Igintion problem

I'm going to try to give the guy I got it from a call and see if he can remember anything else about the bike's previous owner. On another note I got the new chain & sprockets on tonight. I think the chain is a little tight for now but I think after a few miles it'll stretch & settle in some. I hope!
 
Man its been a while since I realy looked at the garge section here I have a lot of catching up to do.Today I finaly order some 4 pin female connectors for the relays.I`ll probably do some more tomorrow
 
if your just doing something for the relays, don't order the same thing you can go to the local car shop for. You can get female connectors everywhere. (Walmart, Oriely's, Autozone, the list goes on.) Just take a relay in with you, I am sure any auto place will help you make sure it fits fine, and if not, close enough will be fine for what you going to do. You can always make it tighter, or looser, based on your needs..
 
its too late now, I was in at my local yamaha dealer, (ownership changed no longer Mondus) as he was paging though is book looking up new coils for me, I seen a page of connectors.

Did you have the starter button not working? I posted last night about my experience.
Progress, 3 steps forward, 1 step back.

The Starter button issues, solved!! it is corrosion. you have to take apart the button, and sandpaper/shine it up, attempt to clean the bottom where the the metal on metal connections are. (short story about the button) It worked, then I blew up the bike, yesterday, it wasn't showing life. today, after taking it apart, and getting it in backwards, it started running immediately. so I got it right the second time around. now its working like a champ. (new starter from one of you guys, Thanks!)
Click to expand...

So now I am at a point of no spark, and scratching my head (new post started last night too) So look forward from hearing from you, Are you going to keep it? or move on?
 
Cool, I just got my bike working, See my thread, No Spark, I have joined them, now I have conquered the lack spark. I will post my story there. Tobie
 
The following occurs on my1981 xs 400. I currently have starter solenoid jumped out with temporary switch . Push button ( blue wire) on throttle assembly hangs up and does not disengage starter motor with dependability. Engine idles well on right side cylinder only ( spark plug wire removed from left spark plug ) When left side wire is reattached , the engine revs high ( no tach on bike ) This is what ive discovered- ignition off, kill switch off, left side spark removed and grounded to frame. Now, turn ignition to on position and the grounded plug fires and does not stop. It is a slow but steady spark. Again , why would any plug fire prior to engine start.
 
Arfstrom where is the link to your thread I need to take a look at it.If I get the vehicle Im Im working tonight Im going to get to the bike tomorrow.Im going to hook up the its the neutral safety relay or the other which has the blue,red,white,and black wire.After that Im going to try and fire it up.
 
http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13294 No spark People, I have joined your ranks!

@Walter - My recent experience shouts out that connections go stale. Like you, my last thing that I did that seem to make the biggest difference, was open up the headlight, and find the 3 wire plug with the blue/white stripe, and disconnect it, and reconnect it. I also checked continutiy, and all that with my mulitmeter. I had the thottle assemble taken apart, the seat off, so I can see the 2 wire plug in, and tested it from button, to the headlight, headlight to the starter solenoid, and push button to solenoid. since then, it has been solid starting performance. remember the thing with stale connections, they just lose, just enough connection, that wiether its corrision, or what ever, it just doesn't like to work. so touch up the grounds, (by the turn signals, and by the battery. Negative post, and on the engine) spell check didnt work. oops.
 
I`ll take a look at this tomorrow I`ll have the time to look and work on the bike.The days are getting shorter and there seems to never be enough time in a day.:banghead:
 
First off, im happy to see my words and response on this forum. Im a nut and bolts guy ( boiler mechanic) and im usually playing catch up with wireless technology. I will improve as i spend more time on forum. Now, onto what brought here in the first place. As i previously described, my 1981 xs 400 has a intermittent ignition fault. I dont believe it to be no worse than a defective ignition unit ( hitachi type TID12-02C--10 ) I have shop manual on order , as i believe the manual will specify bench test procedures. I will not make conclusions without proper diagnostics. I have since disassembled throttle assembly , kill switch and starter pushbutton removed , all parts stripped off paint and corrosion. Question- why does my push buttonhave only one soldered connection to it( blue wire) I imagine the button makes when depressed. It breaks when released. Since it is mounted directly to the throttle assembly , i can only assume the button is breaking ground on solenoid start circuit when not in use. When the button is pressed, ground is made and the startermotor is now energized . I currently bypass the pushbutton with a temporary switch at solenoid. Push button was hanging up. I discovered a weak soldered connection on switch. Will repair tommoro. I do not believe this will cure my misfire . Any thoughts?
 
Ebay has one available this week. I don't know if its for bid or buy out right. key words for me was 4R4. my model series was 4R4, your should be something like that.

why does my push buttonhave only one soldered connection to it( blue wire) I imagine the button makes when depressed. It breaks when released. Since it is mounted directly to the throttle assembly , i can only assume the button is breaking ground on solenoid start circuit when not in use. When the button is pressed, ground is made and the startermotor is now energized .
Click to expand...
Its soldered for the potetial abuse. I broke mine last month, I am too abusive. The cage breaks apart easily enough, so you can do your corrorosion control. There is a term for our type of starter system, should be in the specs, in the manual. (i would look, but I have to get to work) Neg ground or somehting like that. I just posted a check out solution, that includes opening up the headlight, and checking the continutiy from button, to headlight bucket, to battery/starter solenoid. then reconnecting things back up again.
Good luck (blue/white stripe)
 
@Arfstrom. Thanks for your reply. I just completed two days of troubleshooting with interesting and positive results. I traced my starting issue to the pushbutton itself. What i did first is verify the horn pushbutton functioned properly. Next, i located the wire ( pink) leading from horn pushbutton. Next, i cut the wire ( blue/white) leading from the starter pushbutton. Next, i spliced the hornbutton to the blue/white. From there its a normal start sequence : killswich on, igniton on, headlamp on, horn pushbutton on, engine running. I now know for certain my problem lay entirely with the starter pushbutton. Rather than leave as is, i interchanged the buttons. Okay, so now i dont have a horn. Sounds good to me. CAUTION- the headlamp hi-lo switch is single pole double throw. All three soldered connections broke. Resolder was necessary. QUESTION- battery had 11v at full rest. 48 hours after i put on tender, battery is now 12v at full rest. The tender is still charging but has yet to flash green( 80% charged ). U think this is normal?
 
Walter, as you read up thought the forums, I think the best recourse, once you get everything good, get the battery to a place that can put it on to a check system. They can tell you fast if its good or not. Some of us have had the same battery for 5 or more years, others have to get another one every year. Normal battery maintenance includes ensuring you have fluid over the cells in the battery. sometimes one cell will evaporate more than the rest. It seems AGM batterys are over taking over the original type.

to do:
  1. top off battery,
  2. charge it up,
  3. test it specialty store, Most auto stores will do a battery check)
  4. consider upgraded to AGM, if its time

Second thing to do:
  • set up a signature, with at least your bike year, the 3 digit code in front of the serial #
Click control panel, and you will see Signature on the left. I put down remembrances, so I don't' have to go hunting down that one thread, for so long ago, that's is why oil filter number, and spark plug to pick up . Don't be afraid to start a new thread. when you are in the garage, it says New on the top left. It doesn't mean we can't elaborate on old threads, but once in a while the story gets away from the intent of the original thread.
 

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