issue reguarding dead battery and random engine cutoff.

the headache started one day. I found that my battery on my bike was dead while being parked in the garage over night. i don't know what caused it to die but when I gave it a boost with a booster pack to start it up. the engine fired and i waited for it to get warmed up a bit, then took it for a spin, and THEN it just cut off when i came to a complete stop. I know that this problem is electrical related. I've also noticed that after i changed the back turn signals with newer smaller ones, The turn signal gets stuck a bit when I'm at a full stop with my hand on the front break lever.

Can anyone point to the source of the problem i'm having? All help is deeply appreciated 8O

 

If your battery went dead overnight im willing to bet you have a bad battery. Take it to an auto parts store. They"ll have to give it a full charge before than can run an accurate test. Im willing to bet any very recent electrical problems your noticing are due to this battery.

You should atleast have it charged and tested before you decide to look anywhere else for a problem.

**Also make sure the charging system is working. with the bike running, rev it up to atleast 2000 rpm and make sure the volts are at about 14. if not, it could be a charging system issue that caused your battery to eventually die.

 

You may have a couple of unrelated problems happening at once and you need to eliminate them one at a time or chase your tail with incorrect assumptions.

Don't assume because they happen at the same time they have the same cause. You said the battery went flat overnight but do you know what its state of charge was the night before? Just because the bike was running doesn't mean the battery was ok.

You need to check the battery first by having it fully charged and load tested at a battery shop.

Then, before running the bike, test for stray shorts as follows:

With everything switched off, disconnect the positive battery terminal then in as close to total darkness as possible, touch it against the battery post. If you see even the tiniest spark there is a stray current back to earth. If you have a test meter with a 10A DC current range connect it in series and check again, there should be zero current flowing with the main key switch off.

If the battery is ok, and you have no shorts running it down, start work on the charging system.

 

Solid advice. The "cutting off" could be as simple as a flaky sidestand switch, for instance, and completely unrelated to the dead battery issue.

Thorough methodical troubleshooting; no assumptions. You could have more than one thing needing attention.

 

the battery is brand new so no it isn't the battery. i'll try getting it fully charged. Then leave it there overnight and see what happens (if it dies again or not) IF it does die again then that means something on it must be grounded. But what I don't understand is why the engine would just randomly cut off like that.

 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make on a bike is assuming things are what they should be. Check the things you can check then you can rule them out.

 

In another threrad someone mentioned that they were having troubles with their electrics and figured it couldn't be the battery because it was brand new. Turned out the "New" battery was defective and that solved the problems. New does not always guarantee good.
At the truck plant I worked at, depending on the part, 1 in 5 were checked by QA, 1 in 10 right up to 1 in 100.
It's possible that battery manufacturers are the same.
Just sayin'.

 

well after charging the battery up. I reconnected it and turned the ignition on. NO LIGHTS. no nothing. Hmm looks like it is the bikes electrical.

 

Sorry to hear that, was hoping for a Duff battery. Accept my sympathies as you try and find the source of the problem. :cry: :cry:

 

Start with the fuse panel. Is it original? If so it should probably be replaced.

 

the fuse panel is completely damage and was rewired by someone. But it didn't have problems when i was using the bike for the first year. I think it might be the ignition system. The fuses are fine.

 

did you get the battery load tested?

 

I already gave you the most common cause for that--

If the bike thinks the sidestand just got put down it will shut the motor off. The sidestand switch OPENS when activated; otherwise the circuit needs to be complete (for the bike to run.) The switch is located in a very inhospitable place; if its rubber boot becomes compromised and moisture, dirt, whatever, get into the switch--- you go over a bump and the bike cuts out.

 

i highly doubt that. IT wouldn't always randomly cut off when i came to a complete stop all the time. plus after the battery was charged the neutral light wasn't on when i turned the key towards the ignition. IT WAS on neutral.

 

You're missing my point. If it's a flaky sidestand switch, it wont be consistent; it will only lose continuity when it feels like it.

If you're not getting a "neutral" light when the bike is in neutral, check the lamp or the neutral switch (another part of the safety circuit.) Possibly related as well.

You asked what could cause your symptoms. A flaky sidestand switch very well could, I've had it happen. It doesn't take a whole of of doing to inspect and check it.