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Key on, battery charged, fuses good... dead bike Key on, battery charged, fuses good... dead bike
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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.
Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



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  • 1 Post By turboguzzi
  • 2 Post By Jackboot

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  #1  
Old 23 Jan 2020
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Key on, battery charged, fuses good... dead bike
Hi all.

Bike's a 95 yama virago xv750. Worked fine one night. The next day, it's got no instrument lights or headlights, and makes no effort to start.

I figured I came in tired and accidentally put it in park without noticing, put it on the charger, let it charge, still nothing. Main fuse was good, ignition and other dash fuses were good. Reseated all the wiring connectors to cover bases. Still nothing. Looked around for a worn out wire somewhere or some other ground fault.

I can't think of much else that can completely kill the bike to the point that no lights will come on. So, I'm turning to the power of the internet for some help. Thanks in advance.
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Old 23 Jan 2020
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I've had that when the main earth cable came undone (in a motorway service area!). Vibration kept enough of a contact there while the engine was running but it was completely dead when I came back to it. I suppose you've checked that though.
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  #3  
Old 23 Jan 2020
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Originally Posted by backofbeyond View Post
I've had that when the main earth cable came undone (in a motorway service area!). Vibration kept enough of a contact there while the engine was running but it was completely dead when I came back to it. I suppose you've checked that though.
It's pretty solidly bolted down... pulled it off and reattached for good measure. Still puzzled.
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Old 23 Jan 2020
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Do you have 12v at the starting relay?

Check the wires for the ignition lock aswell.
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Old 23 Jan 2020
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build yourself (or buy) a simple test light and start checking where do you stop seeing +12V following the wiring diagram.



plenty of youtube video on how to use it for fault finding


Surely its something silly, but unlike mechanic stuff, you cant see it and have to be methodic about it


pulling and pushing on connectors is going to get you only so far
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Old 27 Jan 2020
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Originally Posted by turboguzzi View Post
build yourself (or buy) a simple test light and start checking where do you stop seeing +12V following the wiring diagram.



plenty of youtube video on how to use it for fault finding


Surely its something silly, but unlike mechanic stuff, you cant see it and have to be methodic about it


pulling and pushing on connectors is going to get you only so far
That was helpful, found the problem in about 10 minutes, thanks.
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Old 27 Jan 2020
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That was helpful, found the problem in about 10 minutes, thanks.
what was it then? or too embarrassing to tell ?
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Old 27 Jan 2020
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Kill switch was off and wired as the only feed to the key switch

Andy
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Old 28 Jan 2020
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what was it then? or too embarrassing to tell ?
Faulty wiring coming off the main fuse housing. Not sure where that is on the embarassing scale, but I'm putting it somewhere between "Not worth bragging about after fixing" and "Huh, that was easy... why didn't I just figure that out on my own?"
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Old 28 Jan 2020
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Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
Kill switch was off and wired as the only feed to the key switch

Andy
That's some interesting wiring.

The kill switch should only kill the ignition circuit.

I'd rewire that as a kill switch isnt amp rated for the main switch.
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Old 28 Jan 2020
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Petrol and matches was the best solution to that one. I could get my hand down under the tank far enough to feel the huge gob of tape where the former Kawasaki loom turned to bell wire. You could see why the bloke bought it, 7 years old and looked like new. The first owner must have given up riding to concentrate on inventing electrical time bombs.


Andy
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