KZ440 troubleshooting

[Doogie]

81 KZ440 electrical system is completely stock. All original connections/connectors. Bike ran and all lights were working before it was disassembled. Hooked up a new battery and tried to start it. Just got a single click from the starter solenoid. Nothing from the starter. I had a few dash lights too. No other lights are hooked up.

Everything should be working but it is not. I am a total dunce when it comes to wiring.

Please help with suggestions or ideas.

Thanks.

 

[Sonreir]

Have you tried arcing across the solenoid with a wrench?

On the solenoid there should be two studs with nuts on them. These hold the power cables from the battery to the starter motor. If you bridge the gap between these studs using a wrench (or other thick chunk of metal) it should spin the starter motor (assuming the motor and connections are good).

 

[Doogie]

Have you tried arcing across the solenoid with a wrench?

On the solenoid there should be two studs with nuts on them. These hold the power cables from the battery to the starter motor. If you bridge the gap between these studs using a wrench (or other thick chunk of metal) it should spin the starter motor (assuming the motor and connections are good).

I did try that and nothing happened. No spark. But I had everything hooked up as normal. I did not have the battery hooked up directly to the starter because it appears the battery only has one terminal. Again, I am pretty green so I could be missing something obvious.

 

[Sonreir]

OK... battery will have two terminals. The positive terminal should have at least two connections to it and probably three or four. The connection you're interested in is a big fat 10 gauge wire leading to the solenoid. The side of the battery will be the negative terminal and should also have a big fat 10 gauge wire, but this one will be connected to the frame or engine.

Going back to the solenoid, it will have a second wire leading "out" to the starter motor. The starter motor is grounded to the engine, so only one wire on that thing.

In order for electrics to work, voltage must have a continuous path (or circuit) from positive to negative. In the case of your starting circuit, the path goes from the positive terminal of the battery, to the solenoid, to the starter motor, and then back though the engine and frame to the negative terminal of the battery. Any break in the path will prevent the starter motor from working.

 

[Doogie]

Thank you very much for the quick lesson. I will check everything out again tonight after work.

I'm sure something was not hooked up correctly or wasn't grounded properly.

I guess from here I will update any new findings.

 

[Sonreir]

Good connections are really important on a 12V system. Even a little bit of corrosion can hamper a starter motor's ability to work. If everything looks hooked up correctly, it might be disconnecting and cleaning everything up with a wire brush or steel wool.

Let us know how you get on...

 

[Doogie]

Right on...Thanks for the advice.

I will try to throw up pics if I can't figure something out.

 

[M.B Co]

Check all the glass fuses with a voltmeter. Make sure both sides are getting voltage. Just because it "looks" okay doesn't mean it is.

I ran into similar issues when my harness/wiring was stock.

With key on, do you still get all functions of lights. Signals, headlight, tail, turn?

 

[Doogie]

I was missing the wire from the starter to the starter solenoid. I think I had it grounded instead or something silly. Thanks PBR. Now I am getting a studdering clicking noise and dimming lights. I think it's time for a new/stronger battery.

 

[Sonreir]

I think it's time for a new/stronger battery.

That would be my guess, too, but before shelling out the cash, hook your bike up to your car battery (leave car turned off) with some jumper cables and see if a jump start helps out.

 

[Doogie]

Should I do it with my current battery attached too or just the jumper cables to the 10 gauge wires?

 

[Sonreir]

You can keep your own battery attached. It'll pull a bit of extra current from the car's battery if yours is low, but it won't make a big difference. A car battery can put out way more amps than your bike needs.

 

[Doogie]

Well I guess everything is hooked up right. Got the starter to turn over and air is moving but it didn't turn over. I am not getting fuel to the left cylinder.

Oh well, I guess I need to start another thread. haha.

Thanks everybody for the help.