1 key ignition gremlins Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:18 pm
cracked canoe
active member
Some gremlins are working my bike over. help...
I'm rather new to this forum and am still a bit unfamiliar with the etiquette of writing and such. downloading pictures etc - I'll get there one day.
My handle is Cracked Canoe.
I live in pickering Ontario (close to Toronto)
my ride is a 1985 K100 RS with 90+ k on the odometer.
boy do I love that machine. She's no beloved wife but pretty close.....
anyway - Here we go.
The other day I made a few stops in short order.
beer store to pick up some of my favorite beverages (a few bitburgers, a box of keiths india pale ale, and a couple of Lowenbrau), then a drive about 1 km to gas the bike up (with premium - nothing but the best for the girl) and lastly, a stop at the bank around the corner from the gas station before heading home.
Coming out of the bank I put the key in, turn the ignition, flip the kill switch from the right to center.
no instrumentation lights, zero, nothing.
flip the kill switch back and forth left - center - right - center still out of luck, lights faint to very dim.
press the start button still nothing..
thought it might be the gas tank - maybe no vacuum or maybe overheat???
think think think...
pulled the key from the ignition to unlock the seat and retrieve the manual that resides in the pocket below cause, when all else fails....
Key back in the ignition, turn to the on position and the dash lights up like a roman candle.
Green light of the neutral, red battery and oil lights and yellow choke light - like Christmas lights came early. Needless to say the old girl started like she was in a hurry to get going.
After getting home I plugged in for the trickle charge. According to the bills from the previous owner, the battery was replaced 4 years ago. Might be the source of concern. A week goes by with no further problems. I make a mental note to purchase a battery.
This morning as I am leaving for work. Gremlins... its a no go. same issue. no lights period and no start button zilch.
This evening, back out in the garage I narrow it down to the keyed ignition and that it has some fault in it. It doesn't happen all the time, but, by trial and error, I can re-create the faulty / dim lighting on the dash and by manipulating the key and the position of the key in the ignition \I can get the bike to turn over.
So. Where do I start? is it a simple fix? Do I need to remove the key assembly? if so what is the best way to remove the key ignition and what should I watch out for?
Has anyone come across this before?
I figure this is electrical and a loose connection or a frail wire - could I be wrong?
any thoughts, help or direction is most appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Cracked Canoe.
I'm rather new to this forum and am still a bit unfamiliar with the etiquette of writing and such. downloading pictures etc - I'll get there one day.
My handle is Cracked Canoe.
I live in pickering Ontario (close to Toronto)
my ride is a 1985 K100 RS with 90+ k on the odometer.
boy do I love that machine. She's no beloved wife but pretty close.....
anyway - Here we go.
The other day I made a few stops in short order.
beer store to pick up some of my favorite beverages (a few bitburgers, a box of keiths india pale ale, and a couple of Lowenbrau), then a drive about 1 km to gas the bike up (with premium - nothing but the best for the girl) and lastly, a stop at the bank around the corner from the gas station before heading home.
Coming out of the bank I put the key in, turn the ignition, flip the kill switch from the right to center.
no instrumentation lights, zero, nothing.
flip the kill switch back and forth left - center - right - center still out of luck, lights faint to very dim.
press the start button still nothing..
thought it might be the gas tank - maybe no vacuum or maybe overheat???
think think think...
pulled the key from the ignition to unlock the seat and retrieve the manual that resides in the pocket below cause, when all else fails....
Key back in the ignition, turn to the on position and the dash lights up like a roman candle.
Green light of the neutral, red battery and oil lights and yellow choke light - like Christmas lights came early. Needless to say the old girl started like she was in a hurry to get going.
After getting home I plugged in for the trickle charge. According to the bills from the previous owner, the battery was replaced 4 years ago. Might be the source of concern. A week goes by with no further problems. I make a mental note to purchase a battery.
This morning as I am leaving for work. Gremlins... its a no go. same issue. no lights period and no start button zilch.
This evening, back out in the garage I narrow it down to the keyed ignition and that it has some fault in it. It doesn't happen all the time, but, by trial and error, I can re-create the faulty / dim lighting on the dash and by manipulating the key and the position of the key in the ignition \I can get the bike to turn over.
So. Where do I start? is it a simple fix? Do I need to remove the key assembly? if so what is the best way to remove the key ignition and what should I watch out for?
Has anyone come across this before?
I figure this is electrical and a loose connection or a frail wire - could I be wrong?
any thoughts, help or direction is most appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Cracked Canoe.