Tough day here...

[NoWill]

Hey everybody, haven't posted since the new forum format (couple years I guess) but I still lurk every once in a while...today, hit the starter button, motor turned over, and all went dark...dead I should say, as if I blew a main fuse.  Key off, key on...no lights, no power, no nothing.

Starter switch perfect, main fuse ok, starter relay tests good, I have no continuity at the starter relay on the R/Y to G wires....so I know the relay is not supplying power to the rest of the bike.  I'm starting to look at the clutch switch, neutral switch (hope not) and the side stand switch....anything else I'm missing?.....anything I have overlooked that is too easy.

And how do you get to the green 3 pin connector for the side stand switch?

Thanks in advance   

[Daniel Meyer]

Hey everybody, haven't posted since the new forum format (couple years I guess) but I still lurk every once in a while...today, hit the starter button, motor turned over, and all went dark...dead I should say, as if I blew a main fuse.  Key off, key on...no lights, no power, no nothing.

Starter switch perfect, main fuse ok, starter relay tests good, I have no continuity at the starter relay on the R/Y to G wires....so I know the relay is not supplying power to the rest of the bike.  I'm starting to look at the clutch switch, neutral switch (hope not) and the side stand switch....anything else I'm missing?.....anything I have overlooked that is too easy.

And how do you get to the green 3 pin connector for the side stand switch?

Thanks in advance  

It's not the clutch or side-stand or neutral switch. They will NOT kill power to the entire bike.

Check your battery cables for clean solid connections...also the ground cable (both ends!). Then the connector with the all the wires by the relay...known to corrode on the earlier (97's).

Oh, and of course, the obvious...got voltage out of the battery? Like 13+?

[Valkpilot]

Had a similar incident recently: http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,12304.0.html

I'm betting it's your battery.

[NoWill]

I've got 12.8 on the battery and everywhere else (except the switched side of the relay), I got big hands and am having a nell of a time getting to the ground wire on the engine...it's clean (I know that don't mean squat) but I'll get it off and clean and re-set it. I do have another ground wired to the frame from the battery and I don't think it's likely both went bad, but who knows....how about a bad kill switch?...but htat doesn't take out the lights either does it?....I don't remember.

[NoWill]

Hmmmmm... battery, lots of volts, no amps.....hmmmmmm, I can jump the start relay and the bike will turn over....

[Valkpilot]

Hmmmmm... battery, lots of volts, no amps.....hmmmmmm, I can jump the start relay and the bike will turn over....

Try jump-starting the bike from a car or truck with the engine of the donor vehicle OFF. 

[Hoser]

Bet the contacts to the relay need cleaned, happened to me a couple times, same symtoms. unplug it and use electric contact cleaner and a tooth brush or brass detail brush.  Hoser

[Thunderbolt]

like Daniel said they get hot and sometimes the fuse is not blown, but high current makes the contacts for the fuse corrode and open ckt.

[Friagabi]

Ok I believe what you say.

You have already jumped the relay and know that there is power in the battery and that the starter and engine seem OK.

Bike is still dead with the key on.

Go back to the relay, there is a 30 amp ATO blade fuse on top of it. That is the main fuse feeding the bike. The 40 amp fuse protects the alternator. Pull that fuse and look at it. If it is OK look again closely at the blades. Do they look like they have been hot? there is also a harness plug on the top of the relay. Pull that plug, inspect it closely, does it look like it has been hot? If so then you have found the problem. If everything looks OK here get out the volt meter and there should be a rather heavy red wire in thet harness plug. After you have found the wire put the whole thing back together and use the meter to check for voltage on this wire. It feeds 12 volts to the switch. If it does not have 12 volts then you missed something. If it does move onto the switch. From here I would have to look at the wiring diagram again. I'm betting that you will find the problem at the relay.

[Rattlebars]

Look here:

Start button maintenance

[R J]

After looking here where Chet says, you will probably want to order this part.



especially, if it looks like this:



The part is for an older Gold Wing, but it will work just fine.

You have to change one wire in the junction to match the Valkyrie.   If memory serves me correctly, it is the BG RED one.....  Easy to do....

[NoWill]

RJ, I remember when you first posted that fix and I needed it a couple years ago...I have the GW part installed.  Due to my hand size, I still haven't been able to get to the ground on the motor, so I ran another ground to the motor....no fun, no luck.  The 4 pin, 3 wire plug on top of the start relay has power where it's suppose to....but when I turn the key, the start relay does not engage..."no click"....So I removed th start relay, and using test wires, applied power and ground to the relay and "click" relay seems to work, and tests for continuity across the terminals when power is applied....as well, the kill switch tests ok.
Question, can the battery operate the start relay as I said above, turn the starter when jumped across the terminals, and not function properly thru the normal circuit?.....could this all be du to the battery being low on amps. 

[fstsix]

I had  tried to start the bike last month, and it seemed to turn over fast, but just wouldn't fire, so i got tired of sitting there and jumped it from my truck, W/truck OFF, and what a difference! fired right up Now i am upset i have only had this cheap Wally World battery for 8 years and never used a battery tender, i am gonna see if i can spend more money fer a better one this week?

[NoWill]

Bike will not jump start.....   

[NoWill]

Patrick....tried to call you.....I can short the two main terminals on the relay (front two with the alen head screws) and the starter will turn the engine over.  The ford won't do a thing for the bike....hook up jumper cables and nothing....like they weren't even there....The bike has no indication of having power at all except thru a meter....battery seems good otherwise I'd have a new one already...sheeeesh!  I ahven't had a cigarette in almost 2 years, but......I feel a sin comin' on!!!!!!!   

[NoWill]

Found it!!!!  The 4 pin white mini clip from the key switch was toasted on the red wire....a little 12 v dc work and all is well...except, I still don't know what caused the meltdown....did a check of the key switch for a voltage drop and all was perfect...I hope this becomes a once in a lifetime situation....a harness could get to be no fun for this kid.
I want to say thank you to all who replied...I'll think of ya tonight at the bar, gotta take the bike somewhere, was 72* today!!!!!

Thanks again......   

[Thunderbolt]

and appreciate your posting back with the fix.  Maybe you can help the next guy with the same problem.

[John Schmidt]

Found it!!!!  The 4 pin white mini clip from the key switch was toasted on the red wire....a little 12 v dc work and all is well...except, I still don't know what caused the meltdown....did a check of the key switch for a voltage drop and all was perfect...I hope this becomes a once in a lifetime situation....a harness could get to be no fun for this kid.
I want to say thank you to all who replied...I'll think of ya tonight at the bar, gotta take the bike somewhere, was 72* today!!!!!

Thanks again......   

Whew, sure glad you found it, 'cause I was going to have to ride over there fix the darn thing for you.    It's been a while, think I need to ride over and say hey anyway....some day.

John

[NoWill]

C'mon John....I don't stray too far from the homestead these days.....3526342192