Electrical Question - 1994 R1100RS

[rmhayes12]

Hello All,

An odd new intermittent behavior has started on my bike, which is otherwise running wonderfully. Sometimes, the right turn signal glows when I turn the key to the On position. It goes out once the engine has started.

Here's a detailed description of how I start my bike: 1. Mount bike and center it on tires. 2. Retract the side stand. 3. Ensure the transmission is in neutral. 4 Move the kill switch to the On position. 5. Engage the fast idle lever (when cold). 6. Turn Key to the On position. 7. Pull in the clutch lever. 8. Press the starter button.

Because it is intermittent, I am thinking it is either a bad electrical connection at one of the many wire harness plugs, or perhaps a ground wire that is loose on the frame somewhere. Has anyone else experienced this and found the problem? I am hoping to narrow the places to look first.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Rocky Hayes

 

[pauls1150]

Not a real answer but - do you really have to pull in the clutch? If so, that's one problem right there.

The turn sig sort-of sounds like a ground fault or a current loop (electrons finding alternate pathways), sometimes caused by corroded connections.

 

[rmhayes12]

So, on this bike, I do HAVE TO pull in the clutch lever, or else the starter will not engage. There are no modifications to the wiring harness - so I am perplexed about where to look first to locate the problem...

 

[jagarra]

Check the neutral switch to see if it working correctly. If it is not working then the clutch would have to be pulled to allow the bike to start. Also there are some big bundles of grounds where many items converge, most all the idiot light and many of these switches share the same point, could need a good cleaning.

 

[rmhayes12]

Thanks! Can you point me to the location of the grounding bundle connection?

 

[jagarra]

Don't know exactly where it is. The schematic for that year shows about 10 items grounded to the same point. I have my 94 RS apart with the tank and side covers off, didn't see any thing under the tank, wiring harness runs up under the covers for the front part of the fairing on left side, maybe under there somewhere. Someone may chime in who has been this route before. Again on the schematic, since you said that you had to pull the clutch in to start the bike, there is one path through the neutral link and the other through the clutch in link, so if you have to pull the clutch in then the other is suspect. worth a look see.
If the neutral switch meters good, then there is a diode in the start relay on the neutral circuit that could have opened giving you the same issue. Internally in the relay they have different ground paths, one for the clutch path and one for the neutral switch path.

 

[69zeff65]

Under the battery and ABS unit

I think there are a bunch of ground bundles bolted to the engine case under the battery box and ABS unit. Check your battery cables to make sure corrosion hasn't migrated up into the insulator cover.

 

[gsaddict]

Thanks! Can you point me to the location of the grounding bundle connection?

Left side beside the alternator there is a 4 inch "stump" off the main harness. Unwrap the tape and you will find a bundle of brown wires. There are other splices as well. Tank must be removed to expose.

 

[rmhayes12]

All - thanks for the input. I have not had a chance to work on the RS yet - but there is now an additional phenomenon: Bike has a brand new GSM battery. It was fully charged last Wednesday, as part of a two hour ride. I parked in a different location in the garage, and did not plug in the battery tender. This morning, one week later, the battery is dead and a doornail. So, I now also have some kind of unacceptable electrical drain when bike is completely shut off. Damnation...