I bypassed the main fuse.. big mistake. Help!

:evil: ok....

I just bought a 1979 kz 1000 b3 ltd. got 6000 miles on it. I believe all stock except exhaust? oil cooler, and som rear shocks.

Bike ran good. I rode it about 40 miles today and all of a sudden it died.
the main fuse blew.

I put in replacement and turned key on, when I hit start button it blew.
on the side of the road with no tools and an unregistered bike I paniked and bypassed the main fuse.
I imediately saw smoke come from the right hand controls but I was able to kick start and get to my destination 5 minutes away.

There I opened uo the right hand controls and found a screw and washer that came loose inside the controls and touched togeter the two wires going to the start button.

I than removed the problem. Bypassed the kill swithch that was melted. and the bike started right up.
I whent to the hardware store and got some fuses. when I left the hardeware store I had to kick sstart the bike because there was not enough juice. Bike ran fine my moms house was like five miles from hardeware store.

Bike sat most of the rest of the day. when i went to go home I had to kick start the bike because there was nt enough juice tostart with start button.
after about 6 miles the bike just died. fuse didnt blow it just when black. Lights where out and everything. could kick start it, nothing.

brought bike to my work shop in my truck and put a charger on the battery. bike still would not turn over.even on jump feature of charger.

the wire that run from the right controls where melted together. I have another parts bike so I swaped some wires from right controls but still wouldnt start.

after being on charger for half hour I turn the key on and lights come on but bike wont start even with kickstart.

i put it on the jump start feature and lights get bright for second than it dies right down. even if i keep the charger on the batery very quickly dies with key juist in the on position. i completlet diconect the wires that come from r controls and the batery still dies with the key on while charger is on or off.

I noticed The Yellow wire from the main harnes that connects to the red and yellow that goes to right controls melted pretty bad as well.

Any sugestions?
Advice is greatly appreciated.
tomorrow I will buy a new battery to definatelty rule that out.

Yes I know....It was very stupid of me to bypass the fuse. :evil: :evil:

It sounds like you still have a short that is draining the battery. You need to check each and every wire and connection. You should clean, repair and/or replace any in need of attention. Do you have access to a wiring diagram for your model/year, they can come in very handy when attempting to run down electrical issues. I tend to use a multimeter for testing but you can also use a test light.

gd4now wrote: It sounds like you still have a short that is draining the battery. You need to check each and every wire and connection. You should clean, repair and/or replace any in need of attention. Do you have access to a wiring diagram for your model/year, they can come in very handy when attempting to run down electrical issues. I tend to use a multimeter for testing but you can also use a test light.

Ill keep searching.

is there anything that i could have damaged that would cause it not to fire when on charger and kick starting?

I have a wire diagram in my manual

You should never try to start the bike while hooked to a charger or a running vehicle because it will fry the electrical system. Assuming the battery is not completely cooked, disconnect it from the bike, charge it on a LOW amperage (no more than 2 amps) battery charger, then install the battery in the bike and test all the electrical circuits. When the circuits have been checked and any problems corrected – then try starting the bike.

davem wrote: ...anything that i could have damaged that would cause it not to fire when on charger and kick starting?....

Among other things, plug spark requires full battery voltage being received at the coil primary terminal.

Could remove the plugs and determine whether sparking while the engine is being kicked over.

If no spark, could run a hot wire from the battery positive post to the coil primary terminal and re-test for spark during kick-over. This is only for a temporary test to assure battery voltage reaching coil while looking for plug spark during engine kick-over.

Good Fortune!

Starter lockout switch opened due to excessive current...

Electrical test for KZ900... Up to 1980 & pending models, shared the same charging system for the most part so should be the same... Someone with a wiring diagram/electrical test procedure you can share, please do so....

Z1/KZ900 electrical Test:


1977-1978 Wiring Diagram: KZ1000

Murphys law.... my volt meter. Is dead.
Going to get new one now.

I tried a couple things tgis morning.
ran power directly from batery to red and yellow wires that go to coils.
I kick it and started right up.
o believe this is hapening because it was able to cool down.

I also tried new wires going to the r contols but eliminated kill switch an d elecyric start
she starts with the kicker but when i try using my a screwdrivee to cross tge terminals onstarter relay it just sparks and gets hot.

Anyways im going to get the. New multi meter.........

davem wrote: ...ran power directly from batery to red and yellow wires that go to coils.
I kick it and started right up....

When the engine won't run without adding a hot wire from battery to coil -- Indicates an interruption in conductivity along the bike's normal wiring circuit somewhere between the battery positive post and the coil primary terminal.

Good Fortune!

Patton wrote:

davem wrote: ...ran power directly from batery to red and yellow wires that go to coils.
I kick it and started right up....

Indicates an interruption in conductivity along the bike's normal wiring circuit somewhere between the battery positive post and the coil primary terminal.

Good Fortune!

Tested with multi meter....

so at every point I did not see any difference in the volts.
I took the coils off and inspected them and the left one had a small crack in it.
I replaced it with a spare one I had from another bike.

As of right now I dont have a kill switch or electric start button due to the components melting. I just bypassed that.
will replace later.

I made a couple shore rides and the batery seems to be holding its charge....but...

I noticed the rectifier/regulator gets hot to the touch. I test the volts at the batery reving the engine at 4000rpm and it reads 12.69volts. Is this correct?
Thanks again for your help!

any idea on what exhaust system is on the bike??

Old Man Rock wrote: Starter lockout switch opened due to excessive current...

Electrical test for KZ900... Up to 1980 & pending models, shared the same charging system for the most part so should be the same... Someone with a wiring diagram/electrical test procedure you can share, please do so....

Z1/KZ900 electrical Test:

1977-1978 Wiring Diagram: KZ1000

I believe the 79 has a different wire diagram. does this mean the charging system is different?