Topic: 550 ghost bike?

[MattyK]

It all started yesterday when I washed my 550. I used a hose with no attachment and sprayed everything down. Now i knew there was a chance the bike probably wouldn't start immediately after, and it didnt. It would crank and crank but wouldn't turnover. So i took the point cover off to let the starter dry out and whatnot (read on a different post). I let it sit for about 5 hours and tried to start it again. When i went to push the starter button it cranked, but when i let off it kept cranking. I tried the kill switch, nothing, turned the key off and it stopped. But now when i turn the key on it immediately starts cranking without me pushing the starter. I let it sit for 24 hours and it still does it but now it will turn over...whats wrong here, bad starter switch?

 

[LesterPiglet]

Try squirting some water repellant into your starter switch, hopefully it's just water in there.

[TwoTired]

Yup, starter button stuck, broken, or otherwise shorted.

Would have been nice to know what model the bike was, or what model the bar controls came from, as there are differences among them, including wire routing and connection.

[MattyK]

1974 cb550k. I'll try pulling it off the bar today.

[LesterPiglet]

Try the spray first.

[MattyK]

If it helps the button itself still operates well, it springs back and forth fine. I opened up the cluster to seperate it from the handle bars and water came out right away so I'm assuming its some water shorting the switch. I'll give it some air and spray and update.

[TwoTired]

1974 cb550k. I'll try pulling it off the bar today.

This model also has a starter safety unit that could be faulty, as well.  The Y/R wire to the solenoid, branches to both the starter button and the safety unit.  Disconnect one or the other or both to keep the solenoid from activating.

However, if there has been a handlebar change, the Y/R wire can be pinched during the mod.

[MattyK]

Okay I seperated the cluster on the handle bar to get rid of the water and I used pressurized air to dry it out. I checked the switch out too and it is operating fine. Initially the starter button worked and it ran for about 30 seconds but then all of the sudden the starter kicked in while the bike was running. Now the button doesn't work all the time, every once in awhile it will get the bike to fire...Should i still be disconnecting the safety wires?

[Tews19]

Thinking you need a new control. .... unless you can rebuild the control yourself.

[MattyK]

Also i would like to note the the starter and all controls were working perfectly before I washed it.

[MattyK]

update, starter button doesn't work at all now. Wires seemed okay in the unit and it was operating fine. Also the oil light is acting goofy....

[MattyK]

Update update starter does work, you just have to push the button really hard and that's when it gets stuck...

[TwoTired]

Also the oil light is acting goofy....

Hard to put resistance, voltage, and current numbers on "goofy".

[MattyK]

Sorry, the oil light is fine it was just me being paranoid.