Just glad its sorted now, onto the fork seals next which have gone after 6 months of being changed.
Current Bike - Baby Dero
Full Stainless System
Oxford heated grips
Taller touring screen
Small top box
Loobman Chainoiler

Previous Bike - Honda Vision 50

Peter H

Quote from: aboynamedsue on  28/04/16 - 19:40:19
That is strange for a 2008 Varadero, it sounds more like a Triumph or BMUU problem. At least you're going again.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for this amazing information
Born again biker