electrical issues..81 XJ550 Seca

The battery is charged (12 v +- .5 v). I can get the blinkers working and the console. I can not get the headlight or the starter to run.

The headlight filament looks good but no light when I put the bike in run position or high beam settings.

When I put the bike in the run position, and push button to turn over the engine. The oil and the neutral indicators dim slightly but nothing. No solenoids clicking, nothing. I "manually jumped" the starter using a regular car battery going directly to the starter itself. I have replaced the main starter solenoid. using a DMM, I can trace the wires and the effect of pushing the start button down the frame.. Below the tank there is a quick connect for the right handlebar controls to the rest of the wiring harness. The connector coming from the handlebar has 5 leads and the connector going down the frame has 4. I detect a closed circuit when I test the last terminal and the 2nd terminal.

I am wondering if is quick connect is the way it is supposed to be 5 leads joining with 4 leads.

Now, looking at the electrical schematics that I found online, I see several relays and "black boxes". Is there a way of testing these?

 

-the headlight only comes on after the motor is running, by design. That much is "normal."

-the fuseboxes on the XJs are infamous; everyone here who is actually riding theirs has done a rebuild or a retrofit. Radio Shack offers fuse holders that can replace the originals, or retrofit to a blade-style box.
START THERE.

-Solenoids die; more likely though you have a bad connection somewhere.

-These bikes have a "safety circuit" which includes the sidestand switch, sidestand relay, neutral switch, clutch switch and safety relay. A failure anywhere in that circuitry will cause a no-crank situation too. Sidestand switch heads the list of suspects here, plus its connections which live under the front sprocket cover.

-You need a book. Factory preferred. PM me with your email addy and I can send diagrams and the starting circuit diagnostic from the factory book.

 

Thanks Fitz.

I'll take a look at the fuse box. What is usually the main issue with the fusebox? Is it the connections to the box or from box to fuse?

I'll DMM those safety switches. I've sent you my addy, once I get the diagrams I will understand the switches better.

Is there a way of testing the encased relays\solenoids? I tested the main starter solenoid and discovered that it works.

Thoro

 

Howdy guys! I'm about to get into an electrical issue with my 81 550r too... Wondering, before I make my "first cut", where I can find the fuse box...

 

To access the fuse box you must first remove the seat. If unmodified there should be a black box that says fuse.