86 xj750 maxim starting issue

Hey guys im new to the site. Just bought an 85 maxim xj750. Nice condition but when i turn the bike on and hit the start button nothing happens. The headlight dims and the oil light comes on but nothing else. Also the neutral light doesnt come on when in neutral but the bulb isnt blown. Any thoughts?

 

welcome to the forum, you can likely find the answer to your question here...

http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/index.php?forums/xj4ever-supporting-vendor.23/

scroll down and start with the info overload hour. you can also find some good troubleshooting info in the catalogues. just look up the part you are having trouble with.

FU

 

It would be normal for the headlight to go out when you press the start button as the start switch contains a set of normally closed contacts for the headlight that open when you push the start button. If it is truly dimming, then as K-moe suggested below the PO might have gotten creative and changed the wiring. Also, if it is just dimming, what is the state of the battery? Do you hear any clicking when you push the start button?

With no neutral light and the starter not engaging it might be a case where the safety circuit is deployed disabling the starter cutoff relay. The starter can only engage if the bike is in neutral or with the clutch pulled in AND the side stand up. Try pulling the clutch in with the side stand up and see if the starter will engage.

Edit per K-moe's comment below

 

But does it go out, or is it really dimming? If the headlight is dimming then someone has monkeyed with the electrics.

 

It is dimming. When i bought it the guy told me the safety switches had been modified. How many safety switches are there? I found one for the kick stand but is there one for the neutral switch? and where is the neutral switch on these bikes? I tested the battery and its good

 

There's no clicking. The solenoid is being engaged is the problem. Every bike ive worked on before always had two wires running to the solenoid also where this one only has a blue/white wire running from the start button? If anyone knows where i can find a wiring diagram for this bike i'd appreciate it. I havent been aable to find one

 

All of the diagrams for all of the XJ series

http://xjdiagrams.thundervalleypower.com

Here is a minimum wiring diagram that will get you riding if you find that the PO has hacked too much for you to bother with.

http://xjbikes.com/forums/index.php...rical-mess-aka-i-hate-getting-stranded.28665/

The third option is to head over to the land of Ebay and snag yourself a good used wiring harness.

 

ok I WAS WRONG. My fault its actually an 86 xj700. I dont know why i thought it was an 85 or an xj750. But i cant find an xj700 wiring diagram on that link you sent me. Ill keep looking but if not i guess ill try that bare bones diagram. Thank you by the way! What i did was a tested the resistance between the blue/white wire at the switch and the solenoid. It should have been zero, as in there are no breaks, but it wasnt. So my next question is does anyone know where that wire runs to after it leaves the starter button? Im having a hell of a time trying to see it between the split in the links.