Fuse Issue

Looks like there are members online so I need to ask a question. Y'all did a great job on my last inquiry so I feel pretty comfortable asking for your help again. This is the story: My husband couldn't get his '75 KZ900 to start. He replaced the starter solenoid. The engine now turns over when a wire is clipped to the solenoid and to the battery terminal. The problem he is having now is he keeps blowing fuses! When he turns the key the fuses instantly blow. He also noticed the headlight is dim and won't go into high beam. Anyway, do you men think that there is possible a wire touching metal somewhere between the key and the starter switch? It's such a pain to remove the headlight, gauges and stuff to get to the wiring harness in this area so before he tackles that nasty task, maybe someone can point us to other options. Ohh, he said he also replaced the thing on the handlebars that has the two cables (he left the room so I am now trying to describe things a female way! LOL) that go down and into the engine. Also, he noticed the fuses all have different letters on them (e.g. ABC20,DEF20,GHI20 etc.) should they all have the same letters? Thanx for any help and I am putting all my faith a trust in y'all. Have a nice day!

Blowing fuses instantly usually means a short to ground somewhere. The different letters on fuses are because there are many different types of fuses, that is probably not causing the problem.

On some bike's, the fuse may be a slow blow fuse and others a quick blow fuse, epending on the circuit needs.

The Dreaded Shorting/Intermittent Electrical Problem!


Here is the most basic method I know(Taken from www.kzrider.com by member Patton)

1. Charge your battery and have it load tested if you can. The floating ball hydrometer can be used to check the specific gravity of the charged cells in the battery.

2. Disconnect the Black lead from the (-) Battery terminal... or Red from the (+) Battery terminal, it does not matter which one. Just 1, not both!

3. Connect one of the following test setups in series with the Battery terminal and lead:
3.1 A 12 V light bulb,
3.2 A 12 V test light,
3.3 A 12 V test buzzer or,
3.4 A 12 V horn... you get the idea.

4. With the Ignition Switch OFF, go through your harness and wiggle the wires while looking/listening for the test setup to go on/start buzzing.

5.With the Ignition Switch ON, repeat the test except this time the looking/listening for the test setup to go off/stop buzzing.

6. Be prepared to open the Ignition switch and check/test for solder joint failure and or circuit board micro breaks (don't ask how I know this ).

7. Be prepared to pull the wires out of the Head Light to test for failures at or near the grommet.

8. Be prepared to open the harness at or near the Steering Neck for failures. This is where wires tend to exhibit fatigue due to repetitive movement.

9. Be prepared to open the left and right switch gear to search for rust and or broken parts. CAUTION: watch out for flying springs, ball bearings and stuff. Do indoors on White sheet (again don't ask).

10. Be prepared to follow the heavy gauge wire from the Starter Solenoid (Relay) to the starter for bare wire exposure. Especially near bends and grommets.

11. If you can reproduce the fault symptom your are pretty much home free. Be prepare to find and repair/replace any internal wire breaks, insulation break downs, exposed wires, rubber grommet failures, etc. Often, shrink tubing will solve the problem temporarily until something better can be done.

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

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.

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.

All battery cables must be clean and tight for maximum current transfer. Check the cables going from the Negative(-) battery terminal/post to the engine mounting bolt

Also the one going from the Positive(+) terminal to the starter solenoid and from there to the starter motor.

If any battery cable feels ”Crunchy” when flexed, replace it as possible corrosion is inside the insulation.

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.........






Why WD-40 Should Not Be Used On Motorcycle Electrical Items.

For many years, I was proponent of the use of WD-40 on fuse clips, fuses, switches and connectors. After hearing of other peoples experience with intermittent and sporadic activity, I shrugged it off as maybe they did something wrong in the application of the product.


It wasn’t until the time I rode my 1982 GPz1100 B2 model to downtown San Diego that I encountered the problems others had gone through.

After concluding my business downtown, I walked to where my bike was parked, turned the key to unlock the forks, and prepared to start the engine. The key was in the "On" position, yet I had no lights in the dash panel, the fuel pump was not running(I have FI), and the horn and tail light were not working.


Puzzled as to why nothing electrical was happening, I remember my earlier conversations about how WD-40 will over time become a non-conductor(more like an insulator). I had some pieces of 400 and 600 grit sandpaper in my tool kit and with them was able to scratch away the coating from the WD-40 on the fuses and clips.

After removing the insulating film, the bike started and ran like it should. Since that time, I’ve told people about the problem with WD-40. If you must use a contact cleaner, I recommend getting some "De-oxit" from Radio Shack Stores or any good electronic supply store.

The frame is primed, 2 layers painted and 1 of clear coat...do you think my ground isn't making a good connection? But, if I sand it down to make a direct connection to the metal, won't it encourage rust to start? I'll check my ground again......thanx bountyhunter

#1 Battery is brand new and was filled while I watched. I think I can trust my battery for now.
#2 I have a test light and will try your suggestion in #4 and #5.
BRB.......

I'd clean the Negative(-) battery terminal good and where it goes to the engine mountng bolt. Put a light coat of the silver Anti-seize on the mounting bolt to reduse the chance of corrosion after it's cleaned.

I use a small amount on my bike's sparkplugs(the first few threads) to prevent galling or sticking.

$$$$$$$$$Fuses$$$$$
Ok, update so you don't think we left:
He bought some of the AGX or whatever it was, fuses. Installed them. Using his test light he checked all the wiring and found it was the wiring to the Starter Switch. He kept blowing fuses and finally, when he checked one of the wires (brown wire) he found where there was a bald spot where the wire was touching the handlebars. Also, the end of the wire was suppose to be round like a tiny washer but it was missing 2/3rd's of its shape. He is fixing the wire and will let you know when he finishes.....

We have a bulldog who knows how to cuss up a storm after laying in front of the garage door listening while 'dad' worked on the bike!!!

BRB

Electrical troubleshooting can be a cuss filled adventure on a bike, try to stay calm if possible and look for obvious electrical wires touching to ground(anywhere on the frame/handlebars)if fuses blow quickly.

OK, case closed

There was a terminal where the started button is and there is insulation around it where it clamped onto the handlebars. The insulation was damaged thus causing the wire to come in direct contact with the metal of the handlbars!!

FIXED!!!!

See! a happy ending!

He couldn't have done it without all of you!! I hope maybe this can help someone else. He has a new problem so I started a new topic. Thanx again to everyone..........