Electrical shut down!!
 

Hi guys,

Has that ever happened to anyone???

I asked you a week ago about this problem : As soon as a gear is engaged the engine shuts down. Yesterday I realised that as soon as the bike is in gear, there is absolutely no electrical activity at all. Normaly if your engine stalls in gear, you can restart it in that same gear or any other as long as you hold the clutch. Well my starter won't even turn if I do.

I'm desperate, the bike has been in the garage for a week and a half, and damn we have nice weather up here.

Any idea???

Re: Electric shut down!!
 

Have you check if the wires to the battery are tighten enough?

If yes, try to bypass your stand switch and look if the problem stay...

Re: Electric shut down!!
 

It does make sens that i could be the stand switch is faulty but the yellow light in the control panel turns off when I put the stand up.

As of the battery wires, it could be but you have to know that the engine has absolutelu no problem starting, it only shuts down as soon as gear is engaged.

Re: Electric shut down!!
 

I know, I Know but don't trust the light on the control panel and try to bypass the switch nevertheless.

Check also the battery wires, this is easy, that will be done and we will eliminate this after...

You know electric problem are often difficult to solve, especially over the net!!

Re: Electric shut down!!
 

As soon as I get home tonight I will verify my battery.
Have you ever bypassed the stand switch? Is it tough to do?

If only that could be the problem, i'm sure it's something that stupid. I don't want to ramp the bike in the truck!!! Life we say : Ca ferait vraiment chier!!!

Thanks

Re: Electric shut down!!
 

ROFL! I understand, it's never pleasant to be breakdown.

I have myself a electrical problem now :( the plug for my headlight have melted!! I don't know why but yesterday after a 600Km ride I've begun to smell some burn plastic in front of my bike!!! :shock: I stopped and see that it came from the headlight plug, I disconnected it and see that the plastic have begun to melt!!!

So now, I will also have to investigate the wire and electrical system of the bike :cry:

Unfortunatelly, No I never bypass my stand switch and I hope to have not too ( if you know !! ) but I guess it won't be too difficult. Just see if this is a normally open or normally close circuit and jump it properly

Where do you live in Montreal area?

Re: Electric shut down!!
 

Thanks, I'll try to find out with the service manual I downloaded for the bike.

Really weird that headlight plug! Hope that doesn't happen to me too!!

I live in Fabreville, LavaL. In which area are you?

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

I work in Montreal and I live in Deux-Montagnes.

Yeah, this is crap!!! I hate electrical problem!! I've already done in this field with two R/R failure :( I hope to find it quickly, at least I'm still able to use my bike on the day, I've disconnected the front headlight. Last years, I have put a brighter bulb maybe it's because of this, will check this tonight...

Let me know also your investigation result.

Send me your coordinates by email at bedardmike@hotmail.com and I will send you mine if you would like to call me.

Cia

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

Yep. What's the high beam wattage on that baby, 100W?

Here's what I've found, after doing some investigating on my bike and in the wiring diagram.

When I UNPLUGGED the electrical connector for the sidestand switch, I experienced the EXACT same problem you are having, minus the yellow "S" light. With the plug disconnected, the light on the dash will not come on, and the bike WILL NOT go into gear with the engine running.

The diagram shows 3 wires comming from the sidestand switch. Green is Ground, Yellow/Black control the light on the dash panel, Green/White goes to the igniton box/clutch switch.

You, my friend, have either a bad sidestand switch, or a broken/burnt wire (Green/White) or loose/corroded connector terminal. Check page 366 section 19-23 of the shop manual.

This is true of '98 - 2000 model year vtr1000f. If your bike is newer, then only one 2 wires are used. But, according to the diagrams, the 2001 and later modles do not have the dash indicator light, so I'm betting that yours is pre 2001.

Also check the connector going to the ignition module and look to make sure the switch itself is mounted properly and not cracked. BTW, this switch has a pigtail running up to the wiring harness connector under the front of the seat, should be a green plug.

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

Wow!!!!

Thanks a lot Beerhunter, this is more than I could have asked for!!!

Be sure that I'll check this as soon as I get home !!

Would you know how to bypass this switch so I know that it is effectively the problem?

To test the switch with an ohmmeter, you need to unplug the green connector under the front of the seat. Check the wires on the switch side of the plug. You should have continuity between the Green and Green/White wires with the sidestand UP.

No Ohmmeter? If you want to BYPASS the switch, please DO NOT ride the bike in this condition. On the Harness side of the green connector, you need to jump the Green/White wire to ground (the Green wire IS ground). Put the tranny in gear, pull the clutch, and hit the starter. If the engine cranks, you definately have a bad switch.

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

Cool, the engine cranks !!!

Now I have a problem. Honda canèt get me the part before next week and I really need to get my bike to the shop so I get the carbs cleaned and my tires,chain and sprokets changed. Is it really a problem if I drive the bike up to there with the cable still jumping the switch??

By the way thanks a lot guys, you saved me a lot of time.

No, just tape it up to be sure the jumper won't fall out and make sure your stand is up.

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

Perfect, I'll just find a way to tape it well so it doesn't fall while I ride and drive up to the shop.

Thanks guys.

I rode my old Katana for years with the switch disconnected and the wires taped together. Not the wisest thing, but the previous owner had removed the switch completely.

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

The stand will stay up by itself. I meant to tape up the jumper to the wires so IT doesn't fall out.

Well that was obvious !!!

What I mean is that the male part of the plug is not easy to install a wire to jump it. The female is easy, just insert the wire in the hole and tape. I just don't want the wire to disconnect in the middle of the ride.

Sorry. Just checking.

Since you will be replacing the switch anyway, you could just splice the 2 green wires together on the switch side of the connector. The new part is a switch/wire/connector assembly. You will not mess anything up by doing this, and it will be much safer this way too. Having the bike suddenly cut out on you in the middle of a turn at an intersection could prove to be disaterous.

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

That would be even better, I'm sure that would hold during the trip.

So you say I take the green and green/white wires from the plug on the switch side and splice them together.

Doesn't the green/white wire from the harness need to be connected to the green one of the switch for it to work?

Unplug switch wire and feed it backward through the frame so you have room enough to work. Measure down at least 4 inches from the connector and cut the 2 wires evenly. Now strip the insulation from the ends of the wires at least 1 inch. Twist the bare wires together tightly. Feed the connector back up through the frame and reconnect to the wiring harness. You could put some tape around the splice if it makes you feel better, but these wires are ground, so touching metal will not do anything at all.

OR, you could just use a scotch lock/wire tap in the same spot. The only tool you would need to do this is pliers.

You could also strip the insulation off the Green/white wire anywhere on the switch side near a bolt, loosen the bolt, wrap the wire around underneath the head of the bolt, and tighten it back down.

What you are trying to accomplish is this: the Green/White wire needs to be grounded. It goes into the ignition box and , when grounded, signals the ignition and starting system ON whether or not the transmission is in neutral.

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

What I did is I took the ground wire and put it at the green/white wire's place. I replugedthe switch and it works like new , plus the light still comes on when the stand is down.

Only thing is that the engine doesnèt cut off when in gear and stand down but I don't give a crap. Honda sells that switch 50$.

They can keep it !!!!

Thanks for you help, it was greatly appreciated.

No problem.
Though be advised: I read something on another cycle forum (not sure which one) dealing with a similar problem. This guy kept asking how he could bypass the switch because he did not want to shell out the cash for a new part. On of the other forum members replied that he COULD detail the procedure, but he would NOT do it because he once HAD a friend who DIED because of spill caused by a kickstand being left down.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

What beerhunter said!! I would spend the 50 or look to get it cheaper somewhere elese. There's a resson they put that on there, I had an older vfr1000 without the switch casually took off forgetting to put the stand up and it almost threw me off the thing when I took a left!! :oops:

BE AFRAID BE VERY AFRAID!!

Q-Becker says 50$ for a new switch. That's 50 Canadian, eh? 35700-MBB-305 Service Honda lists this part for $25.78 plus shipping. That's 25 American, dude (notice the dollar sign BEFORE the amount). Would that be about the same with the exchange rate figured in?

Hey Q, you could always go old school style and bolt a piece of rubber to the end of the sidestand, eh? :lol:

Re: Electrical shut down!!
 

Yeah, I know how dangerous that can be, my previous bike (Suzuki GS850) didn't have that practical device and nearly killed me too. Thing is, I just brought the bike to the shop so they could install my new Diablos, change chain and sprokets, change the oil in my forks and clean up my carbs.

That's gonna cost a lot. I will consider buying a switch a little later. I mean, I still have the light to tell me that the stand is down.