NO START, ELECTRICAL PROBLEM

Have a 1985 maxim 700, was running fine. washed the bike then took it for ride. couple miles down the road, bike started acting up. lost throttle response, tach started jumping around, fuel light came on, and bike eventually stalled out. did this numerous times as I tried to get it to buddies house. after sitting few minutes each time it died, it would start and run/ride for short periods (few minutes). tore it apart and blew out water from electrical connections. now bike won't start at all. lights come on but second you push start button it blows ignition fuse. haven't found any shorts yet, relays all seem to check out. can jump solenoid and motor turns over but will not start. checked coils and both primarys seem good when checked with omh meter, but both secondaries appear bad, both show completely open on omh meter (no continuity, no resistance reading) could bad coils cause ignition fuse to blown immediately everytime I try to start it. could it be one of the 2 computers/control units. what would cause the coils to fail that way.

 

I lost a coil from what I think was excess moisture, left my max out in the rain at a friends house. Try twisting the caps off the ignition leads and look inside the wire, mine were all green and corroded at the ends. Trimming the wires back got a secondary reading in spec on one but not the other. I think water can wick up the ignition wire into the coil and cause trouble

 

Does the machine have the original fusebox?
When you were getting the water out of the electrical connections were you sure to put everything back exactly where it came from?

 

yes as far as I'm aware the fuse box is original, and yes all the wires went back in proper spot (they were idiot proof) after a nights sleep I'm thinking maybe I killed the tci, I haven't really done any testing on it and best I can tell there really isn't a good way to test it other than swap it with a good one which could be another adventure trying to find a good one. so on a side note if anyone knows about part interchangeability or a good site to figure out what parts are interchangeable, I think I'm gonna try looking for a parts machine. I called one of the bigger yamaha shops in the area and they don't have one and can't get one

 

Might be worth double checking the hook-up as k-moe suggested, particularly at the TCI. Make sure you have Orange and Gray wires on both connectors at the TCI. It is possible to install connectors incorrectly in some cases. If your harness still has the colored vinyl tape on it, make sure it matches as noted in Chacal's catalog below:

Additionally, most harnesses had a few short turns of COLORED VINYL ELECTRICAL TAPE WRAP to provide visual identification of "what connector goes where?" during harness assembly and installation. Always located just by the connector shell, about 3-4 turns of this tape was used to both tape off any vinyl sleeving and to properly identify what the connector plugged into. Used primarily at the TCI connector (from the pick-up coils) and at the various small "cube" style relays (headlight relays, sidestand safety switch relays, etc.). Since all of these harness connector shells are the same style and type (4-position, horizontally oriented 2-over-2), this small tape wrap served as a way of indicating which of these many identical connectors went to which component.

HCP13130 Aftermarket harness bundle YELLOW VINYL ELECTRICAL TAPE WRAP, 20-foot roll. Used by the pick-up coil harness connector (at the TCI) on XJ700-X and XJ750-X models, and at the headlight relay connector on all XJ550 models, all XJ650 (except Turbo) models, and all XJ750 Seca models.
$ 3.95

HCP13131 Aftermarket harness bundle RED VINYL ELECTRICAL TAPE WRAP, 20-foot roll. Used by the pick-up coil harness connector (at the TCI) on 1982-83 XJ650 Maxim models, all '81-83 XJ750 models, and all XJ700 non-X models, and at the fuel pump relay connector on all XJ650 Turbo models.
$ 3.95

HCP13132 Aftermarket harness bundle BLUE VINYL ELECTRICAL TAPE WRAP, 20-foot roll. Used by the pick-up coil harness connector (at the TCI) on all XJ550 models, at the emergency stop switch relay connector on all XJ650 Turbo models, and for the sidestand safety switch relay connector on all XJ550 models, all '82-83 XJ650 models, all XJ750 models, XJ900RK and XJ1100 models.
$ 3.95

HCP13133 Aftermarket harness bundle GREEN VINYL ELECTRICAL TAPE WRAP, 20-foot roll. Used by the pick-up coil harness connector (at the TCI) on all XJ650RJ Seca and XJ1100 models.
$ 3.95

 

Assuming your bike is wired in a similar manner to my XJ900F, start by checking the multiway connectors lying closest to the right handlebar controls. There are two red/white wires which lead to your 'kill' switch: the one matching the 'single' in the harness is the 'supply' directly from the 10A. 'ignition' fuse. The 'double' in the harness feeds from the 'kill' switch: a) to the ignition (TCI module and coil packs), the sidestand relay (which works directly with the TCI unit...), and the starter-motor 'safety cut-out' relay; also: b) the oil level warning lamp. You will also find a pair of wires which lead to the starter button: the black is '-/ground' and the blue/white duly 'earths' the starter solenoid coil when the button is pressed, completing it's circuit....

Your indication that you are 'clearing' the 'ignition' fuse, upon operating the starter button, suggests an 'interaction' between these two systems which definitely should NOT be there!... If all looks 'sound' at the connector, then check out the handlebar switch assembly - and the wiring to same, especially at the points of articulation on turning the steering! Test the resistances between your red/white and blue/white wires; and between the red/white wires and black with the starter button pressed: they SHOULD ALL read 'infinity' on your 'Ohms' ranges?... If your wires are all fine, it may be that the handlebar switch unit has 'fallen apart' internally? Sometimes you find the rivets holding contact blocks to the alloy die-castings fail as a result of electrolytic corrosion?!?... Parts that are normally separate 'short' together - while those that should maintain contact 'open' circuit, hence the intermittent running!?...

Hope that helps identify your problem?...
Regards, Andy

 

Just one small point: if the resistive spark plug suppressor caps are ANYTHING less than perfect, the nine volts available from a multimeter will have difficulty making it through to provide you with a reading!

I trust that you are checking between the plug leads - rather than between a single plug lead and coil case/a LT connection?!? These machines employ a 'wasted spark' system - so the HT (plug) leads connect to EACH END of the coil 'secondary' winding. The reading you should get will be that in the spec. - PLUS the two plug cap resistors 'added in' for good measure!... IF you ARE still getting 'open' circuit readings, do BE CAREFUL: these CAN cause the HT spark energy to discharge back through the TCI module - which it will NOT 'like' one little bit!!!... Probably the most common cause of failure!??!... Regards, Andy

 

'Open circuit' coil secondary (HT) winding would NOT 'blow' your 'ignition' fuse; but 'short to ground' primary (LT) would!...

Reading through your symptoms again, I have to say your 'fuel warning' light does worry me a little!?... My XJ900F has a fuel gauge - but that will doubtless operate in a similar manner: + feed to head unit (or lamp, in your case), 'switch wire' to earth through 'sender' (level switch) at tank?!?...

Your jumping tach. symptoms 'make total sense' - whereas the 'fuel light' does not!!! I hope the latter is 'coincidental' - because if NOT it suggests a 'switch wire short to -/ground' (MOST likely explained by some adjacent cable 'overloading' - and melting insulation...)!?!... I trust you have not been a 'bad boy' - and replaced a 'blowing' 10A. 'ignition' fuse with a 'larger' one?!?... With any luck it's just the level 'coincidentally' a little low - and we can 'rule out' a 'fried' wiring loom!??!... Best of luck anyway!...

 

FIXED HER FINALLY (3 days and 20 fuses later) like I mentioned earlier all the wire connectors on this bike are idiot proof (they only fit into one place, except for the butt connectors for the lights and such) that is they are all idiot proof except for 2 of them. one going to the TCI and and one going to the side stand relay. After completely running out of ideas as to the problem, I unhooked everything and plug the connectors in one at a time until I popped my fuse (which by the way turns out it was blowing when I turned the key on, not when I pushed the start button like I originally thought) turns out I had mixed up the connector for the relay with the one to the TCI, during our attempt to dry everything out after my initial issue of misfiring and stalling. I belive what happened was I got the coils wet causing them to not fire properly leading me to believe it was water in the tci causing the issue. So basically I was my own enemy on this one, had I just parked the bike for the night and let her dry out, or paid closer attention when I put it back together I certainly would have saved myself a lot of time and aggregation, but hey lesson learned and maybe someone else can learn from my mistake. I believe the jumping tach was directly related to the wet coils and the fuel light was just a coincidence as once I got her going she was ready for some gas. (speaking of gas what do you guys run, I've been running standard 87 octane and all seems fine, but I did see it appears they actually call for leaded gas, anyone using any fuel additives or running higher octane)

 

and no I wasn't a bad boy, I didn't throw a larger fuse in there as I am well aware that won't fix the problem only make things worse, and especially now that I know the TCI for this bike is no longer available (except used of course) I will be extra careful, and I think I'll be grabbing a spare just to cover my a** in the future.

 

Now, get to work on replacing the plug wires, and fixing any cracks in the coils. The plug wires are moulded into the coils, so you will have to leave some of the old wire and use a splice connector

 

so when I checked them I was measuring from plug wire to the wire that connects to harness (as that is what it looked like they showed in the manual) is that correct or was I suppose to measure from one plug wire to the other. also any ideas on were to get a splice kit, autozone? or am I gonna have to make a trip to the bike shop.

 

You measure from one plug wire to the other for the secondary resistance, and between the two small wire terminals for the primary resistance. I doubt that your coils are bad since it was running before the rain. If you start it up in the dark you will probably see sparks going everywhere, like this

 

I'm not shy to say it, k-moe, I would like to shake your hand, good call!!
Brouneusd, glad you got it running

 

thanks rooster, kmoe and OP! i took my wiring mess apart behind the tci (i guess that's what it is) after i mysteriously started blowing my main 30A fuse under the seat just by turning on the key and zing Wow! i did have the two connectors plugged into the wrong opposite ends! problem solved....now, if i can just get this pig to start new post coming up! at least after a new search. and a new day.

 

no additives needed bikes were built to run on regular octane unleaded gas.
just before I put the bike away for the winter I run the tank very low and fill with nonethonal gas I do this for 2 to 3 tanks to get the gas/ethonol fuel out and add some seafoam to the tank. this is the only time i run high test gas and only for the nonethonol reason