Topic: Don't you hate PO's?

[shizzomynizzo]

I was looking at the "homemade" starter button the PO put on my 550 and realized he didn't wire it into the stock harness. He wired it directly to the terminals on the starter with 10 gauge wire 

I have not used the electric start but once or twice last summer, I like to kick it!

Anyway, what problems does this pose? Will it kill the starter prematurely? likely to hurt other electronics, or start a fire?
I plan to sort it out in spring, but I want to know what electrics could possibly be fried from this.

Shizz

[Gordon]

Directly to the starter motor, or directly to the solenoid?

[shizzomynizzo]

Directly to the starter motor, or directly to the solenoid?

Solenoid

[Gordon]

As long as the wires from the new button are connected to the same wires on the solenoid that the stock starter button wires were connected to, it should be fine, if a little lazy on the part of the PO.  If the wires are connected directly to the main terminals on top of the solenoid then you've got yourself a crazy PO.

If they were connected to the main terminals, though, it probably would have fried the button assembly on the first try.     

[shizzomynizzo]

As long as the wires from the new button are connected to the same wires on the solenoid that the stock starter button wires were connected to, it should be fine, if a little lazy on the part of the PO.  If the wires are connected directly to the main terminals on top of the solenoid then you've got yourself a crazy PO.

If they were connected to the main terminals, though, it probably would have fried the button assembly on the first try.     

Yeah, they're connected to the main terminals on the top! I know sparks fly when you cross them with a screw driver. The button that's hooked up to it looks like it can handle the electricity though. It looks like a starter button for a track car.

I knew I needed to look into this before using it, but I never got around to it last year, and I am hoping nothing is fried because of this.

[Gordon]

I knew I needed to look into this before using it, but I never got around to it last year, and I am hoping nothing is fried because of this.

Jeez!  You do have yourself a crazy PO!

As long as the new button and corresponding wires are completely separate from the rest of the bike's wiring harness, I wouldn't worry that it has damaged anything else, but I also wouldn't use the electric starter again until you have it all sorted out and corrected.  There is a large amount of current flowing through those wires and button contacts the way they're currently hooked up and they could easily catch your bike on fire if anything at all went wrong.   

[shizzomynizzo]

Cool, thanks for the info. It is completely separate from the main wires, and runs directly to the solenoids from the button. Everything worked before, as far as the charging and electrical. I guess I have nothing to worry about for now.

I am going to go through the harness and sort it out when it warms up around here.

 

[Gordon]

This is a total guess on my part since I'm not there to look at your wiring, but I'd say the wires for the stock starter button are probably still exactly where they should be, it's just that the button itself broke so the PO wired in a completely separate switch to the solenoid instead of using the stock wiring on an aftermarket switch, which would have been the smart way to go. 

[Spruce]

Wiring the solenoid to a new switch shouldn't harm any other components.

No I don't hate POs.

I've been replacing all the ground wires on a '75 750 because it has similar dodgy quick fixes.  In one place there are multiple strands of green-insulated 16ga going from one soldered connection to another.  On the gang connector for the stator, a PO cut the white wires off the connector and wired around the connector.

Yea it's all dodgy.  I figure they all add up to the reason that the bike was $300 running.  For all I know this was a first bike for three or four people. Now I get the satisfaction of making a clean and tight electrical system for this bike.

Don't even ask about the paint on this thing, I'll ride it a while before even thinking of "fixing" the paint.

[dhall57]

In my situation no I don't. I'm a new owner of a 2 PO 76 CB 750. The PO's who ever they were took very good care of this bike. It was in such good shape I had to buy it. I wish they had not changed the seat, pipes,and rear wheel however, but:

What some PO'S do to these classic bikes should be a crime. What a waste of fine machinery

[76CB5WI]

My PO is pretty easy to work with 

No but on my last bike the kill switch died so the PO wired the ignition
direct by making a jumper bypass in the wiring inside the bucket
instead of getting a new RH control..
Well cant blame em for that one..$

[Leino]

My CB's PO is now a cop.
A few years back he promised to remove the licence plate from my CB if he ever saw me ride it anywhere  .
Maybe that's the reason I bought two Suzuki's? 
Seriously, he pulled me over last summer when I was driving my car and wanted to see my drivers licence and the car papers... he did it just to show off .

I have a feeling he should probably get a life...

[Gordon]

A few years back he promised to remove the licence plate from my CB if he ever saw me ride it anywhere  .

On what grounds?

[lone*X]

PO's actually do you the favor of selling both their mistakes or properly maintained bikes.  Without PO's their wouldn't be any new owners of old classics.