97 val standard not starting

[TheViking]

gidday from oz to all. had my val since may last yr so am new to all things electrical on it
Had my 1st no start yesterday
Have checked the following;
Battery has 12.6v at terminals, yuasa 1 week old battery
30amp and all other fuses ok that i could find without knowing where everythign is and no manual
12.6 on red at ignition sw terminal block under tank
Side stand light is on, and bike is clearly in neutral
Neautral switch has continuity to ground as per another post
intrument lights are all on, but no headlight, and no sounds whatsoever when hitting start button

I dont know what else to look at or for, and where
I am going to remove and service the start & kill switch as per other posts as well
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Have tried sevral times to download the zip file from norway link, and its is continuesly the same result, file is corrupted and connot open
If anyone can suggest or email me a link or copy they know works, I'd apprecaite that too
thanks in advance, regards TheViking ourkarma@gmail.com

[Dorkman]

Looks like you are already on the trail of the start and kill switch.  The headlight should be on when you turn on the key with the kill switch on.  The headlight goes off when you hit the start button.  Suggest getting into the switch and check wiring and clean the contacts.

[Bighead]

I would bet it is the starter button I have had that happen to mine I was out on a ride 4-5 hundred miles from home when it happened and was lucky enough to be able to "flick " the start button a few times and she started when I got home took it part and cleaned it and haven't had it happen since and that was 10 years ago at least.

[TheViking]

thanks guys, i worked on it this arvo, cleaned out and tested kill switch, n cleaned start switch and they  all looked fine
couldnt test start switch, but looked good, cleaned it anyway and lubed it, also tried flicking it on n off. i hardly ever used it, only by accident actually..
i knew the headlight sposed to come on, n hoped that would be a good clue to someone
checked n tested main earth was good
i really dont know what to do now....
if i had the wiring diagram would be helpfull maybe
hopin the someone will come up with the answer, or where to try next
thanks again

[Bone]

You are new to the site. Try and post your bikes model and year. Scroll up on this page and click on Shoptalk. You will find a lot of answers to your questions.
Click on  "Honda Valkyrie Microfiche" and find diagrams of our entire bike.

You have 12.6 v. at terminals what about the other ends of the cables. The ground cable sometimes loses contact where it's bolted to the engine. If the battery is 1 week old I would recheck everything I touched when changing the battery.

[TheViking]

thanks bone, i only touched the 2 battery terminals, and its worked fine also since.
I will take your other suggestions onboard also and search again
i put 97 standard on heading thinking that covered the model etc
tested ground cable to earth terminal before attempting to pull it off
What a prick of a spot and to get a socket or spanner on
Being an electrician, testing the continuity of the earth was easier, and it was fine
Even pulled the start swtich apart, cleaned it, and it looked fine
though the most common recommendation from all ive read is that start switch is the problem
i have no headlight when i turn on,the key, and im hoping that helps narrow down the fault, as it normally comes on when i turn ont he key
Im trying to get a service manual, and or wiring diagram, and or thinking how i can jump(bypass the start switch, and prove its that. cause i know it can look fine, but i dont know how to test it without knowing the wiring off it
thanks for you tips mate, regards Dan

[Bone]

Duh I read right past your 97 val standard sorry.

I will look for the link I used for the manual. You know when you push the start button the headlight
goes out. The ICM needs 12 volts plus to fire the ignition.

Continuity doesn't mean it's carrying all the power available did you measure the volts at that end.

[9Ball]

what's the battery voltage when you engage the starter...look for a drop in voltage and see what it shows.

[Gryphon Rider]

You said the bike is clearly in neutral.  If that means the bike rolls back and forth freely, but the green neutral light is NOT on, the starting system thinks it's in gear and won't start.  Play with the shifter until the neutral light illuminates.  I don't know why your headlight is off with the key on.  Fuse?  Light bulb?

Did you do any maintenance or modification since the last time it started?

[Skinhead]

Wiring diagrams here:

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/schematics/index.html

[Daniel Meyer]

Likely the starter button. Headlight is a big clue to that...

http://valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/VSGPages/starterbutton.htm

[Ricky-D]

Either that, or the key switch, I would think!

***

[TheViking]

thanks everyone for your feedback and input.
all intrument lights including neutral light work, just not headlight
absolutely nothing engaged when pressing start button, so no voltage drop or change when pressing start either
am going to pull aprt the start switch once again, and now i have the schematics, and all the colours etc, i am exuberant about finding the problem, and fixing it today
A big thanks to chet for the wealth of info, and schematics, pics etc
and thanks again to you all fro your help and suggestions
From your f6 brother from down under
will update later when i find the problem

[TheViking]

gidday, i have an update.
Instead off assuming the continuity was there, as one of you mentioned under load loose or bad connections can become unstable, i dug deeper and looked harder at starter switch.
I found the starter switch had continuity(a completed circuit) across both the headlight, and when pressed the starter, but the head light didnt work still, or the start switch
so i pulled it apart again, and there it was under better lighting, and with my glasses on!!!
the spring that holds the shunt up, was melted into the body of the slider, the shunt itself was twisted and even though it looked ok, once out it was obviously not
Now trying to dig the spring out of the plastic, and get it to spring load the shunt again, and then will try again. if i cant will have to replace it obviously
Thanks again to all who pointed me in this direction

[TheViking]

  gr8 news, the spring was replaced with a spring from a cigaret lighter after digging old one out of melted plastic, straightened shunt, resetted and lubed switch and presto!!
coincidently a m8 walked into my brothers 2500kms away today and said he had the same thing on his val recently
my bro's had his 14yrs, and not had the problem???? i suggested he gets a new switch anyway ready for if it does
thanks again to all of ya for your pointers advise etc
im off for a ride...........regards Dan

[The emperor has no clothes]

gr8 news, the spring was replaced with a spring from a cigaret lighter after digging old one out of melted plastic, straightened shunt, resetted and lubed switch and presto!!
coincidently a m8 walked into my brothers 2500kms away today and said he had the same thing on his val recently
my bro's had his 14yrs, and not had the problem???? i suggested he gets a new switch anyway ready for if it does
thanks again to all of ya for your pointers advise etc
im off for a ride...........regards Dan

Great ! So when you got it back together does the starter spin backwards because of being on the other side of the equator !

[Bighead]

 

[John U.]

Viking,
Many of us have had the same problem with the starter switch. The fact that the headlights pass through the switch is a design flaw IMHO. Added to that my new to me 98 had highway lights spliced into the headlight circuit by the previous owner, so all of that lighting passed through the starter switch. It melted so badly I had to replace the switch.

The answer to switch longevity is relays. I now have all the lights rewired so that the starter switch is only triggering the relays. No more overheated switch.

[pancho]

After a similar problem caused by the lightbar being connected to the headlight circuit without a relay, I did a rebuild along the lines of what you did. It worked just fine, but sometimes the starter button would stick in the in position and I would find myself riding around with the starter motor still spinning. It would take a quiet stop for me to hear it. (cobra pipes). 

    Keep your eye on it, the button would stay in the in position.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I know these will probably bite me but my interstate has 172,000 miles on it and have never had to work on the starter button. I think because the interstate uses relays in the headlight system the load on the switch is not as great as a standard or tourer.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I know these will probably bite me but my interstate has 172,000 miles on it and have never had to work on the starter button. I think because the interstate uses relays in the headlight system the load on the switch is not as great as a standard or tourer.

Yep I think you just jinxed yourself