Electrical issue with the I/S

[sixlow]

So the previous owner had told me of a little bug that sometimes happens and it happened to me today and I wound up walking the bike home the last 1/3 of a mile.
Rode bike straight home to drop off the truck,( stop/start no problem) Liz got on and we did about 25 miles and stopped for lunch, (stop/start no problem). drove 2 miles to fill er up, (stop/start no problem). Another 20 miles and get into the community stop to chat and (stop no start problem), she did the classic tick,tick,tick, then low dash lights, then nothing, no click, no dash, nothing.
Just as he described. Got her home and introduced myself to the wire harness under the seat, dang that radio has a mile of wires. anyway, check batt. , batt cables, ground, check big fuse, lil fuses, and fusible link, no real signs of anything loose, feel wires to alt and starter and all seem tight. put battery back in and she fired up.  ???

[Flrider]

I would say, start with the starter button. Pull apart, clean and make sure you got good contacts and the spring is doing its thing.

[Jess from VA]

Dirty start button?

Edit:   There's a 41 second echo in here.   

[John Schmidt]

Dirty start button?

Edit:   There's a 41 second echo in here.   

Jess, you're older so the reflexes are slower. 

[Thunderbolt]

When you get a minute to look again check the connector on top of the starter relay for corrosion or heating damage.  There should be a 30A fuse there.  Check the connectors and the fuse for signs of overheating.

[Jess from VA]

Dirty start button?

Edit:   There's a 41 second echo in here.   

Jess, you're older so the reflexes are slower. 

You know, I tried that line on the guy in the unmarked car, and he was unsympathetic.   

[sixlow]

When you get a minute to look again check the connector on top of the starter relay for corrosion or heating damage.  There should be a 30A fuse there.  Check the connectors and the fuse for signs of overheating.

would that be the unit just in front of the lil fuse box rt.side with the rubber slide on mount, 2 terminal leads with the plug attached, about a 4 or 5 tab plug and the fuse kinda under plug. ? it was good.

[Thunderbolt]

Mike for your future perusing and everyone else, save this link.  These schematics were done by RP Brown years ago.  Much better than the OEM manual as you can actually see and follow the lines.  You will need to pick your bike and the pages that you want.
http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/schematics/
This page is probably where you want to start. http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/schematics/rpage02i.html

The page where it says Valkyrie Interstate schematic is the original whole page.  Not much help there but the individual pages are the prize like the second link.  All the power for everything to happen goes through that 30A fuse.  Use your test light if it happens again to trace where you lose power.  That's the kind of troubleshooting that I enjoy.  Makes you dig and think.

[sixlow]

Thanks Terry, that is going to be printed and it is very usefull, I believe that Honda of Jax told previous owner they suspected the starter relay. But first I will do the Starter switch cleaning, I do recall it not feeling quite right. Hopefully I see something not right wilst in there, .

[sixlow]

I got the chance to do some work on the I/S today, the start button did have a slight haze on the contacts, The four little contacts and the spring loaded double contact  are all cleaned up with some plumbers cloth and a lil dab of dielectric grease to make it all slide nice. I am not convinced this was the problem but I sure hope so. What would be anyone's next guess ? I may bring a spare starter relay from another bike to Maggie Valley if this condition doesn't show itself again. I had to do a search as I ran into the throttle cable issue upon disassembly, I wound up removing the handle bars for slack but found I was able to slide the whole grip off the end (unplug 2 wires for brake lever) and the cables stayed intact. I almost didn't go as far as to get into the switch because of how clean and brand new everything looked inside there but was glad I did in the end. I notice the handle bars are not as adjustable on the I/S
as on the standard/tourer because of the fairing, I did get them raised enough to be more comfortable but wonder if a set of longer risers would give me better options of handle bar location ?


also the trunk has a hard time latching, it takes a pretty good slam to get er done. and am I missing the V A L K Y R I E  letters from my trunk or did it not come on the 2000 model ?

[Thunderbolt]

Probably should have had the letters on the trunk.  These risers will fit all models of the Valkyrie and they really help a lot.  The first one on the list.  I think they were about 1/2 the price on JP Cycles when I bought mine.  You might do better if you get the manufacturers model no. and search it.
http://www.jpcycles.com/1998-honda-valkyrie-tourer-gl1500ct/handlebar-risers/show-chrome-accessories

And back to your original post, if the dash lights were weak and then nothing as in no power anywhere, no lights, no horn, no nothing I would still look for a battery or ground problem.  High resistance open on the connection getting warm or high current causing the failed connection.  Did you check all the connections to the frame on the ground wire and all the connections for the battery positive lead?  On the no start problem.  Put a set of jumper cables in the saddlebag and if it happens try this.  Just for simplicity go from the negative post to frame ground with the black wire.  If it starts your problem is the ground wire or connection.  If not do the same very carefully with the red wire.  Go from the positive post to the bottom wire on the 55a fuse under the vertical cover underneath the right sidecover.  If it starts it is one of those connections.  You are just paralleling the old cable with another one.  If neither of those helps then I would still think it could be the 30A fuse connection.

[Jess from VA]

These are great risers, and no changes other than to turn the handlebar wire guides around 180*.

Kind of fancy to be all hidden by the fairing, but they work well.  (out of stock at present)
http://www.aeromachmfg.com/RISER_SET_4_VTX_Retro_1300_p/am-4120c.htm

Hard latching trunk just means the rubber gasket is doing its job.  Don't slam plastic, just push it down firmly. (unless you have a high spot in the gasket somewhere) (most of us only use the trunk rack as a handle, not a rack, I push down on mine to click)

Trunk letters were on all models.
# 28        
EMBLEM, RR. TRUNK LID
81551-MBY-300
$24.58
http://www.procaliber.com/oemparts/a/hon/506c2f8af870023420a31bb4/trunk-box

I imagine getting 8 letters perfectly lined up and spaced would be a nice exercise in patience (or frustration).  I like mine, but getting the wax out from around and inside them is a PITA. (toothbrush)

[Grumpy]

Trunk latch is adjustable, the loop that engages the lock is held by 2 Phillips screws, loosen then and extend the latch about 1/16 or a little more, tighten the screws and test it, should not need to slam it, just press down and it will latch if adjusted properly.

[Bighead]

Trunk latch is adjustable, the loop that engages the lock is held by 2 Phillips screws, loosen then and extend the latch about 1/16 or a little more, tighten the screws and test it, should not need to slam it, just press down and it will latch if adjusted properly.

+1 when I had min apart for paint I had to adjust a couple times to get it right.

[sixlow]

O.k. thanks guys, I will adjust the trunk latch today. Probably order the Valk letters as well. I found the show chrome risers on Amazon for $110.
I will carry some cables or make up a heavy gage jumper and try those trouble shoot procedures you speak of Terry.  Thanks for the input. pic of naked trunk.

[sixlow]

These risers are the same model # for show chrome but it says it will not fit a Valk CF. Also it says 1/2 in. back and rise I thought it was 1 inch. ?  same model, should I be concerned and pay more from JP, $30 more.

http://www.amazon.com/Show-Chrome-Classic-Risers-55-304X/dp/B001AWM4BA/ref=sr_1_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1430053665&sr=1-3&keywords=show+chrome+risers

[Thunderbolt]

Mike it's been quite a while since I put the risers on so I don't know what the part no. was.  As long as they are for 1" bars and you have the correct bolts with the right thread pitch they should work.  I think the 1/2" up and back is the same as mine.  Not 4", more rise too quick would hit the fairing.  So make sure you can return them if necessary and I see something on that page referencing some adapters???

edit after looking up the OEM part number they do say 1" up and 4" back.  Seems that I remember that the would not fit the CF model was wrong, it just puts them real close to the fairing but you can still put a credit card or two between the risers and the fairing.  SO I think they will work and are the ones I used but you know what they say....YMMV.

[Jess from VA]

Riser advertising is always confusing.  Four inch risers are four inches long/tall total, not four inches over stock (obviously).  Valk stock risers are 3 1/8" tall (not so advertised anywhere by Honda).  So four inch risers should be 3/4-7/8" over stock up and back, but with the angle of the triple tree this is never an exact science.

I cannot see why those 4"ers would not work on the interstate.  Again (even with no hose or cable mods or rerouting) it may be necessary to turn the handlebar wire guides around 180* just to give a bit more slack at full lock of the bars either way.  Daniel from TX posted a pic of those (or similar) a while back showing one riser that had cracked clear through at one bolt head. 

I always found this Skelton page helpful.  He measured the stock valk risers at 3 1/8". The HDL LaMonster or Cycle House risers I think are no longer available, though Aeromach sells the same thing as LaMonster and calls them Honda pullback risers.  But the advertised rise and pullback from Aeromach/LaMonster pages and Skelton's page were not consistent.

http://timskelton.com/valkyrie/how_to/risers.htm

[sixlow]

The trunk now clicks in place with slight pressure in the sweet spot, 
The risers are on hold untill I find a cobra swept footboard for the passenger mounts, does anybody even know if that is possible ? How about a passngr floor board that steps down an inch or so, there seems to be room on the I/S . Will. A goldwing FB work ?
I added my cobra swept boards and peg lowering kit to I/S last night, I only had a chance to sit on it in the garage and make vroom vroom noises with one foot up at a time.!!

[Farside]

Well just get'er all fixed up and let me know what your asking for her...... 

[sixlow]

Well just get'er all fixed up and let me know what your asking for her......  

you will be the first to know if that becomes something I need to do my friend