I’ve fitted an ExactFit High Output Coil Kit to my 900SS engined Baines Imola and now when I hit the starter button on the bike, the 15A fuse blows, killing power to the fuel pump and ignition. Before I fitted the kit the fuel pump would run and the bike would turn over but without enough spark to start. The dark arts of bike electrics are a bleeding mystery to me so does anyone have any idea what the problem could be?
disconnect the wires to the coils and try cranking again. i supplied faulty coil sticks for a VAG once. they blew the Engine ECU fuse.
Good idea @finm ... I’ve went to disconnect the coils and realised I had the battery connected round the wrong way! What a nob!!! Anyway I’ve corrected the battery and disconnected the coils but it is still blowing the fuse when I hit the starter. I found this on the Internet: “Trace the wiring to make sure it is clean, dry, and not damaged. To make sure you covered the entire circuit, I recommend you use an official wiring diagram to check this. It is very likely there is a short somewhere in the system. If not in the wiring, there could be an issue with the fuse box. This is unlikely if you are not having issues with other circuits. The starter can also cause this to blow. If the starter is failing, especially the starter solenoid, a power surge may be being sent to the fuse and blowing it. The fuse is being sent a current that is too strong for it, and you need to find what is sending that signal.” Could I have knackered the solenoid and if so is there anyway to test it? Or is it more likely a short circuit in the wiring that I have inadvertently created whilst replacing the coils?
if its still blowing when the coils are disconnected, try unplugging the solenoid. i guess it's possible a wire has chafed or burnt a wire. but you would think the fuse link would of gone first. a multimeater set to 200ohms then connected to your coil positive and ground could show up a short.
Try your old coils again and that'll narrow it down to the new ones. Ive had a dodgy CA Cycleworks coil recently. They sorted it for me.
I’ve just tried it with the old coils and the fuse blew again. I guessed it would as it was blew previously without any coils connected. I’ll try a test on the solenoid next as per the suggestion from @finm
Here’s the solenoid @finm I don’t quite follow your instructions. Do you mean I should disconnect the white plastic electrical connection and then try starting the bike again without the coils connected?
I put a multimeter at 200 Ohms on the solenoid terminals and it reads 00.5 - is that good or bad? I disconnected the white plastic electrical connector to the solenoid, tried starting the bike and it blew the fuse again. Good job I’ve got a good supply of fuses ... but I’m getting through them at quite a rate!
yip, leave the coils disconnected now, even tho you have ruled the coils out. now disconnect the white plug to the starter solenoid. if ok re connect the solidified then try again. if it is still blowing fuses. go back to the positve wire at the coil. leave it disconnected and ignition off. connect your multimeater to the positive wire and the battery earth. it should read open circuit.
not being familiar with the electronics on this, and using basic diagnostic methods on auto pilot, it might be an idea to disconnect the ECU before doing resistance/short circuit tests first.
Try disconnecting the solenoid completely; then switch ignition on. Press the starter button. Does the fuse blow? With the solenoid disconnected, fit a jump lead to the starter connection post. Make sure there is a connection from the negative battery post to the engine / frame. Briefly touch the other end of the jump lead to the negative battery terminal. Starter should spin. Fuse shouldn't blow. Do same again, with ignition on. Starter should spin; engine may fire....hopefully fuse doesn't blow again. If it does blow, something is fried; solenoid maybe; possibly starter; coils even.
Thanks everyone for your help on this. I've done as much as I can - disconnecting the solenoid, the regulator, the coils ... no matter what i do it still blows the fuse - so I can't isolate the problem. Off she goes to Rich at Louigi Moto ... hey ho.
Update ... fixed by Rich at Louigi Moto It turns out I had fried the one-way diode on the starter solenoid which in turn burnt out the starter switch (smoke and everything!). Rich had a spare switch etc. so with a bit of soldering it is right as rain. He has advised to carry spare plugs with me as these old engines are prone to fouling the plugs but usually they are ok once they have dried out again. I’ll collect the bike this weekend and try to put some good miles on it in the next couple of weeks to make sure it is reliable enough to take to WDW.
