Help me track my electrical problem

I recently got an 81 XJ650 Maxim as a project bike. Its my first bike, and someone before me had messed with it pretty bad. It had also sat outside in a wood shed or something like that. Not directly rained on but not in a garage either. With the help of a friend I got the carbs all cleaned up and functional. At first, I noticed there was no fuse block and some wires had gotten chafed. we ran it anyway. All the lights and horn (had to fix the horn but it still had juice to it) and ignition worked fine. It cranked fine. It struggled to start but then it finally did and the more I ran it and adjusted the carbs and stuff the better it sounded. I've been using a jumper box to work on it until my Motobatt gets here. So after a couple weeks of messing with this thing, the neutral light stopped coming on, and yes it is in neutral. The bike still starts, sometimes, if it decides to make contact wherever the problem is. The green light never comes on. not with the clutch squeezed, not while its running, nothing, but sometimes if I hold the start button and jiggle the bike a little it cranks and starts. All the other lights and everything still work. I tested the neutral light and its good. I tested the starter button and its good. New starter solenoid works fine. After reading a few other threads I think it might be the clutch switch or neutral switch. Again, first timer here, no history of the bike, not an expert, but I think I followed all the steps correctly and now I'm on step 7 of the electric trouble shooting procedure. Should I attempt to bypass the neutral switch, just to check before I go doing work to it? What do you people who actually know what you're doing think of all this? I was hoping to be cruising around on Independence day but it doesn't look like that will happen. Also, really wanted to go to Hogfiddles' carb clinic since I'm pretty close but I was taking the MSF course and now I'm itching to get out and ride this thing.

 

Have you installed a fuse box?
I wouldn't attempt any troubleshooting on unfused circuits, or bypass any safety features, or run the bike until that's done. The risk of an electrical fire is very real.

Once that's done I would bypass the neutral switch by grounding the sky-blue wire at the switch to the frame. That will either confirm or rule out a faulty neutral switch. Then I'd move up the line on that wire and check for breaks or worn insulation.

Do you hear the safety circuit relay click just once when you turn the ignition on? Does it ever click again after that (it shouldn't)?

 

I did install a new fuse box. I can't even find where the switch is to bypass it.
When the neutral light stopped coming on, it would hear one click when i hit the start button. Now it doesn't click at all.

 

Well at least the answer to @k-moe s fuse box suggestion has been followed. Now you need to get the correct wiring diagram, a voltmeter would be best - they're cheap enough, and start being methodical. The problem is you're expecting people sitting at a keyboard to guess at the problem, but there might be more than one...
Work out what does what and how - eg the neutral switch shorts to earth, as does the starter button, trace allong the circuit using volts setting.

 

That click is from the starter relay.
Is there a click when you turn the key from off on?

 

No click when I turn the key.

 

Also, when I hit the start button the oil level light comes on. but no clicks.

 

The oil light should come on. It's a check to be sure that the bulb works.

I'll pull up the wiring diagram later today and see if I can remember what does what. It seems to me that the safety relay isn't getting power, and that would prevent the bike from starting.

 

So if I ground the sky blue wire from the wire harness where it plugs into the starter circuit cutoff relay and suddenly the neutral light comes on again like it supposed to, does that mean its the N switch? That just happened.
How do I test the diode block? looks like thats the only other thing on the sky blue wire

 

It could be the neutral switch, or it could be a break in the wire between the switch and the relay, or it could be that the terminal at the switch is disconnected. You'll find the neutral switch in a deepish well on the bottom of the left side of the oil pan, just a bit in front of the shift lever.

 

I haven't figured out what's going on with the blue wire yet, but I did find out that the clutch switch was stuck. I got it un stuck and took a lap around the yard today. Probably the first time this thing has moved itself in 10+ years. It felt way better than the little MSF bike I rode, even though it's not running very well at the moment. I'll find the problem with the blue wire soon enough and report back. Thanks for the help.

 

In that case the safety circuit relay is working correctly. Concentrate on the sky-blue wire and the neutral switch.

 

Here's a good one. I had to take the front brake light switch out to clean up the master cylinder. With the kill switch and ignition both off, the front brake light switch sparks when it touches anything grounded, like the handlebar.