Starter Button Wiring

[Someguy]

Hey all, first post here. I bought an xs400 a few days ago, and the electric start doesn't function. Relay is hooked up properly, except the red/white and blue/white wires were reversed at the connector prior to the solenoid/switch. Fixing those now, but I opened up the handlebar switch with the cutoff and starter button, and have no idea where the blue/white wire goes. The ground wire is under the stripped screw. The ground wire runs to a connector with no ground wire on the other side. Handlebars aren't grounded, so I'm thinking PO was trying to run a separate wire for it, but didn't finish.

This morning I jury rigged some things, jumping the blue/white directly to the negative post, and touching the other end to its place on the switch/relay for the starter.

I'm going to finish running the ground wire, I guess I'll tap into one of the others or find a bolt, but have no idea where to put the blue/white inside the button.

TL;DR starter button with ground wire, where does blue/white wire go? Here's a picture.

 

[xschris]

Looks like it goes to the button.

 

[Someguy]

Yeah, I have the diagram, but physically, I don't see a place to put the wire. On other momemtary switches I've seen, there are two posts to attach the wires to.

 

[xschris]

I think it just was soldered to the back of the button

 

[Scorpio1963]

Auh someone else that I can relate to.good luck.

 

[xschris]

I think it just was soldered to the back of the button

Yep it does

 

[sebbeb]

The other "post" of that button is the ground, and the blue/white is soldered to the back of the button. Since you say that your handlebar is not grounded you could just attach your new ground wire to the housing of the throttle handle (maybe under that little screw for the start button) and it should work.

 

[Someguy]

Alrighty, got all that together, bike cranked, but I hadn't finished resoldering the other end of the blue/white wire, so to test, I pushed the starter button, while pressing the blue wire to its position on the solenoid. Hand slipped over to the positive battery cable, sparks, heat, etc. I didn't think much of it, and was thrilled I got the starter working, so I left it be for the day.

Now nothing on the bike functions when the key is turned to "on". Found the relay on the right side of the bike under the battery tray, labelled "relay" in the color diagram, to be broken. No idea if the earlier accident broke it or anything else, but the starter won't turn, the headlight doesn't come on, nor does the neutral light or any other lights. I do have a charged battery and voltage across the red wire of the fuse box.

Any thoughts on what I could do?

 

[xschris]

I would check the fuses and grounds first. You said you had sparks and heat? You may have burned up something besides that relay.

 

[Someguy]

I figured that's probably what I did. Fuses are all good, how do I check my grounds? Just make sure all ground wires are actually grounded?

 

[xschris]

Yep I would also look for any melted or blackened wires.

 

[Someguy]

Every black wire is grounded, frame, engine, etc, all grounded. Didn't see amy blackened wires, but I guess I'll go through all of it this evening.

 

[Someguy]

Could the heat have melted anything inside the harness sleve where the blue/white wire runs?

 

[xschris]

Anything is possible.

 

[rugbywarrior89]

I seem to remember that relay your talking about shutting my headlight off when it wasn't working as well. If it was working and now it's not, that could be your issue. I also don't think you can use the relay on the left to check it either as it won't work. If you can figure out the wiring, you could jump the wires and see if anything works.

What are your fuses rated for? A lot of people tend to have oversized fuses which may be why yours didn't blow. They should be 20, 10, 10, 10A. Are they bus or blade fuses?

 

[Someguy]

Bus fuses, no idea what ratings.

 

[xschris]

I would test the fuses on a meter to see if they will let power through them. Also what amps they are.

 

[rugbywarrior89]

generally speaking, its good to upgrade to blade fuses unless you want die hard factory parts.

Something like this:http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla-h84960061/overview/

 

[Someguy]

I planned on upgrading, but just got the bike. And should I just test for continuity? And for amperage, just hook up to a 12 volt source and measure?

 

[xschris]

Continuity is a good start.