Electrical Gremlins

[rich1960]

Today, my MK2 didn't start as usual, took 7 or 8 kicks. Once started, I turned the lights on and it died, started again (without lights), tried the front brake and again the engine died, same with the indicators and back brake. So with the engine running I couldn't use anything electrical..apart for the horn which worked fine.

As I was run leader I had to think quick, so took the rear bulb out and didn't use my lights/indicators.

Everything was OK until I started hitting a few deep puddles on the moors and soon after it started cutting out, it would kick again fairly easily, but sometimes it took 5 or 6 kicks, it might run for 10 seconds and cut out or it might run for a minute and cut out, eventually it seemed to settle again and was fine until the last 5 miles before home and again it did the same as when it was on the moors, this time it was raining and the roads were wet..ish.

Strangely, when it cut out at speed, it wouldn't 'bump' start, I had to stop and then kick it a few times.

Since getting home I've jet washed it and then tried to start it, but nothing at all. The nuetral light does glow when I'm kicking, so there's power coming from somewhere.

Any ideas?

[knackeredMk1]

You have a short somewhere. Try waggling wires until you can get it started. Once it is running try waggling wires and try to isolate the short down by stopping it by shorting.

Badly worded but you know what I mean .

[rich1960]

Thanks Knackered

That's what I thought. I forgot to say, that when I washed it after my last ride, I took the seat and tank off and jet washed everything, I did dry everything off and squirted plenty of electrical contact spray everywhere, but I did wonder today if I had disslodged something that was probably already loose.

Hopefully will find it tomorrow, I'll report back with the outcome.

Rich

[2TRacelab]

You might want to start your inspection from the ignition coil.

Check that you have a good connection
a) to "ground",
b) to the wire that is coming from the ECU
c) to the sparking plug wire and cap.

[rich1960]

Where to start........?

Traced all the earths, all OK, initially thought the LH switchgear was at fault, but no, cleaned all the plastic connectors all over the bike, added a new earth, and then started fiddling with the wires behind the headlight.....hey-presto....seems like the recently replaced bullet connectors out of the ignition barrel were loose, re-did them and (so far) all seems good.

BUT

I forgot to mention that last year at the DBS, I was sold (read conned) a 'spark booster' £15 - 12 month gaurantee, best thing since sliced bread etc etc, whilst checking everything yesterday, we found that the spark booster had a rattle, so decided to investigate. Turns out that these 'spark boosters' are no more than two wood screws, two metal washers and a plastic sealed unit with a bit of HT lead coming out one end...god knows what they're supposed to do, and my bike ran with this for 12 months...loose screw as well...says something for the CRM eh? and very little for my own judgement

Anyway, we'll see if what we did yesterday has fixed it cos I'm off the same run tomorrow

I'll report back.

Rich

[fallenmikethebike]

PMSL, £15, wow, did you get off lightly.
We are all so gullible when it comes to our little darlings aren't we.
I think my worst purchase at a show was one of those Barum, wrap around front tyres,I'm still waking up with cold sweats from the thought of riding with the fecking thing.
Mike

[knackeredMk1]

Those Barum tyres were lethal ...........

[rich1960]

Seems like I might have fixed one problem whilst another has developed....although it all could be related.

The run went well, no problems apart from one minor cough/splutter that didn't start straight away after going through a shallow stream, plus a few extra kicks to start when I had stopped for a rest/gate (she usually starts 1st kick everytime).

Then, I washed the CRM, tank off, seat off, etc., she started as soon as I finished and ticked over OK for 5 minutes with a few blips on the throttle thrown in.

Then died, and wouldn't start, no matter what, the neutral light was lighting up as I was kicking, but she wouldn't fire....that was last Sunday. Today (Thursday) she started OK, but died after a minute or two, and again she won't fire.

So, on Saturday I plan to methodically swap electrical bits that are the same as my pals MK3 (mines a MK2) and see if anything does the trick, I've also bought a new plug and cap, and plan to clean the carb. Having had a sweet MK2 that hasn't let me down for 3 years its all very peculiar.

Rich

[fallenmikethebike]

Bypass the Kill switch.Even one that looks good can still give grief.
Mike

[tri675]

Hi rich dont want u to suck eggs clean n drain the float bowl starting with fuel on top of crap will happen and then shell die sounds more like fuelling to me once you cured the first problem

[knackeredMk1]

tri675 + 1.