Nothing happens when I turn the ignition key. Intermittently

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Butsam
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Nothing happens when I turn the ignition key. Intermittently

#1

Post by Butsam »

Last summer I tried to start my gl1000 76 and nothing happened. The battery was charged, the main fuse was good. I had replaced the original a while back. I assumed I had a bad ignition. The key felt funny like the insides of ignition was stripped. A few days later tried it again and it started no problem. A re-started it a couple of times no problem. I put it up for the winter. This spring same thing dead. Nothing happened when I turned key. So I ordered a new ignition switch. Replaced it this weekend. And nothing! Put battery on charger and it worked. Turned over etc. had battery checkout and it was bad so purchased a new battery. Installed cranked right up. Put everything back together. And tried to start. Nothing again. Checked the connections; large short cable to solenoid, connections from hot side of solenoid to ignition switch, took out switched check wiring. All look good. Connected red wire from solenoid directly to positive side of battery and all lights and accessories now work. Could I have a faulty short low gauge wire. The one that goes form positive to solenoid? Or does this sound like another type of problem. Ground?
Any ideas.

Thanks

Sam In Madison
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ritalz
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Re: Nothing happens when I turn the ignition key. Intermittently

#2

Post by ritalz »

First thing I would check is the main ground from the battery to the frame.
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Re: Nothing happens when I turn the ignition key. Intermittently

#3

Post by Rat »

Same reply .... slower typing ....

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Re: Nothing happens when I turn the ignition key. Intermittently

#4

Post by tlbranth »

Yes, the ground needs to be looked at. But I'm confused by your fix. The fat red wire SHOULD go directly from the solenoid to the battery. Would you explain exactly what you did?
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Re: Nothing happens when I turn the ignition key. Intermittently

#5

Post by pidjones »

I've been bit too many times by the connectors not having good continuity to the wires. So, lots of things to check here...
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: Nothing happens when I turn the ignition key. Intermittently

#6

Post by Sidecar Bob »

If connecting a wire between the hot side of the solenoid and the battery + made the lights come on the problem has to be either the cable that connects the battery and the solenoid or the connection where the cable is attached to either the battery or the solenoid.

NOTE: DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE AND MAKE SURE IT CANNOT COME IN CONTACT WITH THE BATTERY'S TERMINAL BEFORE PUTTING A WRENCH NEAR THE POSITIVE TERMINAL OR THE TERMINALS ON THE SOLENOID


When you replaced the battery did you tighten the bolt that attaches the cable snugly?

If the cable is attached tightly at the battery, the next thing to do is loosen the nut where the other end of the cable attaches to the solenoid, move the cable's lug back & forth under the nut and re-tighten the nut (this sometimes displaces oxidation that can prevent current from flowing).
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