Strange problem and happy ending

[mikebet45]

I mention this just because somebody else may encounter it. I've been riding my bike this winter when the weather has permitted just to keep it in fine fettle for spring. But a couple of days ago when I tried to start it all I got was a faint clicking and nothing from the starter. Normally that would indicate a weak battery but I checked the voltage and it showed 13V, a jump from a car battery did not help, and the headlight was shining brightly as well. Checked the fuses, too. But when I listened closely the faint clicking seemed to be coming from the seat area, so I took off the passenger seat and exposed that bundle of relays(?) under there. Rattled and squeezed them a little and that immediately solved the problem. The funny part was that nothing in that area had been moved or disturbed since the last ride and nothing seemed loose or detached, but somehow a connection had been interrupted. Anyway, I'll take everything apart soon, check for corrosion (unlikely) and grease 'em up with dialectric grease. While I'm here and maybe somebody's reading, a question: what color is coil negative wire for hooking up a tach?

[Herb]

The orange wire on each coil is the hot wire for the coil. The front coil wire for the trigger is black and yellow, it is also the wire that actuates the fuel pump. The rear coil trigger wire is white.

Keep in mind that the tach has to be a dual fire unit because these fire every revolution.

[sgtcall]

Just in case.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14169

[cgodwin1976]

My husband's 1998 Intruder 1400 is doing the exact same thing after he hut a puddle the other day. We have the same clicking coming from under the seat. We tried to squeeze them and still nothing but I noticed his head light keeps going out when he messes around back there. Could he have a possible loose or short? He has to get to bed, third shift sucks, so he doesn't have time to go through it today but I'd like to try to help him track it down so we can get back to riding as soon as it warms up enough.

[Herb]

Sounds to me like a bad connection at the battery or a bad battery.

[sgtcall]

My husband's 1998 Intruder 1400 is doing the exact same thing after he hut a puddle the other day. We have the same clicking coming from under the seat. We tried to squeeze them and still nothing but I noticed his head light keeps going out when he messes around back there. Could he have a possible loose or short? He has to get to bed, third shift sucks, so he doesn't have time to go through it today but I'd like to try to help him track it down so we can get back to riding as soon as it warms up enough.

You can find a wiring diagram here. viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14169

Try disconnecting all of the connectors under the seat and looking to see if there is any corrosion. If so clean them out with a tooth brush and add a small amount of Dialectic Grease that you can pick up at any auto parts store. Also check each wire at each connection to make sure it is seated correctly.

Just in case check the battery to make sure the terminals are clean and tight. Trace the negative wire to the grounding point and make sure it is clean and tight on that end too. You can use sand paper to clean each terminal and a little Dialectic Grease will help keep them clean.

Any aftermarket parts on the bike?

[sgtcall]

Sounds to me like a bad connection at the battery or a bad battery.

True! You may want to pull the battery and take it to any auto parts store and have them load test it. The service is free and if it is bad let us know and we can recommend a good battery you can order. If you decide to buy a battery in store make sure it is the exact same size (a little smaller is ok) as the current one because it is a tight fit, and get the highest Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) you can get.