2nd ride with 91' seca II ends with blown 30A main fuse :(

so i hit the road after cleaning the carbs & pilot screw well as everyone on here helped me with in my other post, runs much better but still not a glass smooth idle- im thinkin old fuel in the tiny passageways around the throttle plate... anyway it runs and i hit the road- after about one mile everything shut down and i rolled to a stop- blown 30A main fuse and a electrial smell coming from the black box mounted on the drivers side of the battery, I installed a smaller 15A fuse and it got me home just fine... shouldnt the 15A have blow much earlyer being a size smaller? I was totally expecting it to last under a minute, but it lasted the full 1 mile- any ideas on why this blew?
(picture taken with nokia n75 smartphone)

 

Re: 2nd ride with 91' seca II ends with blown 30A main fuse

The Black Box is the Ignition Module. You musta got lucky.

I imagine you toasted the TCI and it cooled-off and resoldered what ever melted.

That ...

Or ... the thing has a default that lets you get home. Being a 90's Bike ... I guess that's possible.

If you toasted a 80's Module ... you'd still be where you rolled to a stop.

You need to see what's happening across the Battery Terminals at 2,200 rpm.

You should be making under 14.5V at 2.2K-rpm's. Higher than that ... you got a Electrical situation that needs shooting.

The Regulator might not be reg-gue-late-tin!

Look at the bright side. You haven't got to get an appointment at a Machine Shop ... yet!

 

true, could be a regulator- as with the 15A fuse i short shifted the bike on the way home while i remember the second it blew the 30A i was singing along in 5th @ 60MPH. I will garb the volt meter and see whats up. Oh and the rear brake light is stuck on, they have been blead out and do not drag- where in the hydrolic sensor?

 

Your maintenance manual will show your hydraulic switch location (I'm not up on your model but I suspect that the stuck tail light might be part of your problem). Make the investment in the book for your bike and you will get your money out of it within the first use. I played with a 90 SecaII years back and the Clymer was a big help in chasing problems.

 

Re: 2nd ride with 91' seca II ends with blown 30A main fuse

The brake light switch isn't Hydraulic ...

It's the Pull-down switch activated by the Spring that's attached to the mechanism on the inside of the Rear Brake Pedal Pivot.

The Switch Body stays stationary.
The adjustment is the Hex Barrel in the Frame braze-on that the Barrel Rotates in.

Hold the Switch Body.
Turn the Adjuster so there is less tension on the Pull-down Rod that Closes the circuit.

Wouldn't hurt to spray it with some Lube~Cleaner and exercise it some.

 

thanks guys, the previous owner lived in oxnard, cali (navy) and the salt air just destroyed this bike- i will search for that brake switch and lube it up as im sure its in the same nasty oxidized condition as the rest of the bike.

 

Funny story Thumper, it was in Oxnard that I worked on that 90! Guy gave up on it and gave it to his dad.

 

Fuse could have just gotten weak..... dunno, but I've put in new fuses to have them blow a couple days later - replace it again and it works for the duration!

It isn't a bad habit to replace the fuses yearly as you would other maintanance items..... cheap enough to do!!

 

It's also a good idea to have a couple of Spare Fuses someplace handy.

 

ok, just tested it. at the batt terminals it reads 11.4V at 400RPM then increaces to 12.6V at 4,000 RPM but never above that no matter how hard i rev it.
I have my motercycles exam at 9am and Im thinking about putting the 600LB beast in the back of my toyota to avoid a risky 45 mile ride

 

That 4K value is Low.

You need to see what's going on with the Alternator, Brushes and Voltage Regulator.

You should be at 14.2V or above (not exceeding 14.8V) at 2,000 rpm's.

 

I'm with Rick, your voltage output is too low. I'd be sure to check the indicated items Rick mentioned.

 

well i took it for a ride to make sure everything would be good for my test- got the mechanical plunger on the brake pedal switch working with a few turns and some spray sillicone- no blown fuses and this thing really wakes up when fully warmed up @ 7,000RPM shift points- quite fun... im still getting used to blacktop as iv been rideing dirt for years, tripps me out when i hit rough pavement as it feels like a bad wheel berring
I will re-test my battery voltage again with a better volt meter

 

sigh- they would not allow me to ride for my test as I grabbed my new insurance card and left the old one at home, the new one is good from 8-10-07 to 8-10-08 thus they did not have proof of insurance, I had my insurance company fax them proof but i was 3 minutes past my apt. they would not allow me to ride. Typical Goverment- Myself working retail I held my anger, said I understand and walked out, but ended up breaking my new $499.99 phones keypad while texting with excessive pressure- good thing I work for the company and can get another phone but I cannot retake the test until september as they are booked. Heavy sigh....

 

Major bummer, but it happens. Got a nice ticket for not having my current insurance card on hand last year. Chin up, your time/turn is coming.

 

I would go take the motorcycle safety course, and they will waive the test.

I had to go all the way up to Port Angeles, WA because everywhere near Vancouver was booked. Ithink they have the same system in Oregon.

 

I believed that you can also get a three month permit if you pass the written test.

Again, I guess that in OR is same.

 

yeah, i do have the permit- stupid written test with questions like "what do you do if a pipe covered in greese falls out of a truck and you have no choice other than crossing it at a 45 Degree angle? THere was no answer that said to slip the clutch rev it to the moon and pull a wheelie over it.

 

"Aff-Laaaaaaaaaaak!"

 

Re: 2nd ride with 91' seca II ends with blown 30A main fuse

Those state tests are great. I got a perfect score on the MSF test and did well on the MSF and state riding skills test. Then I flunked the test for the state learining permit (which is required to get the regular endorsement)

One of the questions I missed:

"You are riding in a lane next to a row of parked cars. The biggest hazzard is:"

a) Car door opening
b) Car pulling out from the curb

(two other choices I don't remember. All ugly though).

No choice e) "I wouldn't be riding in that lane to begin with".

I think, well, more likely to see a car start to move but idiots can throw the door open in an instant and less likely to look first so I choose A.

WRONG. B is the correct answer (at least in Michigan).