Starting/Ignition Issue

I had a problem with losing voltage from the battery to the coil. Started checking it today and saw 12 volts on the white wiring going to the ignition. With the ignition turned on I would have about 6.5 volts on the brown wiring coming out of the ignition. I took some electrical contact cleaner and sprayed it on the connectors and into the key hole. Now whenever I turn the key on, the voltage drops from high 11 volts down to about 6 volts. I did not have this problem until I get into the headlight today and started checking the wiring. I don't see anything disconnected. Did I mess up the swtich by spraying the contact cleaner in it ? Any advice would be appreciated.

What brand of contact cleaner did you use? I use a brand called "De-Oxit", www.deoxit.com is their website, it's available at Radio Shack Stores & other electronic supply places.

I've heard/read of people using brake cleaner on electrical parts. Bad idea, as it will melt plastic connectors and other sensitive items.

I used QD electrical contact cleaner.

From reading on it, it appears safe for electrical switches with plastic parts. Did you turn the switch off and on a few times to help scrub the contacts?

What year/model of bike? how many miles? No previous electrical problems? Checked the glass tubed fuses? They sometimes fail internally and still look good.

Sorry about that. The bike is a 1976 KZ900. I did try turning the switch on and off a few times and it did not have any problems until I started checking the voltage in the head light assembly today and taking the ignition swtich out. I did check the fuses and they are good.

Including information about bike year and model often elicits better responses.
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Good Fortune!

I had the battery charger on the bike and tried to start it, but all that happened was the starter replay just clicked and the neutral/oil light would both go out. None of the turn signals are working either. I haven't been able to figure out what is causing this. Any suggestions ?

If not already done, would remove battery, assure correct fluid levels, charge overnight, and have it load-tested.

Also assure integrity of the ground connection where the negative battery cable attaches to rear of the engine.

Good Fortune!

OK, I'll leave on the charger overnight and check it tomorrow. I just wonder what could cause it to start after I checking the wiring in the head light and taking the ignition switch out.

The wiring in the headlight is sort of like a master electrical panel.If u fiddled with that plus took the ignition switch out, My guess would be u connected something that was not previously connected and the bike started.When I put my Kz back together,it took me weeks to trace all the wires,improve all the bad connections and clean up all the Pos wiring nitemares.Good luck.bj

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics (you probably need to do this)

Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner and figure on spending a good day going from the front of the bike to the back. It’s a plastic safe cleaner/preservative. www.deoxit.com is their website.

On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.

Do one set of electrical connectors at a time to avoid mixing up what connects to where. Usually disconnecting, spraying with De-Oxit and reconnecting is about all you'll need.

However, when encountering the green crud of corrosion, a brass wire brush may be needed on the pins you can reach.Some 400-600 grit wet and dry sandpaper strips rolled into a tube should reach the male and female pins in the more difficult to clean connectors.

Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.

Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.

Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.

If moisture is added, the resulting corrosion lowers the voltage/current being carried causing dim lights, slow engine cranking, slow turn signal responce and lower input voltage to the ignition coils resulting in weak spark.

The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start.

Usually a spritz or two with actuation of the switch is about all needed for these switches unless corrosion is detected and then careful disassembly is required.

The ignition switch may or may be not sealed to allow spraying the internal contacts. I urge caution if attempting to open this up as springs, and ball bearings may fly out never to be seen again!

If your bike has the older style glass tubed fuses, I suggest replacing them as vibration can cause internal failure. AGX is the type used, and most auto parts stores can get them for you and I've noticed that boating supply stores carry them too.

Clean the fuse holder clips, looking for signs of overheating(discolored insulation, signs of melting).I use metal polish on a cotton swab, followed by spraying another clean swab with the De-Oxit and then rubbing the inside of the fuse clip.

Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.

The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.

The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.

Some brake light switches can be sprayed on the actuating rod, with the spray running down inside to the electrical contacts, others may be sealed requiring replacement if the switch is intermittent in operation.

Some people put the Di-Electric Grease on cleaned terminations/connectors, I don’t, as I’ve read/heard it can cause problems when it gets hot, actually insulating the connections, so the choice is yours to use or not.

I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........

I appreciate all replies. I will be starting with the battery tomorrow, checking the fluid and then taking it to be load tested. Then I will start checking all the electrical connectors in the head light.