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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 20 Jun 2009
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Dead XT
I've had a misfire develop recently, but only occasionally, so it's the 'intermittent fault' problem - it's never there when I get the chance to look for it. It's a bit like flipping the kill switch on and off - it misses for a couple of beats and then carries on as if nothing had happened. I've checked all the wires and connections, and I was beginning to suspect the coil, but tonight it has died completely - about 2 miles from home, with a couple of big hills in the way! I think the problem could be a simple one. It starts and idles fine, but as soon as it is put into gear it dies. Slip it back into neutral, and it starts OK, but as soon as the gear goes in, the engine stops. It's not clutch drag killing the engine, as it will do it even at high revs, and it's just like someone turning off the ignition.

I suspect something to do with the neutral switch or sidestand switch. The sidestand cut-out has been removed, and the wires in the area next to the battery look a bit butchered. Full strip and application of the multimeter tomorrow, but any thoughts would be grand.

Cheers all.
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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def sounds like side stand switch wires.
easy test put a link wire from the neutral switch to earth then if it keeps running when you put it in gear then its def the stand wires
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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Just had a good look. The sidestand switch has been removed and there are two black/white wires taped together in the harness next to the battery. I've tried twisting them together better with no luck, but they seem very corroded. Perhaps I will bridge them somewhere closer to the ignition box. Thanks for the test suggestion - I'll give this a go tomorrow when it's light. Cheers Wolf.
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Old 20 Jun 2009
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Couldn't wait - did it by torchlight. Wire from neutral switch to earth - engine runs fine, in gear or not. Many thanks buddy - sidestand wiring fault. That should be fairly easy to track down.

I wish I'd had 3 inches of wire and some croc clips when I was pushing the beast up that bloody hill (And known where to attach them, of course.)
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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no problem i'm just glad i could help
some people think i'm nuts when i come up with a test like that one cos it sounds weird but i'm pretty good with electrical stuff
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfzero View Post
def sounds like side stand switch wires.
easy test put a link wire from the neutral switch to earth then if it keeps running when you put it in gear then its def the stand wires
Smart thinking…
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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like I said in Another post. " the xt side stand switch, is the root of all evil in the world"
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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Dave O like I said in Another post. " the xt side stand switch, is the root of all evil in the world"

mine works fine its just not fitted to the bike anymore
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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Hehe. I never even met my sidestand switch - it was junked long before I met the bike. The PO had removed the switch and twisted the wires together in that nest beside the battery. The problem was a break in the black wire which runs to earth somewhere in the loom. It had obviously been dodgy for some time (hence the intermittent backfires and stoppages) and decided yesterday to give it up altogether. I have made a new connection from the black/white wire in the sidestand circuit to the battery earth, and now it runs fine. I've also taken the opportunity to fit a new main fuse unit with mini-blade fuse to replace the rusty glass job that was about to fail very soon (on the A40 in the rain, probably), so all in all a good day's work.

Many thanks to Wolfzero for the lightning diagnosis - spot on, buddy.
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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Glad to know you've solved it!

Yer... why those things always happen in the worst possible moment?!

Who has never had something like these happen?

The worst time something like that happend to me was when I was speeding at 60/70 mph to pass a slower car when driving home because I was late to catch the airplane and my camshaft chain broke and I had to push the XT 2miles uphill back home lol :\


Vando
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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Slightly off topic, but as the OP's problems solved Im sure its ok...
With my xte engine into the old srx frame Iv lost the kill switch, which is a nice to have. The srx uses an earth feed to cdi to kill the spark, while the xte uses a cut in the positive feed to do the same. If i inverted the kill switch that when its 'off' the cdi is earthed but when flicked 'on' cuts that connection would that kill the engine? My guess is yes, just hoping for confirmation!
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Old 21 Jun 2009
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I think it's karma, or something. In the last 3 months, my wife has been in and out of hospital (heart operation and lots of complications to follow), and in that time:
  • XT reg/rec failed
  • XT rear wheel almost collapsed
  • XT sidestand wiring failed and put bike out of action
  • Honda alternator failed
  • Car windscreen cracked (MoT due in a week)
  • Car bonnet catch failed 30 mins before 300 mile journey
In all of that, I have always had one vehicle to get to work on, but sometimes only just. On top of all that, work has been highly stressful and I have had my hours reduced and a 40% pay cut. I must have done something really bad in a previous life

Now the XT is fixed (I hope), the Honda is working again, and my wife is slowly improving, so maybe things will get better from now on.

Bikes keep me sane.
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Old 22 Jun 2009
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BlackDogZulu its not karma or anything of that nature its luck (sods law) there is no divine intervention sometimes we are up sometimes we are down hopefully you and your wife are back on an up and continue that way.

bikes and music keep me sane as both have the power of emotion.
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Old 22 Jun 2009
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Arghh BDZ...

I feel your pain!! When everything goes catastrophic in a batch like that, its hard to imagine that there's not some sort of karmic f**-up somewhere...

I know it doesn't help when others say: It will pass... but I'm gonna say it anyway. It will pass.

If it doesn't. Just run away. Preferably on a bike. That works every time!
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Old 22 Jun 2009
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Thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfzero View Post
def sounds like side stand switch wires.
easy test put a link wire from the neutral switch to earth then if it keeps running when you put it in gear then its def the stand wires
I'm writing this down in my book that I'm taking with me on my trip:

"Things To Try When Bike Stops Running and You Haven't a Clue, BEFORE You Dismantle the Engine"
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