Switched on today, fired her up and then she died,display dead too.
Switch will turn all the way round doing nothing and there is a burning smell from battery area ,so suspect something's burnt out. Any one any ideas?
Similar thing happened two years ago and turned out to be a blown fuse behind battery that I didn't know existed! This time is something more serious.
Mybikes a 2008 A1, one of the first. Been told switch spring was too weak on this year , but suspect more than that .any ideas or experiences gratefully received.
Steve
you must first check your battety terminals are fully secure and not loose or dirty :yes:
There has been the odd report of the rectifier failing. It will be worth checking it's not that that's fried. Start with the simple stuff though.
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Quote from: O.C. on October 22, 2016, 09:17:19 PM
you must first check your battety terminals are fully secure and not loose or dirty :yes:
Something has fried, Rectifier, main fuse, wiring.... Put on the Chief Inspector hat and start the investigation.
Spot on!
Found starter relay/fuse assembly completely melted.
Just purchased one on flea bay, but struggling to find the (red) plug that goes on it. Have to try Kawasaki dealer in the week.
The ignition switch is still faulty so need to strip that out too, don't know if it was coincidence all going at once or not.
Still Have no idea what's caused the problem.is it common?
Steve
No Steve, it isnt a common problem, but what is the history of your bike ? Age ? Mileage? Etc,,
Quote from: O.C. on October 23, 2016, 05:47:04 PM
No Steve, it isnt a common problem, but what is the history of your bike ? Age ? Mileage? Etc,, [/
It's one of the first 2008 models (A1).
I purchased it new, done only 36,000 miles as I have other bikes and used it mostly for touring holidays. No one else gave ever rode her.
Last eight months she's lived outside under a cover as garage being rebuilt, wondered if despite the cover some waters got in somewhere.try to use her once a week or so to keep her dried out though.
Steve
Steve, I suppose some water ingress could have taken place, but I don't know if that would damage the rectifier
It sounds to me like you have got to the root of the problem already. Hope the Kawasaki sourced part isn't too expensive
If it's been outside you may want to inspect the wiring closely for rodent damage. Something caused the failure.
Quote from: gpink on October 24, 2016, 10:40:53 AM
If it's been outside you may want to inspect the wiring closely for rodent damage. Something caused the failure.
Nice outside the box thinking :punk:
If WoOk has read this rite .. its likely down to age and resistance building in the solenoid and cabling . Check out any sign of the dreaded BLACK WIRE . Only recourse if that has happened is to strip out affected cables .
A real pain I'm the chutney that one .
Hope this may help
WoOk
Dreaded black wire?
.
Black wire is were the copper cable literally starts to turn black .as far as I am aware it is a corrosion that happens to cheap usually Chinese cable (however the power lead on me autocom has just been replaced and ah didn't think it was cheepo cable)it makes the cable nigh on impossible to solder it increases resistance ..basically the cable is shagged.
However some one with more knowledge than me may be better to explain the chemistry involved :smiley:
WoOk just knows that the cable is buggered
Well, WoOk would be correct in that regard. You guys seem to feel the effects of corrosion more on your bikes. Must be the climate. I know it damn near killed me that last time I was over there.
Quote from: virginiajim on October 25, 2016, 12:18:16 PM
Well, WoOk would be correct in that regard. You guys seem to feel the effects of corrosion more on your bikes. Must be the climate. I know it damn near killed me that last time I was over there.
The corrosion or the climate?
Quote from: steveb19 on October 23, 2016, 05:43:31 PM
The ignition switch is still faulty so need to strip that out too, don't know if it was coincidence all going at once or not.
Are you referring to the "cooker knob"? i.e. the switch you depress to bring the ignition system to life which will then let you turn it?
If so, the whole thing hinges on a microswitch. If that sticks, then the bike appears to be dead. The switch itself is reliable, it's the plastic block and spring that activate it; they can get stuck down due to road grit getting in there. (I know this from bitter experience. It happened to me when I was some 2500 miles away from home.)
If a "forceful blow" doesn't activate the microswitch, then you can disconnect then reconnect the electrical harness connector under the rubber boot on the left (the same place you wire a Sat Nav into). That *should* bring the ignition system to life, letting you turn the key.
Maybe I was lucky but I cured mine with a pressure washer. Ordinarily, no sane person would blast high-pressure water into/around the ignition switch system, but I figured as mine was already broke, I couldn't break it any more. Then a can of compressed air to blow out any water (I don't own a compressor and airline) and that fixed it!
I'd already ordered one of these: http://www.incontrolne.com/incontrol_9_mar_2014_005.htm which I've left fitted in case it happens to me again.
Best of luck with yours.
Cheers,
Paul B.
Fankoo Uncke Jim for the confirmation on black wire :smiley:
As for the climate ... its all down to those damn Yankees ... creating loads of warm polluted air that drifts owa here .. sucks up the pond and dumps most of it in Carlisle :shocked:
...and here I thought all that warm polluted air came from East Anglia University Climate Research Unit. :rolleyes:
Aye ah forgot about them rofl
Quote from: Wookie on October 25, 2016, 07:11:37 PM
Fankoo Uncke Jim for the confirmation on black wire :smiley:
As for the climate ... its all down to those damn Yankees ... creating loads of warm polluted air that drifts owa here .. sucks up the pond and dumps most of it in Carlisle :shocked:
And from the US....you're quite welcome!
Quote from: O.C. on October 24, 2016, 08:57:53 AM
Steve, I suppose some water ingress could have taken place, but I don't know if that would damage the rectifier
It sounds to me like you have got to the root of the problem already. Hope the Kawasaki sourced part isn't too expensive
I know sometime has passed , sorry not been on here a while.
My repair worked - for a few months,then the rectifier failed! Replaced it and she ran for another few months, a few weeks back total electrical failure again ,had to be recovered. Starter relay had melted again! Now it could be the old rectifier damaged it before it totally failed but a pal thinks it more likely too much current through relay which means maybe starter sticking in mesh and back charging to relay. Certainly seemed to work ok before ,no noises or anything .the saga continues!
I'm most definitely not qualified to provide any useful suggestions, but I do think you need to get the bikes electrical system fully professionally checked out.
I know that sounds obvious but it's the way to go