Very frustrated

So i have a battery that is fully charged, but when I try to start it or use the horn, nothing happens. I don't think i did anything with the wiring and all the fuses are good. I don't know what the problem could be.

 

Also, the relay or whatever it is still clicks when i turn the key like it always has.

 

Do you still have the original fuse box?

The original fuse clips can crystallize and crack all on their own. Also the old-style glass fuses have a habit of looking OK when in fact they're not; you have to put a meter on them.

Next step would be to "wring out" the ignition switch wiring. The horn should work with the switch on, even if there is a problem with the safety circuit or "OFF/RUN/OFF" switch.

 

No, I have a new fuse box and all fuses are good. And no, not even the horn works.

 

if you don't have one already, get a multi meter. that will help you determine the presence of electricity and continuity.

CN

 

Did it ever work; or did it work before the new fusebox was installed, or???

Have you been working on it/modifying anything?

 

Yes it did, back in the fall, then it would only last a couple minutes then die and i had to charge the battery for it to start again. So I got a new battery and it still doesn't work. I did my valves in between but it had died before that.

 

Dodgy starter motor? Do all the lights work for a while prior to starting?

Whoaaa. Hang on...you were here last year with this.... :?:

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... tml#395696

And the year before.. :?:

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... tml#325993

 

?????

So this is the same bike that wouldn't run back in May of 2012? And that you were still fighting with last fall?

Let's go back to here: http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... tml#395696

So this is a new battery, and it's been fully charged on a less than 1A output battery charger; and it reads 13.5+ volts at the terminals with the key off?

 

So here is the history. It has been a very slow process around school and work. As of summer of 2013 my carbs were finally good to go and the bike would start fairly easily. It never sounded really good though so I wanted to do my valves. I never road it on the street or anything. By the end of last fall, it would start but die within minutes. I took in my battery and they said it was common for that battery to stop holding a charge after a year, so I got a new one. Rookie mistake I suppose, but I charged it using the only charger I had around, a normal car charger. That is when I started getting no reaction. No lights, horn, or starting. I assumed I had fried the battery with the charger, so I figured I would figure it out in the spring because I went back to school. I just had spring break so I checked and changed all my valve shims, (all were one size tight). Then I went and got another battery, went to menards and bought an fancy new automatic charger with a 2a setting for motorcycle batteries. Put it all back together assuming it would work, and still nothing. Driving me insane.

 

When you used the car charger....what amperage does it charge at? Does it auto-shutoff, or does it charge continuously? Did you charge the battery on the bench, or was it connected to the bike?

 

I believe it was 12 amps, continuous. And originally it was on the bench, and it worked fine. When it started to die repeatedly i charged in the bike. Could I have damaged the tci or something?

 

The problem is it's a Yamaha XJ650. These bikes defy the laws of physics. NEVER had I seen a bike so poorly designed. Someone actully said the XJ engines are high performance and Chevys were not. No way the word performance should be associated with XJ650 engines.

 

well my xj750 sure is a performer. maybe you should try a holley 2 barrel carb on yours. that way it will think it is a chevy!

CN

 

My concern is that you overcharged the battery. Take it to an auto parts store and have it tested to be sure. We'll move on with diagnosis once we're sure that you have a known-good battery to make the starter spin.

 

Well since then I got another battery and a low amp charger thinking it would solve the problem but it didn't.

 

Have you got a car? Hook it up to that and report back pls.

 

Don't run the engine on the car though.

 

I don't be able to do that for a while. The shop i keep the bike in blocked by piles of snow.

 

OK, so back to the basics. Put a meter across the battery terminals and see what it reads.

Or take the battery to an auto parts store and have it load tested. 2A is a bit "hot" still for a bike battery; you may have cooked that battery too. Ideally, you want a 1A or even 0.75A charger.