700 airhead dies when put in gear

1985 xj700n. The bike ran fine when parked. An hour later I start it and drop it in first and it dies. It will NOT let me start it in first, with the clutch in, either. my bike does NOT have a side stand plunger, it was previously removed. I tried disconnecting the bright green connector (neutral safety switch??) jumpered the wires in the green connector together and nothing.

Ideas?

 

EDIT-: Bad connection in sidestand switch bypass? All I can think of really.

 

I'm not 100% sure on the 700, so someone else will have to confirm, but I believe the green connector in the headlight is the clutch switch (it is on the other XJs) and only tells the bike if you have the clutch pulled. It has nothing to do with the neutral switch that was removed.

 

That's about all it could be. The clutch switch won't "override" the sidestand being down, which is why that "fix" didn't work.

The sidestand switch can't simply be removed, it has to be bypassed or jumpered. Your "bypass" has failed.

 

Ahh ok that would make sense. Since the previous owner bypassed the switch can someone show me where the wire for the switch go/where the bypass would have been made/the color of the wires, please? I don't know what to look for, so a picture would be pure awesomeness.

 

Anyone have a pic? I found a diagram but I dont know if it was for an 85 700. (R/W, R/W, L/Y))-relay (B,L/Y)kickstand switch. Does this sound right?

 

Here's a shot of the wiring diagram which shows it in the upper right hand corner: Black and Blue/Yellow wires:



The connector is behind the plastic mounting plate that holds the rectifier. When the switch is closed (side stand up) it completes the ground for the CDI through the side stand relay.

My 2 cents is that you really should set it up with a switch and not bypass the safety features that Yamaha engineered in to the electrics.

Tony

 

I have to agree. Yamaha put the sidestand in such a position as you can easily block it from view with your foot. Plus, it's such a stubby little thing with such an acute angle that if you do roll into a left-hander at the end of your block with it down, it can drop you on your butt. It won't just kick up out of the way, it will lever the rear wheel off the ground.

Your PO could have jumpered the leads at any point along their route, removed the switch and plugged them together, installed a jumper at the CDI, it's impossible to tell.

If you're serious about this bike and plan to keep it and maybe ride it, find a book. Factory service manuals pop up on eBay all the time, and you're gonna need it.

Oh, and get some bike info into your sig and a basic location in your profile. It saves a lot of mis-guided advice.

 

Are the wires still hooked up down there> Removed the plunger but left the wires?
You can ground that wire to the frame and it should work.
Thats what I did for the Neutral switch and the sidestand switch on my CRF 230
Tried and true. Even in the dirt and creeks.
Just guessing.
Take a look and trace those wires back

 

xHondaHack- thanks for the diagram!

Fitz- yea i definitely need to. The 85 seems a bit more rare/harder to get info on this site

Kid- you were right, someone removed the plunger and left the wires. Maybe i yanked them out of where they were.. cuz these 2 wires are obviously exposed now. Are you saying the YELLOW/BLUE wire is a ground also, and connecting it to the black will complete the ground, fixing the problem(temporarily)?

 

Yes, jumping the Black and Blue/Yellow wires will complete the ground and give you the effect of the side-stand being in the up position.

Tony

 

Shazam