Electrical Issue

jgos929 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2008, 10:34 PM

Problem is: I was riding the other day and my bike just died. I had to cross 5 lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder and it was nuts. I have power everywhere but when I flip on the on/off switch I get no FI light and no fuel pump prime. No fuses are blown, grounds are good, battery terminals are good, tried unplugging pcIII, and from what I can see I have no pinched or cut wires. I searched and it looks like quite a few people have had this problem before. Different remedies for the problem each time but it looks like on more than a few occasions it has been either the fuel cutoff relay or the bank angle relay has gone bad. I've looked around at Ayers and Bike Bandit, etc and discovered this relay is almost $40 BUCKS !!! I haven't gotten the volt meter out and determined if it is in fact one of these relays but i'm not hearing a click so I think it could be. For you guys that have had to replace one of these, is there anywhere cheaper to get these or is there another part# I can use. I had to replace a fuel pump relay on my race car the other day(a big 40amp bastard) and it only cost me $12.

Thanks for the help

**varium** · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 12:29 AM

Bro a relay and a bank angle sensor are vastly different. My first impression at the 40 bucks you mentioned was 'oh, that's not bad'. There is a lot more to building such a switch than making a simple relay. Besides, for whatever reason motorcycle parts are on the whole more expensive. Could be cause there is as large an audience to mass produce for, or they just feel like sticking it to us. Either way it should be no suprize.

The first thing that popped into my head as you were explaining your problem i thought maybe the kill switch wires has worked loose. Can't recall if out bikes can crank without the wires being plugged in, but its easy enough to check.
You sure you looked at all the fuses? Lifted the tank to see if the side stand switch came undone? Checked the wires connecting to the clutch switch? I'd get out the voltmeter and check the bank angle and the fuel relay.

DesperateSP2 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 01:26 AM

Just sorted a similar problem on another bike (not one of mine...

). It was a butchered wire leading to the fuel pump cut-off relay.
As you said there are many causes to this problem but you'll probably find out that the most common cause is corrosion and/or dirt building up in the R/H switch. Dig out a can of WD40 or a decent contact cleaner and give it a good clean. While you are at it look for any loose wire in there. It won't hurt.

jgos929 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varium

Bro a relay and a bank angle sensor are vastly different.
I'd get out the voltmeter and check the bank angle and the fuel relay.

I appreciate the response but these 2 parts of your post confuse me???

wibbly · #5 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008, 12:25 AM

the tip over sensor triggers a tip sensor relay, they're two separate components.

you can test relays easily by applying 12 volts to the firing circuit, if they click they're good. simple enough.

jgos929 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008, 06:45 PM

I'm getting no click from the bank angle relay.

I put power to circuit a and ground to circuit b and then tested the continuity between c & d and there was none. I think the relay has gone bad. No honda dealers in my area have one so I guess I need to order it.

wibbly · #7 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008, 10:44 PM

if you want to know for sure, rob a relay from another part of the bike (there are several and aren't all vital) and plug it into your bank angle relay connector.

jgos929 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008, 11:38 PM

Can you point me to one thats not vital? In the back I got the fuel cutoff, starter & ba relay and I figure I need those 3 to get it to fire.

Thanks

wibbly · #9 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008, 11:43 PM

i'm pretty sure there's on in the front of your bike you could steal without causing problems.

pdfruth · #10 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 01:14 AM

You can borrow the Hi beam relay, for a test. It's tucked up in the left side of the upper cowl.

jgos929 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 07:19 PM

I swapped it out with the high beam relay and she fired right up!!!

Thanks for the help

pdfruth · #12 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgos929

I swapped it out with the high beam relay and she fired right up!!!

Nice... job well done

jgos929 · #13 (**permalink**) 10-13-2008, 03:24 PM

One more question....

Is the 51 the only bike that uses these 3 types of relays? Cause I called 4 different honda dealers and only 1 of them had even heard of a bank angle sensor relay. I noticed on Ron Ayers and BikeBandit when you look at the microfiche it lables them as starter relays. Is there a better chance of the dealer having one if I call back and ask for a starter relay instead of ba relay? One more thing, when a fuse blows its usually cause an issue somewhere else. Does that go for a relay also? I've been told that relays have a life span(hours) could this be the case or might I have an issue somewhere else. I checked and the wire harness is good and all the grounds are good. I don't see culprits anywhere.

Thanks for the help again

wibbly · #14 (**permalink**) 10-13-2008, 11:50 PM

relays can fail for a number of reasons... a bad coil, a bad solder point on a contact etc. chances are it just shit the bed after years of vibration, no big deal.

the relay you want is the same relay as your high beam relay, fuel cut relay etc... it's a standard omron (i think?) part. it should be a non-issue to find one

jgos929 · #15 (**permalink**) 10-14-2008, 02:22 AM

yeah they run about $35 a piece but I found them on ebay for $7.50 so I picked up 3