New project 1986 FZ600

[Gary in NJ]

When you clear the intermittent headlight issue, you may also solve the tach issue as well.

 

[oldjeep]

When you clear the intermittent headlight issue, you may also solve the tach issue as well.

Maybe, but I doubt it. The gauge lights are always on, as they should be. I figure its either that the coil signal wire is bad or the tach is bad. The headlight issue seems to be the high low switch, but not 100% on that.

 

[oldjeep]

And on the other project - engine done. Will spray it when the weather warms up in a few months

 

[oldjeep]

The intermittent headlight thing was fun. Turns out that the start button interrupts the headlights - at a different press depth than the starter engages. The starter button was sticking part way in - enough to disable the headlights but not enough to fire the starter. Next need to trace the tach wiring and try to determine if it is a signal issue or if the gauge is just bad.

 

[Motogiro]

The intermittent headlight thing was fun. Turns out that the start button interrupts the headlights - at a different press depth than the starter engages. The starter button was sticking part way in - enough to disable the headlights but not enough to fire the starter. Next need to trace the tach wiring and try to determine if it is a signal issue or if the gauge is just bad.

My SV1000s kills the headlights on starter press. I never investigated the circuit but imagined the headlights were unloaded using a relay to open the headlight feed or ground during starter operation.

That's what I really like about this forum and the enthusiasts. I'm always learning.

 

[gnyce]

The intermittent headlight thing was fun. Turns out that the start button interrupts the headlights - at a different press depth than the starter engages. The starter button was sticking part way in - enough to disable the headlights but not enough to fire the starter. Next need to trace the tach wiring and try to determine if it is a signal issue or if the gauge is just bad.

Holy Cow!! I think you just identified an issue that I was having with my '87 FZR1000. I would start it up, but have no headlights. Figured out if I wiggled the starter button up/down with my thumb, the headlights would come back on. This went out for several times during the winter - I never took it apart - but then suddenly it stopped being an issue (all I did was shoot down some air from my compressor, which did not immediately affect it) - "fixed itself". But I was curious as to why the headlights were in-line with the starter. Thanks man!

 

[tuning-forks]

In the olden times automotive, they used to put a ballast resistor in series with the coil, and bypass it when the ignition switch was in 'start' position. Sort of similar purpose. You want all the juice you can get when cranking the engine.

 

[Motogiro]

In the olden times automotive, they used to put a ballast resistor in series with the coil, and bypass it when the ignition switch was in 'start' position. Sort of similar purpose. You want all the juice you can get when cranking the engine.

Old farts can still see that hi wattage, wire wound, ceramic encased resistor, mounted on a firewall! When the starter was engaged that resistor was bypassed, adding current/voltage during the start cycle. When that starter is engaged there is a voltage drop. To compensate they designed the circuit to run normally through that resistor and during crank they gave it a boost.
On the FZ6 there is a relay. The computer grounds the relay once the computer sees the engine has started. This catches many when working on a headlight issue. So you start the engine and hit the kill switch leaving the key in the on position.
In automotive you see unloader relays that disconnect circuits that are not needed during the crank cycle which additionally protects sensitive devices from the spike that the starter can produce.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Chryslers and Dodges were notorious for that ballast going bad....

.

 

[oldjeep]

In the olden times automotive, they used to put a ballast resistor in series with the coil, and bypass it when the ignition switch was in 'start' position. Sort of similar purpose. You want all the juice you can get when cranking the engine.

Yup ripped a lot of those out of old(er) cars when doing HEI conversions

 

[oldjeep]

In terms of the tach - couldn't find anything wrong so I spent $20 on ebay to buy another one. Hopefully that one works, if not then I'll scab a wire between the CDI box and the tach to see if there is just a break somewhere in the wire. In the meantime I have been patching together the old fairings with some epoxy and fiberglass cloth. If I was planning on keeping it, I'd just send off for a full new set of fiberglass fairings and have them painted - but this bike is just a winter project. Not going for perfect, or even nice - just better than when I got it

 

[oldjeep]

Got the replacement (used) ebay tach today and it sorta verifies that the wiring on the bike is OK. Except that the tach is really lazy. If you hold the rpms long enough it'll catch up, but we're talking like 10 seconds. So - given that. Going to see if I can figure out how to take apart the bad one first and see if one or both just need a little lube - or if I need to find another.

 

[oldjeep]

3rd ebay tach was the charm - finally got a good one. Took it out for first ride today
1) Running pretty rich
2) If I am running on the normal petcock setting it runs out of fuel - setting on Prime works fine. I had rebuilt it with new seals, so maybe a vac issue.
3) shift lever is definitely bent in and too high, even with my ADV boots on
4) Shifts great, revs to 10K easily
5) Some sort of clunky noise at idle - lower end or clutch. The way it feels at 10K - hard to believe it is a rod, but who knows.
6) Fuel guage is non-op, pretty sure it is just the sender.
7) brakes need to be bled again. Everything is new/rebuilt - feels like a little air in lines

All in all pretty decent for a first run on a bike that hasn't run since who knows when

 

[Gary in NJ]

It’s always good to get ‘em on the road…even when there are some flaws. The bladder in the petcock is damaged, that’s why it will run on prime as that bypasses the vacuum. If you can’t find a rebuild kit you can use a Yamaha Raptor on/off/res petcock. Be sure to use a genuine Yamaha part (the aftermarket ones don’t flow enough for a 600) and also be sure to block off the vacuum port on the carb bank.

 

[tuning-forks]

He said he had rebuilt the petcock. I ran into this issue a couple times with my KZ, for me it was always the vacuum line to the petcock getting cracked/leaky.

 

[oldjeep]

Yeah - I had put a kit in the petcock. Vac line seems reasonable, I don't think I replaced that since it "seemed" OK. I generally hate this type of petcock.
Yesterday got the brakes bled out more - seem great now.
Shift lever bent back out to a more reasonable position (was pretty worried about snapping it).
Got a fuel level sender coming that might work - part for the FZ600 is not available, but other Yamahas have the same mount pattern - just the arm is different.

Put it up on CL for sale yesterday since this is when folks start thinking about buying in MN. Will continue to put a few miles on and touch up any issues I find - but this winter project is pretty close to done.

 

[oldjeep]

And it was sold today. Would have liked to put a few more miles on it, but underestimated how fast it would sell.

 

[Gary in NJ]

On to the next

 

[oldjeep]

On to the next

Yup - time to get some of this sent off to the media blaster, before figuring what all needs to go to the paint guy.