What could be wrong? AGAIN!

[GSJoe]

[RANT]My bike is really beginning to pi$$ me off!!! :x :x[/RANT]

Last night and tonight after work my bike decided it didn't want to start. It barely cranked and wouldn't even turn over. Something odd happened this time, also: the damn headlight would not turn on! Both times I ended up walking home. Last night, I waited an hour and walked back down there and it started right up! I am about do the same thing in 15 minutes (at 1am). I hope I don't end pushing it home! Seeing as the battery is brand new (by 1mo) and topped off, I think something could be wrong with the rectifier, starter, or something along those lines. What do y'all think? Funny thing is though, I rode it all day before work and it ran perfectly fine!

[RANT]Arrrrgh! I am so fustrated with this piece of sh!it right now! One thing after another keeps going wrong! :x :x[/RANT]

[GSJoe]

Well, I just ended up pushing the f***ing thing home. I never thought that trying to push a 500lb bike a 1/4 mile would so much work! Now I sit here with a bloody, scratched up right leg caused by accidently rubbing against the shifter. Words and emiticons can't even begin to describe how I feel right now! :?

[Anonymous]

Sorry to be depressing but it sounds like you've got an intermittent short circuit somewhere.Easily fixed,but a total pain in the a*se to track down. My electrics were so bad I eventually did a total rewire!Not as bad a job as it sounds though,and at least you'll have peace of mind.

[Anonymous]

First of all, do you have a multimeter? Because that is what you're going to need to figure out this problem. Something that measures DC volts and continuity. (resistance) The DC voltmeter section of the meter should be accurate enough to tell the difference between 12V and 14V.

Here are a couple of things to try.

First take things apart to the extent that you can get to the reg/rec and the battery. (i.e. take off the seat and side covers)

With the bike comfortably at home, get it started, when it is in the mood. Take your DC voltmeter and measure the voltage at the battery. When you rev the engine, it should change. (go up) If it doesn't, your charging circuit is botched somewhere. If it is above 15 V, your regulator is botched. (because of a bad ground?)

The headlight not coming on is one of three things:

1. Burnt out headlight bulb
2. bad connection, again check the grounds
3. Not enough voltage on account of a botched charging circuit.

You can check ground connections by setting the multimeter to the lowest resistance range and making sure that there is almost no resistance between where the device (headlight, turn signal, reg/rec, etc.) is supposed to be grounded to the frame.

Running into problems like these is par for the course on an old bike. Your problem sounds like a simple electrical problem. When fixed, it will be magically like new.

Last night, I stripped the threads in my oil drain plug. Now think about how hard THAT is going to be to fix... I rebuilt and readjusted my carbs back to factory specs., adjusted the valves, and synced the carbs. I still have a hesitation that robs me of any semblance of quick acceleration.

Anyway, back to your issue... Until you get it fixed reliably, don't go anywhere further than than a block or you're asking for it.

[GSJoe]

Thanks for all of your suggestions, Smaug! I put in a new headlight bulb so that should not be the problem. Right now the bike is refusing to start. I have no way of going out and getting a multimeter seeing as my car is in the shop and my bike does not want to co-operate. :roll:

[focus frenzy]

there are only two things that both the headlight and ignition, and starting system have in common.
1= the ignition switch
2= the main fuse
power comes from the battery and goes through the main fuse up to the ignition switch before coming back down to the fuse box and slitting to the different circuits.

pull the main fuse and clean the ends and clean the brass clips that hold the fuse, this is a common problem area, brass tarnish does not conduct electricity well and can drive you mad with intermittent starting problems. (it did to me!)

next locate the plug for the ignition switch and check the contacts there, and clean them.
also check the main ground cable at both ends for tight clean connections, as well as the other ground contacts.
if these don't do the trick, the ignition switch is the next suspect and a multi-meter is needed to test it completely.

[Anonymous]

As Leon said,check the fuse.I replaced the glass cartridge fuse with a blade type fuse as they are easier to obtain over here.I had one blow but then what was left made contact due to a loose holder and only moved apart intermittently.Not funny.Replaced the fuse and the holder and no probs since.

[TheNose]

pull the main fuse and clean the ends and clean the brass clips that hold the fuse, this is a common problem area, brass tarnish does not conduct electricity well and can drive you mad with intermittent starting problems. (it did to me!).

Now we know what happened to you.

Terry

[GSJoe]

Thanks guys for all the tips. Can't be the fuses, however, seeing as I rearranged them all and still had the same trouble. :?

[Anonymous]

Try checking all of you connections especially your ground. I would be willing to bet you have that is loose where would be the thinf you need to find.

[argonsagas]

Joe, it CAN be a fuse problem, even if they appear OK and, in fact, are OK. The contacts in the fuse box will corrode over time. They need to be cleaned periodically.

You said the headlight did not work but did not state if the bike is turning over.

A multimeter is a definite necessity for these bikes...and an excellent tool to have around for the car and house as well. Digital ones are best because they give a defined and easy-to-see reading.

You need to check the battery voltage when the bike is just sitting, with
the ignition OFF.

Then, when running, you need to check it again. You should get 13 to 14 volts, which means it is charging.

A common problem, which could easily produce the secondary problems you describe, is a poor ground. Corrosion or a loose connection will cause this. Many of us install an extra wire from the battery negative terminal to the frame, AND one between the battery and the regulator/rectifier.

With a bad ground the starter will not work, and you will likely get only a click at the solenoid, but the headlight should come on, probably dim.

That would be the first thing I would check, and you need only a couple of hand tools to do it.

[GSJoe]

Well I just went out to look at the bike. Checked all the wire corrections and they look pretty good. Pulled the fuses again and no corosion. Tried to start it and just a loud click this time. Not even a weak starting sound like it made before. :?

Also, I pulled the headlight bulb to confirm my suspicion. Yep, sure enough the low beam filament was gone. This is third new bulb I've installed in ~2 weeks. At least this one lasted that long - the other two blew instantly. Could there be some correlation between this and the starting problems? A hidden short somewhere that I just couldn't see?

Anyone from here want to come over and help?

P.S. Not having transportation sure makes life hard. I can't go out to eat, go grocery shopping, or go to the laundry mat. Totally sucks!