Topic: PROBLEM FIXED! BAD IGNITION

[Tews19]

I lost complete power to my gold K1 yesterday. Main fuse is good and everything is intact and plugged in correctly. I picked up a klein multi meter. I watched a few youtube videos and no help at all. I swapped out my battery and the battery is good.

Im thinking maybe my ignition has a short.. who knows. Im clueless.

[cheftuskey121]

Tews, if you are just testing for resistance (signal) then turn the setting to ohms (on mine I can narrow it from the thousands to the hundreds etc. then make sure your red and black wires are plugged in. Sometime the black wire can plug into two different ones and I can't remember which one it is off hand but only one works under normal circumstances.

Then touch one probe to a wire or connection and the other probe to the next point you think should be connected. Connecting points should register 0 ohms showin continuity.

If you switch the meter to volts (V) you can test for how many volts. 12 should be coming off the battery terminals and going to the coils etc. anywhere there is love power. Hope this helps some.

[flybox1]

broad strokes first 
turn your key to ON
wiggle all block connectors under your ignition switch, and in/behind your headlight can.  watch for lights.

check behind your fuse block for melted connections.
ground secure at your battery?

[Tews19]

Flybox-  the K1 only has one fuse. Nothing is melted or corroded. So I should turn on the igniton but unplug the round male and female connector? Then put black or red end on one side and then the opposite color to the other end where the round plug should connect?

[flybox1]

i'd bet its as simple as something has been bumped loose. fingers crossed 
turn key to ON, go through ALL your block an dpin connectors again. pull slightly apart, wiggle, reinsert.
although the block might be connected properly, the connection inside might not be...

[bollingball]

Tews get to know your meter first so you will know what kind of reading you should have. Post the model # of the meter so we can tell you where to put the leads and where to set the master switch. Get a light bulb and known good battery even a AA or AAA just as long as you know it is good. The I or we can walk you through it. It is easy once you do it the first time.
Edit PM if you want to

Ken

[Tews19]

You read my mind!   I tell you a master's degree still cant help me understand electricity and how to read a manual! Here is the meter.
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[ekpent]

OK - Nick your bike just had that nasty tip over. We know you had to maybe straighten your fork ear and a few other fun things. Think I would be looking at the wiring loom,maybe in the bucket or elsewhere since yo were fiddling with the bike. Did yo take the tank off when fixing or get very deep.
   Was the bike running and suddenly die or was it just a dead cold start ?
   You have had a bad run of luck my friend-hope its an easy fix.   Eric

[Tews19]

Actually I had to replace the headlight as it was busted. Bike ran fine after the fall. A group of us were on our way to bike night when we noticed my fuel line was leaking. I lifted the tank to fix the leak.  Thats when no power happened. I checked all wires. Everything is intact. I went through the headlight and same thing. I even unplugged a few and checked. Fuse is good. Clueless I am.

[Raymax]

First I will echo what everyone else said, start by checking for loose wires. Especially ground wires.

With that meter, in order to measure Continuity turn the knob to the second setting (the omega sign, stands for ohms). Using that setting, you can measure how much resistance is present within a circuit. A reading of 0 means NO resistance and therefore perfect current flow. A high reading means high resistance, which impedes current flow.

For example, if you placed your leads on either side of a perfect wire, you would get a reading of 0. Meaning, there is perfect current flow through the wire. Now cut the wire in half. Your reading will jump to infinite or extremely high. This is because current cannot flow through the wire.

That is basically all you are doing with the meter. Placing the leads on either side of a circuit, and measuring the resistance. On most circuits, you are looking for a low resistance. If you find one that goes to infinite or extremely high. There is a problem, most likely a break, in the wire.

To use the voltage portion of the meter, switch to the first setting.

When measuring voltage, simply ground the black lead and place the red lead on the portion of the circuit where you expect there to be power.

So to check a switch, measure the input to ensure that voltage is reaching the switch. Then place the red lead on the output. With the switch off there should be no voltage (Or infinite resistance if measuring ohms). Now turn the switch on. Voltage should flow through and give you a 12v reading across it. Once you have ensured that the switch functions properly,and is receiving power. Move to the object which receives power from the switch. Place the red lead at the input. You should see 12v flowing into the object, coming from the switch. If you don't have power (or infinite resistance in the wire) there is probably a break in the wire. If you don't have power, but DO have continuity, there may be a short present.


I don't have enough knowledge of the wiring in the bike to tell you where to check, but hopefully that helps you understand what's going on.

[ekpent]

How did you get it home ? was it the dreaded trailer trip.?  The round plug from the ignition (71) does route under the tank area and if that can become stressed maybe from pulling up the tank,etc, there is a possibility that the plug conection has been seperated ? Sounds like you checked all that though,   Never heard of a fuel leak killing a K1.

[Stev-o]

My guess is it is the fuse

[Tews19]

How did you get it home ? was it the dreaded trailer trip.?  The round plug from the ignition (71) does route under the tank area and if that can become stressed maybe from pulling up the tank,etc, there is a possibility that the plug conection has been seperated ? Sounds like you checked all that though,   Never heard of a fuel leak killing a K1.

my wife called her dad who was watching the kids so we could have bike night. He picked us up in the old KMart lot. I went home and got the truck and ramp. Loaded by myself too! Of course I pushed it across the lot to a decline.
Fuel leak didnt kill the bike. I turned it off and when I went to restart is when the power was gone

Picked up new fuses.  Still no power.

[Greggo]

Do you have another ignition switch you can swap out to eliminate that as the problem? Open up your RH control to check those wires too.

[Tews19]

No more ignition switches here that would work for the K1. I will have to search tomorrow for one.

[jerry h]

Hey Nick.... I'll give it a try....

I'm guessing if you were lifting the tank (I missed the tip over story?)   the ignition connector came loose (three prong connector under tank by the coils). 

Here's how to check if your switch is working before removing tank to get at connection:




1) set multi-meter to the 20 volt  DC setting..... (you may have slightly different settings)





2)start at battery, red is + lead,  black on -







3)check fuse (opposite side thats connected to battery) black lead still on - battery terminal







If good, move to headlight shell................




-Find the black buss wire coming from the main harness (that comes from the frame through the shell)
-slip positive lead from meter into connection till it hits metal,  black meter lead to the blinker ground ....  here's what it will look like with key OFF:









Turn key ON:








If you don't have 12volts,   then your key connector has worked loose.  Remove tank and snug up the connector.   Turn key on and check if you have power................   if not, let us know.



Hope this helps

 

[78 k550]

pull the plug on the back of the ignition and jump the red and black. That will bypass your ignition.

Paul

[nancy]

Lost complete power - as in NOTHING including lights, indicators, horn....? Or do u mean - no starting power?
Lifting tank could also displace coil wires.

[dave500]

your post tews is how do i use a multimeter?you really need to understand a little of what your actually checking/testing with your meter,,you can google up some basics and i think thatll be good enough for you,,you cant look at numbers on the meter if you dont really know whats happening,resistance/amps/watts and voltage mean nothing if you cant put them into perspective with each other,im sorry i cant explain how to read your multi meter to you,,i rarely but rarely get involved in electrical questions as its all too fickle,i need to see it,a po might have changed wires colours or anything?

[Prospect]

The round k1 ignition switch can sometimes disconnect at the plug if it's well worn or you have a replavement one from emgo. I've had this happen so I simply used electrical tape around the plug to keep them from disconnecting. And yes, they would very often disconnect when removing the tank if the wires are routed incorrectly.

One more thing. The emgo ignition switches have an incorrect gague wire (size) and can burn through. Unlikely your scenario but worth a test.

[bollingball]

The round k1 ignition switch can sometimes disconnect at the plug if it's well worn or you have a replavement one from emgo. I've had this happen so I simply used electrical tape around the plug to keep them from disconnecting. And yes, they would very often disconnect when removing the tank if the wires are routed incorrectly.

One more thing. The emgo ignition switches have an incorrect gague wire (size) and can burn through. Unlikely your scenario but worth a test.

Did not know there was any wire in the switch unless you mean the contacts

Ken

[Stev-o]

Watts = Amps x Volts

[Tews19]

I followed your pictures Jerry and mimicked your actions.


After following the steps I guess its the ignition. So I removed repairs and reattached withoutbthe round circle plug in. Nothing.

I then used a hacked up ignition that I found in my parts bin. Hooked it up and I got power. Even had the starter turn over. I then went to my original ignition and nothing. I touched the red and black and I got power but no starter.

With this I am thinking its my ignition switch.

Am I correct? If so any way to fix or time to find a replacement?
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[RAFster122s]

Looks like your ignition switch is the culprit. You might be able to disassemble and clean and lube the one that gave you partial function to full working condition. Or if you replace with an Emgo then definitely do the relay mod so you get more life out of the switch.

[Bankerdanny]

To test the ignition switch you need to use the continuity function. With the switch in the on position there should be continuity ( a direct through connection) from the power in terminal to the power out terminal.

When you have a complete power failure the first thing to check should be the fuse, the second should be the ignition switch.

When I suffered this same problem with my 550 (at a red light at 11:30pm) it was the switch. Fortunately I was close to home and was aware that this was a known weakness in the 77/78 switch, so was able to get a ride home and come back and hot wire the bike the next day to ride it home.

After that I carried a premade jumper that would let me bypass the switch if it ever failed again.