Strange Electrical Issue

[mrfreeze5]

I finally got a new battery and started trying to fire the beast up again, but Im having a strange problem. If the wire connected to the starter is loose, it will crank, but will spark a little. If I tighten it down, I get no start, just a click, then the starter relay starts to whine then it smokes from the ground connection on the back of the block. So if everything is tight, I get smoke(fire if I hold the start button down long enough. bad bad), but if its loose it will crank but not start. Ive never heard of a loose connection fixing the problem. Im obviously not making a good connection somewhere, but I have removed the rear ground from the engine case and cleaned the connector as well as wire brushed the block to clean the surface, yet I still keep melting the shielding on the wire. In fact, there is so much resistance, you can see the negative cable move when you hit the start button. My common sense is scratching itself on the ass going "huh?" right now.

EDIT:
Well I just fried one starter relay, luckily I had another. It seems to be stemming from the starter connection. Its clean bare metal on starter and connector. When I tighten it, nothing. When its look I get a big pop and spark, but it cranks fine. Tighten it down and pop goes the relay.

[mrfreeze5]

Well since Im getting farther with no means of securing the starter cable than with, I unscrewed it and left it loose to keep tuning. A few hours ago my kickstand switch would keep it from starting, now it does nothing regardless. Oh yeah, did I mention I have no spark? Pickup coil is reading 105. Brand new spark plugs and ignition advance installed. Same ignition coils as before rebuild, same stator and pickup as before rebuild. Worked fine before the rebuild. I do have a new harness(97) with the later style VR. Brand new battery, just picked it up last night. My CDI housing is cracked, but it worked before. So Im at a loss. Why doesnt my kickstand witch work all the sudden? Ive inspected my (brand new) clutch switch, hooked the stock guages up and N safety switch works. It cranks strong. Very strong. But no spark. Shit. shit. hellfire and damnation.

[95FZR600]

Sounds like a ground. All your connections clean? Check all your grounds.

[sweekster]

Wouldn't surprise me if when you fried that relay you fried the pick up coil as well.

[mrfreeze5]

My grounds are clean. I even went and bought a new wire brush set today and recleaned them all. The problem isnt actually the ground connection though. Its the positive connection to the starter. When the nut is tightened down and the ring connector is flush against the mating surface on the starter it fries. I even put a large washer on to help. no luck. Now if I completely remove the nut and it just sits against the post it works.


Wait a second. i think I just had an epiphany. Just now. And I think I should have realized it before. I kept cussing since that little rubber ring around the post seemed to be keeping me from mating well with the starter, but Im thinking now that is an isolator between the post and the body. So I need to get a better connection to the post, not the flat surface on the starter. But if its the positive not mating well, why would it do anything at all? I mean if the connection is no good, how is it buidling so much resistance. Enough to make the wire jump and smoke in about 3 seconds with good grounds. It just seems backwards to me.

I also tested the pickup coil after killing the relay. Its a good thing I had a spare wiring harness in the basement with a good relay. In fact it was nicer looking than the one I had. Thanks Fizzinatorr!

So long as I dont tighten down the nut on the starter, I can crank it. I know thats no good for riding, but it at least lets me chase the gremlins. My guess is that something is not hooked up right or a bad connection or something along those lines, not part failure. Everything ran great before dissassembly and the only things that have been replaced should only make an improvement. I installed a clean 98 wiring harness and VR, but all the relays and fuses are original. The CDI is original. Ive had doubts about the CDI, but it always held up. The case is broken and has been since I got it. I can grab the plugs and pull the whole case off the circuit board like a lid. I was always afraid it would get water in it, but it always held up. I bought a new stator cover and swapped the existing coil over. Is it possible to install it improperly that Im not aware of? It looks pretty straightforward. I also installed an ignition advance. Ignition coils are all original and were functioning previously. I am getting voltage to the coils, but nothing to the plug. No spark, no voltage at all.

Im debating between replacing the coil and the CDI. But I think something is stopping the spark altogether. I am also curious as to why my kickstand switch no longer makes a difference. Earlier, it would stop it from cranking at all. Then later(after pop goes the relay) it doesnt make a difference. In, out, unplugged, no difference at all. Im gonna dig and see if Ive got any other spare relays for the harness. Its bugging me because this is a pretty simple electrical system and its not doing anything I expected it to do.

On a positive note, I got the hydraulic brake switch spliced to the stock harness plug and it worked fine first try. I also got the new battery installed. Its a good thing I trimmed so much of my tank since it wouldnt clear the battery otherwise. Its small and sealed and sits a bit forward from the stock location. The Yamaha dealer wanted $130 for the battery, walmart didnt have it, but batteries plus did for $80. I got one of ebay for $40 last year, but it popped the first time I charged it. Im suprised it didnt explode, but it bulged really badly. But this one has a warranty at least.

[mrfreeze5]

Answer me this:

Does your oil light come on when you press the start button and the engine is cranking?

[thatkid]

Answer me this:

Does your oil light come on when you press the start button and the engine is cranking?

It used to till I took the stock gauges off and don't have an oil light anymore.

[mrfreeze5]

Ok. I couldnt remember. Ive got my stockers hooked up for starting purposes. Ive had issues with my neutral safety switch without the guages hooked up before. Once I get it started and running right, I can fine tune my new guages. But I gotta start it first. Its SOOOOOO close.

[mrfreeze5]

Now I dont know if this is pertinent, but its the closest Ive got to ignition. Earlier I set up a small bottle with gas and a filter to feed the fuel pump and it came right on whirring away. One time early on, I had turned the key off for a moment, then turned it back on. When I turned it to RUN, the second I pressed the button, I got a small POP backfire from the exhaust. It startled me, but it wasnt loud. That was all I got out of her today.

[mrfreeze5]

double posted

[1BadFZR600]

Answer me this:

Does your oil light come on when you press the start button and the engine is cranking?

My oil light comes on and my bike wont start.....what does that mean?