Coolant change

[bramfrank]

I noticed it has been about 23 months since my last radiator flush. I decided to get it done this evening, so I could ride domano.

Everything went smoothly until I buttoned her up . . . one of the connections became unplugged from the horn while I was installing the left lower cowling - I thought nothing of it and plugged it back in - now I have no marker llights, the fuel gauge is flashing, my brake lights don't work, the high beam indicator is stuck on, the glove box is locked shut and a bunch more (obviously the bike doesn't start either).

I think the loose horn wire may have touched something and blown one of the fuses, but it got too dark and I really didn't feel like clearing work space in the garage.

Hopefully it is only the fuse and I can get it opened up and replaced early in the morning.

 

[UHOH]

^^^ rats.

[SIZE=8pt]I do coolant, plugs at valve clearance inspection intervals.[/SIZE]

... haven't been stopped at roads' edge yet, 'cepting for flat tire.

 

[JamesK]

I noticed it has been about 23 months since my last radiator flush. I decided to get it done this evening, so I could ride domano.
Everything went smoothly until I buttoned her up . . . one of the connections became unplugged from the horn while I was installing the left lower cowling - I thought nothing of it and plugged it back in - now I have no marker llights, the fuel gauge is flashing, my brake lights don't work, the high beam indicator is stuck on, the glove box is locked shut and a bunch more (obviously the bike doesn't start either).

I think the loose horn wire may have touched something and blown one of the fuses, but it got too dark and I really didn't feel like clearing work space in the garage.

Hopefully it is only the fuse and I can get it opened up and replaced early in the morning.

bramfrank, I hate to tell you this but it sure sounds like it could be a ground spider issue. Remember there is a spider right next to the glove box behind the lower left fairing that has failed on Smitty's FJR and maybe some others. That spider could easily have been "disturbed" while you were changing the coolant...

I think if you just "fiddle" with that spider, assuming it's not actually completely burnt you could easily verify if it's your problem.

Holly Arachnophobia Batman.

 

[HaulinAshe]

It's the ground spider on the left side of the engine compartment. BTDT

 

[bramfrank]

Thanks for the comments; I should have thought it through more thoroughly - the lights were ON, not OFF - the fuse would have cut the power feed, the broken ground puts the other bits into the circtuit as alternate paths to the remaining grounds . . . . doh.

Pulled the tank this morning (got up early) and, of course, it started to drizzle just as I got started, so I moved indoors.

They really pack that S4 connector in there, don't they? Doesn't make it any easier to get at when there's an Audiovox servo sitting in front of it - though that can be carefully slid to the right . . . even so, with fat hands it isn't a picnic.

And yes, there are signs of heating on the cap and manipulating the connector brings the power back - but there are no signs of burning wire . . . yet.

You know, I posted a discussion on the FJR Owners group that I administer on Facebook about my bike starting to fall apart with leaking hoses, fork seals, 2 headlight reflectors and little other niggly things - gonna be interesting when I call my dealer this morning and tell him he will have the pleasure of replacing my wiring harness on top of everything else. If anything, my bike is a solid reason for buying an extended warranty.

I suppose I should go and fill in my own survey on the subject now.

 

[JamesK]

Well at least the diagnosis was easy.

With the 2 cool, OEM like kits now available that remove/divert the excess current on the OEM ground wiring, does it really make sense to have a wrench strip your bike like that only to install a part that will undoubtedly fail again? If your wiring is not damaged I for one would just install the Broadie ground kit and the fan and headlight kits and forget about the problem instead of asking for possibly many more problems by having some stealer rip your bike apart.

 

[bramfrank]

Can be a plan . . . but I want Yamaha to pay for the parts and perhaps compensate me for the time I have to spend on it. I'll be chatting with my dealer (who happens to also be a friend) when he opens up in an hour.

 

[ahchiu]

Too bad your not closer to Seattle, were having a Grounding Spider tech meet tomorrow.

 

[HaulinAshe]

Feel your pain. Sorry to hear about the ground spider bite, but I knew that was it.

I just trailered the '07 home yesterday from the dealer. I stripped the bike for them, let them do the actual wiring harness replacement, and now I'm replacing everything else. ALL my beautiful Powerlet wiring, comm system cables etc. have to be completely redone. It will take me several days to re-assemble it all.

In the process, I'm adding Brodie's harness to the bike. So I'm starting off my 2nd 100,000 miles with a new wiring harness and the aftermarket fix combined. All hail YES warranty!

 

[Fingerflicker]

Sorry to hear about your grounding problem. Those were all the same indications that I had. I didn't have much time to work on it so I soldered 2 wires to the top of the spider and grounded the ends to other places. Not the permanent fix that I would have liked, but it has lasted 8 months so far. Good luck.