TOPIC:

hey guys need some help figuring out why all of a sudden I have no power to my ignition or lights.
I started my bike this morning and it died.
when I went to restart it I had nothing.
I checked the main fuse and connections all good.
I put a screw fever across the starter solenoid and it turned over.
what else should I look at?

How did you check the fuses? If they are the original glass tube fuses they can fail and still look fine, so you must use a meter to check them. The problem occurs when the filament inside the fuse separates slightly from the end cap. When this happens the filament appears to be fine because it is not actually broken like one that has blown. Test the fuses with a meter or just replace all the fuses with the correct amperage replacements and see if the problem goes away. Ed

I bypassed the fuses with a wire and got nothing.

In that case you may need to check the ignition switch. It may be that it is failing to make the proper internal connections when you turn the key. Ed

If you have a Meter or test light, it would be best. Check for power starting at the battery, then the main fuse each side, then with the key ON the other Fuses. See where you lose it. Either at the battery to the Main Fuse, the Fuse its self, or at the Ignition switch, or if power makes it back tot he other fuses, then check the On/ Off switch at the handlebar R side switch pod.

KZ400 site...... kz400.com
Good site for KZ400 and you can get your manual there as well....FREE!!!!

In case you need (unknown model of yours D3 or S2)...

thanks for the help...I do have a shop manual but I need to go get a test light today.
I'm really not the smartest when it comes to electrical but I think what you guys have told me I can figure it out.
I will let you know what it is.

Do yourself a huge favor... Get a Volt meter instead....

Test light will illuminate under 12Vdc so miss reading voltage drops across a switch, connector, battery charge etc....

Home Depot, Lowes, Ace hardware, hell even Radio Shack has decent ones for ~ $20-$30 plus a DVM has resistance, and current measuring capabilities. Any of these would be better than just a test light especially for troubleshooting....

Have a Harbor Freight tools in your area....

A VC97 is good inexpensive digital multimeter (ebbaayy ~$30)(see robotroom mutimeter review).

Here's a link Mfolks posted. THE BEST Multimeter tutorial (HD)

thanks for all the help...it turns out the main fuse was blown.
I had a wire upfront shorted to ground so even when I jumped across the main fuse it was still dead.
got that fixed and changed the fuse box to ATM fuses.
next I am going to get rid of a lot of the factory plug in connections and hard wire stuff together.
on my 76 the backbone comes way down in the rear.
I am cutting that whole section out and re doing the the upright supports straiter and further up like on the newer kz400.
that will leave room to get the motor out easier and let me bring my single intake straite out and set the carb in the middle.
thanks again for everyone's help.