Friggin 'lectricity

Chrome plating is electrically conductive.

 

Thanks for this!

 

Update: Battery tested poorly, bought a new one and charged it. It turned on the rear light and neutral light, however, the test light again failed on the fuses.

Moving forward I'm going to order a new fuse box/kit from xj4ever to see if this eliminates some of the hiccups. I have new start button instrument and have started some of the rewiring to replace the old. I'm also going to start on the carbs so when the electrical is ready to go I can get the newly resealed tank on and see how it runs. More updates in the future. Thanks for everyone's thought's this far!

B

 

Hi Barb, moving forward - good call on the troblesome fuses. I would suggest you finish and test the electricals before stripping the fuel system - make sure it cranks over on the button, you have sparks and lights.
The reason for this should be obvious, you don't want to be tracing multiple issues until you're a pro fault finder.

 

Yaaaaaa. Ya, you're right. Thanks for this.

 

I'll add that even as a former pro, tracing multiple faults requires patience and a good notepad. It's so easy to get confused when you are tired and/or frustrated. I've made plenty of VERY expensive mistakes by trying to hurry up.
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

 

Update: I have replaced the fuse box with the complete kit from XJ4Ever. The light test is consistent with the new box, so that's a great starting point. I realized after more research that I had not actually verified the relays themselves, versus just confirmed there was juice TO the relay. So I grabbed some alligator clips, a D battery, got my multimeter back (and watched the videos above on proper usage), and tested for resistance and continuity. Thus far the starter shut-off relay, headlight, and side stand relays are confirmed. A connector in the headlight assembly tested for resistance when I pulled in the clutch in, so I believe that is working as well. I have installed an aftermarket kill/start switch. Since the new controls don't have the exact same setup as the XJ, in that the connections in the "on" position of the kill switch need to be satisfied on the XJ, I connected the two wires so the relay is satisfied when moved into the "on" position. (I hope I'm not losing people here).

What I know:
When I connect the wires to the new start/kill switch controls, I get a click from the relay, but nothing else.
When I measure values from just the new controls with the multimeter via pressing the start button, I don't get any values.
Nothing happens when I actually push the start switch when fully connected to the wiring harness.
The headlight gets juice, but no light. I will get a bulb here shortly.
I tested the solenoid again via touching the two points and the engine responds and I get spark.
I think I mentioned before I have a new battery.

What I don't know:
Bikes after 1977 (?) were/are required to have headlight turn on when the ignition is in the "on" position. Would an out light stop the starting process? Does the light also need to be satisfied to start the bike? My assumption is no as your bulb could go out at any time and this feature could leave you stranded anytime/place.

My next step is getting a bulb and making sure it's the bulb and not the wiring in regards to the headlamp. I will keep working with the wiring at the controls and also from the kickstand. Any other thoughts? I may also try connecting the OG controls for kicks.

Best,

B

 

I may be wrong, but I think there is some sort of relay or diode contraption that only lights up the headlight once the engine is running. The idea being to reserve power for the starter until the engine is running. Maybe keep that in mind before spending too much time on the headlight - it may be a red herring.

 

headlight comes on after motor spins fast enough, or when it starts on a 550. bike will start without a headlight bulb.

550 has a starter safety relay and under the seat a sidestand relay both will click when key is on and bike in neutral with sidestand down.


if you remove the sidestand relay under the seat it bypasses the sidestand switch this is only to test the sidestand switch

sidestand switch will prevent bike from starting when in gear and sidestand down.

 

starter button on oem control grounds through the handle bars . there is no ground in the main wiring harness connector. for the oem control in the connector there is a ground wire to nowhere.

what happens is when proper relays close voltage is sent to the starter solinoid (also called a starter relay) with a red wire then the blue wire runs to starter button and when button is pressed it makes ground which activates solenoid, .

check how the starter button works in your new control
do a continuity test to ground of the starter button by hooking meter to ground and the blue wire coming from the solinoid connector. press button see what you get.

with test lamp hook to plus on battery and the same blue wire . when you press button light should light

 

Making good progress there @Barb , starting to think logically. You’ll be an expert in no time.

 

I understood *most* of this, but some of it wasn't clicking for me. I got that it had to do with a loss in ground:I reviewed the wiring diagram again, googled all kinds of stuff about grounding/earthing, searched "grounding xj550" and another thread you commented on came up. I think you said the same thing differently, but whatever it was it finally clicked in my head. So I snipped the wiring harness end of the ground wire, cleaned up a connection to the frame and mounted it, connected the L/W and ground wire. Guess what. IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!

HEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY YYYOOOOOOUUUUU GUUUUUUUYYYYYYYSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!




(My emotions included zero violence, but I'd argue the same intensity)