TOPIC:

I recently took possession of an '81 KZ1300A3 with 5 miles on the odo and hasn't been run since about 1989.  I put in a new battery, turned the key, and... nothing.

Using an analog multimeter, I checked the battery, main fuse, and verified that I have power on the other side of it.  Suspecting the main (ignition) switch because I had shot WD40 down it while waiting for the battery.  It is a 6 wire plug.  Only the orange wire with the green stripe has power (good power at that), but none of the others.  One of the wires is red but has nothing.  I have some continuity among some of the male prongs, but I don't know what that means as I don't know what I'm doing.  I am uploading a pic with a terminal pointing at the of the sole 'hot' wire. 

I've searched past topics for about an hour but didn't find one that answers the question- how do I test the ignition switch?  Even so, is there only one hot wire going into it?

You need a wiring diagram.
Go to the Filebase tab above click on Search Filebase, Enter KZ1300in the box and you'll get a number of PDFs of wiring diagram. If you can trace the diagram back from the connector at the ignition switch you should be able to figure out whats live etc.

Look at the boxes at the bottom of the diagram for one marked Ignition Switch and it will show whats connected to what when switched on.

D|ont really know anything about the 1300 but that might get you started

This is my first time even trying to understand a wiring diagram.

I first need to correct the record: after further research, the 'ignition switch' and 'main switch' are not the same.  The 'main switch' is a key driven anti-theft device and one more thing to go wrong.

If I read the diagram right, only one wire going in should be hot which is the case I have.  I found a procedure in the service manual for testing the ignition switch (which wires should have continuity and which should not) which I will do tomorrow.  Thanks for the tip on the diagram.

While you are at it, I would recommend putting the WD40 back on the shelf and use a dedicated electrical contact cleaner instead. I think you may be surprised how much better it will work. Deoxit makes a whole line of dedicated cleaners. I like the D5 formula because it leaves behind a very thin film of protectant that will not slow down the flow of electricity.

wrote:

While you are at it, I would recommend putting the WD40 back on the shelf and use a dedicated electrical contact cleaner instead. I think you may be surprised how much better it will work. Deoxit makes a whole line of dedicated cleaners. I like the D5 formula because it leaves behind a very thin film of protectant that will not slow down the flow of electricity.



 

Exactly!  Ed

 

Here's an update.  The switch checked good and I was about to pull my hair out for the situation was defying the laws of physics.  Then, I hooked the switch back up, played with the main switch and the dashboard lit up, but no starter.  I played around more and now the starter button works and the thing turned over like crazy.

Either I had done something stupid which I will never admit to anyway, or connections were/are bad and decided to work.  I think I'll pick up some contact cleaner and electrical grease and hit some connectors.

I would avoid electrical grease. Some of them actually impede the flow of electricity, all of them will leave a mess.