QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1981 yamaha maxim xj 550 that has drove great. I started having problems with the turn signal out of the blue. I have found it is the blinker box will get stuck. My problem is when you mash start button nothing happens. I have ran a power wire to the starter and it turns over but the i get no fire to the plugs. i get power to everything else but to the starter button. Bike would crank and 2 days later wont. Battery gets plenty of power. Think possibly ignition box? but dont know much about it and it is now obsolete. I have checked all wires relays and am out of ideas. Can i check the coils w/o the ignition box? I have tried a new ignition regulator or whatever that box is that mounts in front of the battery that has fins and approx 6 wires going to it and that didnt help.
ANSWER: what about the ignition switch itself ?
A bike this old can benefit from going thru the entire wiring system, disconnecting, cleaning with contact cleaner, and firmly reconnecting all, ALL, electrical connectors. This needs done before trying to find a bad component...it might be bad connections. WD40 is your friend here too.... try a different key switch, if at all possible and do the above to all connectors, you have no choice.
Thanks.
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QUESTION: I have allready gone through and cleaned all connections and have disassembled the ignition switch and i still have this problem. What and how would you recommend finding the cause? I need some help. I have tried all the basics i know how to do. Please help further. thanks
ANSWER: You need to isolate what the issue is, is it a charging issue or an ignition issue ? Does the bike turn over with the elect. starter ? if not can you kick it over ? If it has no battery juice and this is why it won't turn over with the starter then you won't have any spark either. Isolate and troubleshoot the system that is not working, which of tha above is that ?
If this started with turn signal issues then disconnect them and the ts relay and check the system. Have you REPLACED ALL fuses ?
Lemme know...
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QUESTION: Hey umm i have replaced all fuses and fuse holders with reg. block fuses like those in a car. I have disconnected the turn sig. switch and still nothing. I get dash lights and neutral light when key is turned to on. I think this is an ignition issue not a charging issue. I have not checked the coils because i figured it still should spin over even if the coils are bad. Im not really worried about the no spark deal right now my main focus first is the no power to the starter. I have taken the ignition switch apart and all looks clean and good. I have taken the kill switch and start button apart and all looks good. There is a blue wire w/ white tracer that supplies power to the start switch and i am not getting power to it. I have tried going further down the line to a connector for that wire and charging it with power from a hot wire and then tried hitting the start button and i still get nothing. Do you think my kickstand switch could be causing this? Also do you have a full wiring diagram, (I have the mini version from the owners man.) that you could email me? Thanks again. plz bare with me.
Answeryours is another one that seems to have gotten a bit away from stock, you know fiddled with a bunch... you might need to take the bike in to a shop, you will pay for this because an issue like yours could take some time to resolve. If I were to look at the bike i might be able to see some obvious things that might give a much better idea as to a fix but I cannot see what you are working with... no magic available thru email diagnosis....
