WIRING HELP!!!!

[YammaBobba]

I have a 1977 xs360 yamaha that I got with what looks like a different wiring job. Whoever had it before me took out the fuses and wired them directly. It has taken me a year to find this site and its helped me out so much. So here is my problem im new to the yamaha world and dont know much about them. I put the key in and nothing happens at all. I tested the wires where the fuses used to be im getting power to the main fuse but not to the light fuse or the igniton fuse know what it is??? SO CONFUSED

 

[226dark]

Wiring seems always to messed with from one of the possibly several po's. A start might be make sure kill switch is on and functional.

 

[Charles]

http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4466&highlight=wiring+diagrams

Find your wiring diagram and start from there.

 

[YammaBobba]

How do you check the kill switch without it running just a test light? I found a colored diagram but really iffy how to read one. I know most is common sence but some of it im clueless.

 

[226dark]

How do you check the kill switch without it running just a test light? I found a colored diagram but really iffy how to read one. I know most is common sence but some of it im clueless.

I wish the one for mine was colored! I read your intro and Welcome Yes, I suppose after being more familiar with Harley's looking at the diagram would be a little bit, um. .foreign, ha. Study it tracing the circuits now that you have it.
Doing a search on kill switch yields the following results
http://xs400.com/forum/search.php?searchid=108993

I was fortunate that mine was working fine so didn't bother but if i had a problem wouldv'e done simple continuity test as those posts mention (using the diagram). I did have to take apart the switch for removal, and easy enough but just make sure to put it back together with throttle cable the way it's supposed to be.
Again possibly simpler problem than the switch, or worse problem so not much help.

 

[Charles]

How do you check the kill switch without it running just a test light? I found a colored diagram but really iffy how to read one. I know most is common sence but some of it im clueless.

The easiest way is to jump the terminals, bypassing the "switch" part. Basically, take a piece of wire (14 gauge should be fine) about 3 inches long, strip both ends. Take one end and attach/twist/affix to the wire coming in to the switch from the fuse, then take the other end of the wire and attach/twist/affix it to the wire heading back to the coils/starter relay. If things work, you know your kill switch is bad. If not, keep checking.

 

[YammaBobba]

Sounds good ill get started on it today and see where it gets me

 

[YammaBobba]

Well tired the kill switch and nothing happened. Took the light off and the speedometer and tach to get a better look. Inside the headlight was a harness undone and a couple wires which im guessing at one point was the turn signals that it doesnt have anymore. I ran a test light from battery to the starter relay and where the battery goes right into it has power. i kept tracing the wire harnesses and lost power somewhere. On a wiring diagram how can you tell whats the powers and grounds. Also Will most the positives have power with the key off. Next thing is i took the iginiton off and it was all cheeply done in electral tape so i redone it in new wire and heat shrink. On the left side of the bike there also is a harness gone but they had run wire from one to the other... Would it almost be better to just label what i can and take all the wiring off and redo it and put it back on or keep looking for the fault in the harness first

 

[YammaBobba]

I traced a red plan wire all the way to the ignition and it gets power when the key is turned. So whats next lol Is there a wire other than the red plain wire on the ign that gives power out? Also how does it get power but the fuse doesnt get power

 

[226dark]

Well tired the kill switch and nothing happened. Took the light off and the speedometer and tach to get a better look. Inside the headlight was a harness undone and a couple wires which im guessing at one point was the turn signals that it doesnt have anymore. I ran a test light from battery to the starter relay and where the battery goes right into it has power. i kept tracing the wire harnesses and lost power somewhere. On a wiring diagram how can you tell whats the powers and grounds. Also Will most the positives have power with the key off. Next thing is i took the iginiton off and it was all cheeply done in electral tape so i redone it in new wire and heat shrink. On the left side of the bike there also is a harness gone but they had run wire from one to the other... Would it almost be better to just label what i can and take all the wiring off and redo it and put it back on or keep looking for the fault in the harness first

I don't have a 360 wiring diagram. I would keep checking before a re-do of the entire harness. Should be no power if key is off. Is your test light self-powered or do you have to test everything with key on? Do you have a multi-meter with continuity tester?
On the ignition you have a red wire then another red, is that possibly a red wire that was one of the previous owners cheaply done wires? Is it from the ignition itself or is it a red with white stripe? On the left side you mention, not sure what wire(s) or color(s) you are looking at? Since you have things completely apart try posting a good picture to describe what you are looking at exactly.

 

[YammaBobba]

I think the Ign is all stock. its a red wire, orangish red with white stripe, brown, and blue the plain red wire is the one that has power going to it when key is turned on. and my test light is the one thats a pen with a fuse in it and u ground the top of it it will only light up with power. Some of these wires are easy to trace but hardly any that I have found have power so I dont know if there not supposed to or if its because somethings wrong and if so how do i fix it.

 

[226dark]

I hope you got some of it "sorted", I can try to offer some general help. I have a 78 2E and still haven't looked at the 360 diagram, also I don't have an electric starter.

From what I'm aware (my bike) at the fuse box:
The Brown is Signals and 10 amp fused
The Red with White stripe is Ignition 10 amp going to the kill switch, from there to ignition coils (i think).
The Red with Yellow stripe is 10 amp Headlight going to right switch on/off.
Solid Red is 20 amp Main. From battery a solid Red to fusebox, from there the red goes to the ignition switch.

As for the ignition coils each should have a Red with White stripe, the 2 bullets into one connector - Red/white wire (normally).
Each coil has the Orange (secondary coil for spark) where right coil orange would bullet connect into 2 gray wires (one gray goes to breakers and other to condensor). Left coil Orange would connect to 2 Orange wires, one to left breaker points, other for condensor.
Excellent pictures although i can't figure out what the HECK the po was trying do with the coils exactly. And i am not very familiar with electrical so I hope someone else can help (and correct me too).

 

[226dark]

I think the Ign is all stock. its a red wire, orangish red with white stripe, brown, and blue the plain red wire is the one that has power going to it when key is turned on. and my test light is the one thats a pen with a fuse in it and u ground the top of it it will only light up with power. Some of these wires are easy to trace but hardly any that I have found have power so I dont know if there not supposed to or if its because somethings wrong and if so how do i fix it.

You would not have power if it's not running. I would use a battery powered continuity tester.

 

[226dark]

Maybe I'll look for that XS360 diagram, ha. A blue wire you mention and from the ignition key switch (Main Switch) maybe tail light and should work with key on.
I don't have Orangish red from the Main switch (key). Brown from Key should be for turn signals and horn. Should get power with key turned. Still can't find the diagram.

 

[YammaBobba]

I havent been on in awhile but I just read your post and Im gonna look over my wiring for the coils like yours is hopefully I start getting somewhere