intermittent cutting out!!

[Fazerider]

As always when there are electrical problems, it's well worth checking the connectors make decent contact and the harness hasn't chafed through anywhere, but it's hard to see how an external short circuit could cause the ignition unit to get excessively hot when the engine runs normally.
If the supply volts are OK then it's overheating is most likely due to an internal failure… though it would be unusual, they're extremely reliable.
I'd jump at red98's offer, substitution is the easiest way to prove whether the ignition box is the culprit.

[CRH]

As always when there are electrical problems, it's well worth checking the connectors make decent contact and the harness hasn't chafed through anywhere, but it's hard to see how an external short circuit could cause the ignition unit to get excessively hot when the engine runs normally.
If the supply volts are OK then it's overheating is most likely due to an internal failure… though it would be unusual, they're extremely reliable.
I'd jump at red98's offer, substitution is the easiest way to prove whether the ignition box is the culprit.

....yes fazerider if i dont get anywhere with re,doing the connectors i think i will take up pauls offer?...what is bothering me now is, has  all this high temp going through the box done damage long term?...and yes it is odd the engine running normaly isnt it?.....like i said previously today ime goin right through it!!..thanks for your input

[red98]

morning clive....offer still stands,just let me know 

[CRH]

morning clive....offer still stands,just let me know 

....morning paul!..thanks for that matey i will let u know the verdict later?.....or will i? ....

[CRH]

ok, chkd over all visible connectors ,parted them sprayed with wd40 all good and all looking like new?..although its a 2002 bike its only clocked up 6500 miles and was told before i had it ,it hadnt seen rain or ever been jet washed!!....and on closer inspection i would say he was being truthful?...the only thing i did find where several wires scattered around the loom not doing anything ..all chkd out dead!!...think he had a alarm removed at some point .....took out the ecu no cracks or any smells of burning etc!!...plug again in good condition but gave it the wd40 anyway!!...basically every plug and part i came across where in as new condition!!..(not as this helps me much}...there was a little bit of green" around the starter solinoid where the live bolts on so stripped that and cleaned it!..battery connections clean and tight!..fuses and holders clean and good!...anyway thats as far as i got today!..in the morning going to take off the faring and check all wiring around and see if anything shows up there!!

[ade the blade]

no no no.......ecu hot means one thing and one thing only.......that side is cooked !! now get a spatula and flip it over before it gets cremated ya bozo ! oh and hello big Clive....hows ya bits? 

[CRH]

no no no.......ecu hot means one thing and one thing only.......that side is cooked !! now get a spatula and flip it over before it gets cremated ya bozo ! oh and hello big Clive....hows ya bits? 

....ade!!...where ya bin ya wizard ......good t hear from you!...so you think its grilled then?..pauls got a spare for me to try so think ile be takin up his offer? ....what you been up to then matey?...not heard owt from you in weeks!!....we miss the crazey banter mate dont leave it so long next time?....oh and morris? love ya new add!! ......that horse reminds me of me ex!!...she allways had a...long face" ..

[red98]

whooooooooopppppdooooooooo.........morris is back,bike problems,silly posts.........aaaarrrrrr just like the good old days 

[unfazed]

A piece of advice, do not replace the ECU with a known good one if you have not determined the reason for the problem. If there is a wiring fault you will end up with 2 blown ECUs. It would be best to try the possible faulty one in a working bike first.
It may not necessarily be a short circuit in the wiring, it could just as easily be a bad earth and the ECU trying to find another way to earth.
 

[CRH]

A piece of advice, do not replace the ECU with a known good one if you have not determined the reason for the problem. If there is a wiring fault you will end up with 2 blown ECUs. It would be best to try the possible faulty one in a working bike first.
It may not necessarily be a short circuit in the wiring, it could just as easily be a bad earth and the ECU trying to find another way to earth.
 

....yes thanks for that unfazed ....like fazerider said ecu" are normaly very reliable and rarely go wrong!!..not given up checking over the wiring yet and today taking faring off to chk front end?..like you say mabe a bad earth?..red98 as got a spare i can try but like you say.no point just swapping it just t fk that one up!!

[red98]

  .....yep....have a good poke around and see what you find 

[CRH]

well after several hours of poking about the wiring and connectors etc,..think i may have come across the problem?..the kill switch will not budge ...and after having me snout up to it,smells like its been burning!!...now i would imagine that there be a link to the ecu somewhere along the miles of wiring, so could this be my problem??? .....is it shorting it out somehow?..being the reason why its starting to cook!!!...any ideas?

[midden]

does red have a spare switch unit is the question .............
or can you bypass the switch altogether as a temp measure

[CRH]

does red have a spare switch unit is the question .............
or can you bypass the switch altogether as a temp measure

....mabe yes?..i will have a look later and take it appart!! had a hospital app, so had t drop off it for a while!...but its well and truly fkd!!..and defo been hot you can smell it ...i will ask reds m/c parts store if he has one in stock!! ....think this may be the start of my trouble?

[Fazerider]

I'd be surprised if it's the source of the problem.
The current through the kill switch is normally not very large, it supplies 12v to the coils and the ignition cut-out relay. A fault with it could cause the sparks to die, but I can't think how it would make the ignition unit overheat. It's possibly an indication of the route that the excess current is taking though, do the coils get hot too? Of course, if one coil gets hot and the other doesn't, that could be the cause of the problem, though it's usual to have a duff coil that still provides a decent spark. My money's still on the ignition unit.
The pong isn't really coming from the main light switch is it? That supplies a high current so slight contact resistance would easily result in overheating and a burning smell in the same area.

[CRH]

I'd be surprised if it's the source of the problem.
The current through the kill switch is normally not very large, it supplies 12v to the coils and the ignition cut-out relay. A fault with it could cause the sparks to die, but I can't think how it would make the ignition unit overheat. It's possibly an indication of the route that the excess current is taking though, do the coils get hot too? Of course, if one coil gets hot and the other doesn't, that could be the cause of the problem, though it's usual to have a duff coil that still provides a decent spark. My money's still on the ignition unit.
The pong isn't really coming from the main light switch is it? That supplies a high current so slight contact resistance would easily result in overheating and a burning smell in the same area.

...mmmm?..see what you mean there fazerider!..going to strip the unit down later and will have a close look at it?..also i will chk on the coils! ...thanks for that!

[unfazed]

Since the kill switch wiring and lights wiring are in the same switch unit and folow the same route to the loom it is possible that damage to the wiring could be the cause of the problem. The current in the Kill Switch circuit is in mAmps, whereas the current in the lighiting circuit is in Amps and and connecting together of both circuits would have serious consequnces for the Kill Switch, Starter cut circuit and the ECU.
Follow the wiring back from the switch to the connector box under the tank to see if there is any problems of insulation wear or damage which could result in the two circuit coming together.

[red98]

hi clive,sorry mate got no spare switch gear........sounds like you getting closer to the problem    ...nothing too serious at the hospital i hope ...

[CRH]

hi clive,sorry mate got no spare switch gear........sounds like you getting closer to the problem    ...nothing too serious at the hospital i hope ...

.....hi paul, think the culprit as been found?...stripped the switchgear down tonight and its fkd!!..all melted together inside!!...looks like its the light switch that was at fault?..fazerider mentioned it earlier and it looks like he was spot on ...and i think ive found out why ....some twat previously" had put 100watt bulbs in the headlights ...and seeing i run with lights on all the time i think it as overloaded the switchgear and fried it?  didnt notice the other day but my headlights had packed up!! the switch itself was moving but not moving the inner bits!! they where toast!...so now ive got to sort out the mess and replace the unit and hopefully it should be ok? ...just a bit bothered about the ecu though? will it have done any long term damage or have i been lucky???....oh and it doesnt get much better?...just been scanned for prostrate cancer today!! got to go again tuesday for camera up me ..jackseye

[CRH]

unfazed it looks like you was right too?...looks like you said and the wiring had fazered together ....cant find anything else wrong so think we cracked it men ...thanks!

[Lumpy]

Wow. It'll be fuse 2 playing up. Had that on mine. Plus fuse 3 gets hot and melts arond the terminals if 100w bulbs are used. Swap fuse 2 and try it, squeeze the terminals if it is loose

[red98]

hi clive........not a fan of these high watt bulbs got to put extra strain on the wiring etc....iam sure i dont have the switch gear but will still look through my spares mountain,i`ll be surprised if the ecu is focced as they are tough old things,as mentioned i have a spare that your welcome to but replacing the switch and checking the temp on the ecu will soon tell you...and give you peace of mind that you have found the fault rather than masking it..


i wish you well for tuesday,nhs gets lots of stick,but do a fantastic job,your in safe hands matey .......rather you than me though  [size=78%]   [/size]

[CRH]

thanks for that paul ....not one of my favourite places (spent 22months in one in 73)...bike hit me head on, on a bend and put me through a stone farmhouse wall.his front wheel hit my engine on rd250...trouble was my right foot was there ....he and a mate of mine following me wasnt as lucky though!! ....killed them both!!...police had been chasing him for several miles and where only feet behind him when he hit me!!!!......any way enuf of that shit!!....going to see if i can get it running later up to temp to see what that ecu,s doing...will let you know later!!

[red98]

bloody hell matey.......got to look after yourself you aint getting any younger  .....good luck with the test,will keep an eye on forum for results 

[CRH]

bloody hell matey.......got to look after yourself you aint getting any younger  .....good luck with the test,will keep an eye on forum for results 

....hey"...not only me thats getting older ....its ya BIRTHDAY..ya old git!!!! who would a thought it hey?.....71...yet in your pici ya only look in ya 60"S.........