Electrical failure - 950 2005 dead...

[tembaine]

Then...
Some clues.
KTM LC8 950 2005 with 71000km

Completely unmount the two engine covers, left and right, to make a little "work": o-ring seal oil vapor (or whatever his name), complete overhaul water pump, clutch disks replacement, oil change, filters and so on .

I close everything, fill cooling liquid and oil, I assemble the tank and left the ignition on.
Engine staring. Fuel pump ok and satisfaction in the small garage...

But ...

at some point (say after a minute and a half, two minutes ... a mark of the dashboard) the speedo starts shooting numbers with no apparent sense.
After 10 seconds the bike died.

I turn the key to raising the current.
The battery is ok, quick start up on the cockpit, but the fuel pump will not pump and the power button is dead ...

I check the ignition fuse, which is ok, and that the starter relay is ok too. Changed both a safety precaution.

What the hell can that be??

awaiting your very welcome enlightenment.

Thanks

AndRe (aka Tembaine)

[rinho]

The weird (too me) is the speedo shooting numbers... but you can first look at the ignition key switch
(had a trouble after 2 weeks in Moab, quiet the same, bike died without notice and everything was ok but the starter, same as if the kill switch was Off)
There's a easy way to shortcut the ign key, I've been say... I guess it's about doing a shortcut from Acc1 or 2 to fuel pump and Ignition, but I did not find yet (and did not had time to test it or even check the wiring diagram)... if your "search in english" skill is better than mine, you may find it quicker than me

[AdvGa]

Here is a couple of links for Diagnosis of this type of problem:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...5&postcount=10

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...03&postcount=2

[tembaine]

Originally Posted by AdvGa

Here is a couple of links for Diagnosis of this type of problem:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...5&postcount=10

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...03&postcount=2

Great!

Following your suggestion, I've found many (I'll send in this forum the pics) cables with the outer protection worn out and in one case, not far from the ignition relay, one wire completely cutted...

Thanks for the suggestions!!!

RGDS

Andre

[AdvGa]

Originally Posted by tembaine

Great!

Following your suggestion, I've found many (I'll send in this forum the pics) cables with the outer protection worn out and in one case, not far from the ignition relay, one wire completely cutted...

Thanks for the suggestions!!!

RGDS

Andre

Glad to hear you found those culprits and glad to help!

[bdefen]

Riding home alone from Moscow Sun Oct 7 at 3:30 PM, I stopped briefly to have a snack, and check in with home. I was about 100 miles away from Boise where Indian Valley road meets US 95 just south of Council. Just off the highway. Bike was running great, no issues or warnings whatsoever.

Went to start the bike, turned on the key, the lights all came on for a half-second, and then all was dead - no fire. My GPS beeped saying it was no longer getting power from the battery.

Checked fuses - all ok, including the big one for the starter relay down low right side. With my crashbars in the way, it would take a half hour or so to even get to the battery box for a check, so I opted to call home and have my wife bring the pickup to retrieve me. It seemed wiser to make sure she could find me before dark, than to spend an hour trying to fix it.
Bless her heart she showed up about 6:30 - we were back home at 9:30.

During the week, I checked lots of threads lately to see what it could be, and how I'd find and fix whatever I encountered. The battery was flowing nearly 13 volts, but I couldn't get the ignition/lights/instruments to fire up. Ignition switch failure? A very weak battery? Broken wire somewhere? What?

This past Saturday, I began the diagnosis. Was able to jump start the bike using my car's battery. I have a remote jump start terminal under the seat. The bike fired up, and idled fine, but would die when I disconnected it from the car battery..

Got the crashbars off, opened up the lower case and the battery box --
the negative battery connection was loose - barely finger tight. I had installed a new battery late 2010, and foolishly ignored checking the connections as part of my regular fall/winter/spring preventive maintenance.

Tightening the negative post connection, and she lit right up, and started easily. I removed the battery, thoroughly cleaned every connection. I had Batteries Plus check the battery. They said it's good, and has at least another year of life. Got it all back together. It's fine. That bad connection would flow enough power to show on the meter, but couldn't flow enough current to power the ignition/lights/instruments circuit, or keep the bike running. The bike runs off the battery. The alternator keeps the battery charged.

One of the threads I read this past week mentioned that a loose negative battery connection can cause a blackout. I could have fixed this out on the roadside, and ridden in. I was a little panicky.

I've had the bike five years, and have been good about maintenance. Never any major issue in the field. This was the first time I needed a rescue in seven years +40,000 miles of riding. This was a big goof on my part. CHECK THE BATTERY CONNECTIONS WHENEVER YOU HAVE THAT LOWER PAN DOWN FOR OIL CHANGES, ETC.

[fredN4]

Originally Posted by bdefen

Riding home alone from Moscow Sun Oct 7 at 3:30 PM, I stopped briefly to have a snack, and check in with home. I was about 100 miles away from Boise where Indian Valley road meets US 95 just south of Council. Just off the highway. Bike was running great, no issues or warnings whatsoever.

Went to start the bike, turned on the key, the lights all came on for a half-second, and then all was dead - no fire. My GPS beeped saying it was no longer getting power from the battery.

Checked fuses - all ok, including the big one for the starter relay down low right side. With my crashbars in the way, it would take a half hour or so to even get to the battery box for a check, so I opted to call home and have my wife bring the pickup to retrieve me. It seemed wiser to make sure she could find me before dark, than to spend an hour trying to fix it.
Bless her heart she showed up about 6:30 - we were back home at 9:30.

During the week, I checked lots of threads lately to see what it could be, and how I'd find and fix whatever I encountered. The battery was flowing nearly 13 volts, but I couldn't get the ignition/lights/instruments to fire up. Ignition switch failure? A very weak battery? Broken wire somewhere? What?

This past Saturday, I began the diagnosis. Was able to jump start the bike using my car's battery. I have a remote jump start terminal under the seat. The bike fired up, and idled fine, but would die when I disconnected it from the car battery..

Got the crashbars off, opened up the lower case and the battery box --
the negative battery connection was loose - barely finger tight. I had installed a new battery late 2010, and foolishly ignored checking the connections as part of my regular fall/winter/spring preventive maintenance.

Tightening the negative post connection, and she lit right up, and started easily. I removed the battery, thoroughly cleaned every connection. I had Batteries Plus check the battery. They said it's good, and has at least another year of life. Got it all back together. It's fine. That bad connection would flow enough power to show on the meter, but couldn't flow enough current to power the ignition/lights/instruments circuit, or keep the bike running. The bike runs off the battery. The alternator keeps the battery charged.

One of the threads I read this past week mentioned that a loose negative battery connection can cause a blackout. I could have fixed this out on the roadside, and ridden in. I was a little panicky.

I've had the bike five years, and have been good about maintenance. Never any major issue in the field. This was the first time I needed a rescue in seven years +40,000 miles of riding. This was a big goof on my part. CHECK THE BATTERY CONNECTIONS WHENEVER YOU HAVE THAT LOWER PAN DOWN FOR OIL CHANGES, ETC.

first time I've heard of a vehicle running off the battery and not the alternator. Otherwise how does a jump start work?
But I stand corrected.

[bdefen]

Originally Posted by fredN4

first time I've heard of a vehicle running off the battery and not the alternator. Otherwise how does a jump start work?
But I stand corrected.

I don't think I had a good ignition circuit connection via the loose negative battery connection. I've read that the battery powers the bike ignition, especiall at starting, and that the alternator charges the battery. I know that seems like the same thing, but if there isn't a complete circuit flowing through the battery, the bike won't run. The bike was running via my jump start battery, but when disconnected, the circuit was "opened" if you will.