| Author | Message | ||
     Gomo |
I figured before I start tearing into things I'd ask for some possible suggestions. I turn the key on an hit the starter switch - nothing happens - absolutely zero, as if I am not even pressing the switch. The battery is fully charged and the bike started the previous day with no issue. Any ideas on what to look at first would be appreciated. | ||
| Yo_barry |
Check the kickstand safety switch and the clutch safety switch. Make sure you are in neutral. | ||
| Thejosh |
Also the engine kill switch. I sometimes hit it accidentally and spend a couple of minutes trying figure it all out, when I do, I go back inside to make sure I can still recite my ABC's. Josh | ||
| Hootowl |
Man, that's embarrassing. I've never done that.  | ||
| Jim2 |
What they said first. Then, I think the S3 has the same starter and ignition relay setup as the M2. There should be two identical relays under the tail piece. Swap the position of the two and try again. If that was the problem and it tries to start after that you can get new relays. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Is everything coming to life as it should when the key is turned to "run"? This past spring after a gas stop, every time I turned the key to "run" it would just act like it was still in "park" - dash lit up but no headlight and starter woudln't tick over. Tried it probably a dozen times and it finally worked. Hasn't done that before or since. | ||
| Harleyelf |
Near the relays Jim2 refers to there are diodes which control the kill circuits by passing along the signals from the bank angle sensor, side-stand safety switch, and clutch lever switch. The diode terminals can corrode, causing everything except the starting circuit to work. The ignition switch itself can fail, too. It can be unplugged and bypassed with a jumper wire without removing it from the dash; no need to buy a new one until you know it is the problem. Try rocking the kill switch back and forth a few times and holding the clutch in while pressing the starter button. | ||
| Thejosh |
+1 what elf said, I had my ignition switch fail. If you suspect it is the ignition switch, follow it until the connector ( if it's like my X1) there should be three wires. Make a jumper. Basically, when the bike is running, these three wires should all share the same circuit. So if you jump all three together, the bike should act as if it were in Run mode. If it still doesn't work, it is not the ignition switch. Josh | ||
| Gomo |
I'm back in action - Thanks for all the input. I opted to start with the starter switch - openned up the housing and jumped out the switch and it started right up. Took apart the switch itself, hit the conacts with some sandpaper & a little contact cleaner and it's working fine. At least it was a quick, easy fix. | ||
| Thejosh |
Right on! | ||
| Harleyelf |
I'll bet you still have corroded contacts elsewhere in the circuit. Those relays next to the ECM carry a lot of juice; they get crusty both on the external pins and the internal contacts. They're about fifteen bucks each - big twins use them as starter relays. The diodes get crusty, too, though they seldom outright fail. A good scraping sets them right. Best of luck with it! | ||
| Gomo |
Although I found the problem, I opted to take off the rear cover and check the rest of the connections. Amazing how much crap builds up under the cover area - cleaned all the connections, fuse ends, etc. there was obvious corrosion starting to happen. Actually just replaced all the fuses and cleaned the blocks too. It would tick me off if I died somewhere because of dirty connections. I've checked it in the past but it seems I need to make more of a regular maintenance for security. | ||
| Harleyelf |
That's the way it's done, Gomo. Find one crusty connection and clean off the other five in the circuit. It wouldn't do to have you ticked off immediately after death. That could affect your next assignment. |
