Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => The Bike - C10 => Topic started by: RFH87_Connie on December 05, 2013, 05:45:32 AM
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I can probably figure this one out, but I drove the truck to work, so I figure I'd put it out to the collective for some advice during the day.
Two weeks ago I gave my grand-daughter (6yo) her first ride. Before I took herI drove it around the neighborhood to warm the engine up. Going down a side street the bike just cut off dead with no warning - light a switch was flipped. Pulled the clutch in, hit start, nothing. Put it in nuetral (saw the green light), hit the starter, nothing. Got ready to roll it back to the house, tried it again and it started right up. I noticed the clock reset to 12:00. All seemed fine (but I knew something was up) so I gave my grand-daughter a ride around the neighborhood anyway. Everything went great. Parked in the garage when done. The day before this I went on a 275 mile ride.
Fast-forward to today. I forgot I needed to look into what happened and haven't rode the bike since then due to weather. Today it is supposed to be 70 here in NOVA. So I rolled out of the garage, turned the key on in neutral (saw the green light), hit start, nothing. Horn works fine, but I don't remember if I saw the headlight come on (yes, I should have looked). Tried a few more times, nothing. I can't hear a relay clicking. Pushed it back into the garage and took the truck.
So where would you start? The battery is about a year old. Before I start disturbing anything, should I tap the J-box (as this is what I think it is) or should I undo and clean the battery cables (that I don't think is what it is)? I do have a spare j-box. I probably answered my own questions, i'll do both when I get home. Just wondering if there is any "logic" to this from the symptoms.
The thing that gets me is the dead cut off while riding that happened earlier. That, and the clock reset to 12:00.
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The starter lockout switch is where I would start. That is the one on the clutch lever. Pull it in and it should by pass the neutral lockout switch. While in neutral you can hold the starter button in and rock the clutch lever in and out. Your emergency shut off switch may also be suspect. Rock that one back and forth a few times. Both switches may need cleaning.
You said your clock reset to zero. . I would check the connections at the battery.
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I found the emergency kill switch on Kawazilla to be sensitive to being even slightly off of being firmly in the run position.
Be nice if that is all it is.
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I think they've already already answered.
By priority I'd guess Battery Connections, J Box, Side/clutch switch's.
And check the main Fuse as well for corrosion/connection.
Ride safe, Ted
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Thanks guys. Before I bowed my head and took the truck this morning, I wiggled the key on and off a few times, then flipped the kill switch agressively a few times, and pushed the start button pretty good too, still nothing. I guess i'll pull the tool tray and test the battery voltage before "disturbing" anything, then look at the connections, then tap the j-box to see what happens. I hate things that "magically" fix themselves like it did the other day. They always magically reappear.
I'll post up what I find.
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I would rather they magically fix themselves while I am out and about. At home no big deal ;)
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It's probably the battery connections or the battery. The fact that the clock reset means to me that all power was interrupted. It doesn't take much juice to run that clock.
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Our weather was bad so I didn't work on it this weekend. However, before getting up the last of the leaves, I tried the starter button for fun. Started right up with no issue. Still need to check everything...
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Mine had the exact same issue - found that main fuse (and a few of the other fuses) were "loose". Tightened the contacts on the fuse blades - no problems since.
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Gotta check it when it's not working. Can't fix it if it ain't broke.
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Just to close this chapter - it was the battery connection. I had always tightened it with a large phillips screw driver in the past. I took it apart, cleaned it, put it back, hit the start button and heard a loud "SNAP" and saw a spark on the hot side. The cable wasn't securely connected to the battery lug still (although it felt tight). I took it apart and found that the nut inside the battery terminal wasn't bottoming out when the bolt/screw was being tightened - it was kind of jamming side ways on some slag. I cleaned it again then used a 10mm socket to tighten it after I used the screw driver. I couldn't believe how loose it still was when I started to turn the socket. I think I got 4 more turns out of it. I did the other too.
Problem solved!