No spark, nothing.

Well, it WAS running like a champ, fired up and ran the instant the starter button was pushed. I go the parts store to pick up some bullet splices and come back, nothing. I've been fitting aftermarket head & tail lights and everything was going normally, now when I push the starter, the only thing that happens is the rear turn signals light up 8O but if I cross the solenoid with a screwdriver, it runs like a champ again. Is it a relay? Or maybe the ignitor unit? I took the headlight off but still have nothing. The turn signal buttons work in back, albeit with no flashing (Running LEDs, need to wire in a flasher meant for much less resistance) but not in front. Everything was going so well last week! HELP! Thanks in advance

 

Not turning the motor over at all?

The safety circuit is "deployed" or has a problem. It won't allow the starter to spin the motor if the bike is in gear, or "thinks" it is.

WHAT BIKE? (put it in your sig.) The components of the safety circuit are slightly different from model to model but they include the sidestand switch, sidestand relay (if equipped) clutch switch, neutral switch and safety cutoff relay; plus all associated wiring and connectors.

A quick way to troubleshoot would be to temporarily unplug the safety cutoff relay, effectively bypassing the system. If it then allows the motor to spin, you know it's a safety circuit issue somewhere.

Or you bumped the "OFF/RUN/OFF" switch to "off," or it has an issue.

 

I just took apart and cleaned the on/off switch after it stopped. It was cleaned with a brass wire brush on a dremel and wd-40'd etc, and the relay from that whole right hand throttle assembly clicks when it (The on/off) is flipped, so it think on/off is good. I have a US 1981 XJ750 seca btw. I can just unplug the saftey relay entirely? I've already disconnected the black/white wire from the ignitor unit area for the kickstand.

 

When I hooked the original Atari back up again temporarily, it said it was in neutral, is it possible for it to conflict with the relays?

 

Yes!

In the instance where a STANDARD Power Relay is substituted for a SAFETY Relay.

The Triggering and Load Terminals on a SAFETY Relay are DIFFERENT from a Power Relay.

Symptoms of a Power Relay in the place of a Safety Relay make the Bike seem haunted.

One dangerous issue is this:

The Bike will Lurch Forward and even START when the Bike is:
• Ignition ON
• IN GEAR
• START Button PRESSED ... ::: AND :::
• CLUTCH LEVER --> RELEASED <-- !!!

(Nothing happens when the Clutch Lever is PULLED!
But, the Starter ENGAGES when the Lever is RELEASED).

Otherwise, ... The Bike cannot be started unless it is actually in Neutral.

 

Thanks Rick, but my relays that could be switched are matched to their ports with the corresponding blue and yellow markings. I think I have a break somewhere, I bought a tester and I'll see what I can find. I took out all the relays and cleaned all the connections with a brass brush dremel tool. Now i get spark and it fires but won't run. I've been using the battery pretty hard, so before i take the bike apart further i'm going to charge the battery and see if that's it. Although I did encounter a new, spookier issue. After trying to start the bike for two or three minutes, it was cranking really weakly. I got off the starter button and it continued cranking, tried to kill it by switching the on/off button to off, still cranking, took the key out, still cranking. Only after unhooking the battery did it stop. WTH. Is my bike possessed!? SOmebody, call a priest!!! 8O :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

It still has the original solenoid and you just fused the contacts in it. Same as if you were holding a screwdriver across the terminals.

Replace the solenoid.

 

SO, now it cranks and fires but doesn't run, even with starter fluid. :?:

 

What has and hasn't been done so far, carb wise?

Valves in spec? Compression tested?

Put this stuff in your sig or list it out when you start a thread so we don't have to "research" your previous threads.

 

The carbs may be the issue. I just checked and I don't think I'm getting gas to 3&4. However, I think it may actually be the petcock. So there are two lines from the petcock, on prime, only the larger petcock out lets loose fuel. Should the smaller be letting out fuel or are all four getting fuel from the larger tube?

 

nevermind. doing the carbs now.

 

The large one is the gas line the small one is the vacuum line. When you set your petrooster on PRI it will let gas flow without the vacuum. When in the "on" or REs" position it will let gas flow only when there is a vacuum inside the petrooster.

Like Fitz said, check you valve shims otherwise "doing" the carbs is pointless.

I am in the process of cleaning my carbs and it will probably take the entire week since I am soaking one carb body at a time.

Good luck

 

Thanks! the carbs are now currently bathing in an acetone bath, with all rubber and plastic removed. I bought parts to make a manometer, I think there was a good post on that recently, I'll look into that.

 

I've done nothing. Where do you recommend starting?

 

When you say "all rubber and plastic removed" you mean you broke the rack, removed the butterflies, and removed the throttle shafts so you could get to the throttle shaft seals?

If not, and you've submerged the carbs, you'll have to now. The acetone will clobber the throttle shaft seals if they're still in there.

In the meantime, you need to get your valve clearances in spec; and once that's done do a compression test to determine the overall "health" of the mill. Valve clearances need to be in spec before you'll be able to sync those freshly rebuilt carbs.

 

ALL rubber was out, yes. IT's back together now. How do I change the valve clearances?

 

Change clearances? By replacing shims. On the valves that are out of spec.

Here's the "how to" http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

And here's Part Deux, explanation of and alternatives to "the tool." http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=29209.html