Wiring loom differences.

[rpo83]

I'll start from the beginning, i have posted in the introductions thread talking about some wiring problems, but i'll tell you all the full sad problem here.

I bought a Bimota YB5 which uses a FJ1200 engine, just after picking it up, the wiring loom shorted out to the frame, the loom is basically a FJ1200 loom with a few terminals cut and wires folded back into the loom that are not required on the Bimota.

Here is the start of the story....

[rpo83]

The wiring was a bit of a mess, so i spent a few hours cleaning and trying to fix the damage, once done, the bike started and ran, the headligh and dash lights worked, but no brake light, neutral light, tacho or clock.

I debated getting a custom loom made, but then luckily a guy is Australia has just built a YB5 as a race bike and sold me all the road stuff including loom and switchgear.

Today, i tried to swap the looms, it went pretty well, until i discovered a wiring difference near the fusebox location. The old loom had this relay, it looks factory, but my new loom doesn't have this, does anyone know what it is??

At the moment the white connector is unpopulated, but i now think it might be for the taillights, though it is the opposite sex than my original loom... My original tailight loom is the last pic..

[ribbert]

......but i'll tell you all the full sad problem here.....

I'll tell you all a sad story, I have an FJ1200 and it's not a Bimota YB5...........

"The full sad problem"?  Steve you have a mint, low mileage Bimota with a minor wiring hiccup, hardly a biggy. If you can't sort it out, an auto elec/mechanic could do it in no time flat. Those bike looms are very simple.

Re photos - A relay in itself is not significant, it is, as the name implies, a means of relaying full voltage to something and may well have been added in later (as we all do to our bikes). The answer lies in where the wires come from and go to.
I am reluctant to offer an opinion on the other photos as the wiring on this bike is no longer standard but the white connector is the same as the one from the fuel tank on a standard bike. You need to trace it out.

IMO

Noel

[PaulG]

In my amateur observations of your first set of pics, I see a lot of crimp connectors in there. They don't appear to be soldered with a lot of exposed copper, or have heat shrink tubing over them.  With all that exposed wiring it wouldn't be too long with the buzzy FJ causing a short in the system, especially where all these exposed connectors are bundled together.

How they jammed it between the frame and engine may not be the ideal location either. Form over function Italian style I suppose.

Wonder if the tech who rewired it was following the SOP, or it was a blurry eyed Monday morning and he/she just forgot what to do. 

Anyhow, hope your rewire goes smoothly. Would be neat to hear about a riding comparison between this and an FJ from the same era.

Good luck 

[rpo83]

......but i'll tell you all the full sad problem here.....

I'll tell you all a sad story, I have an FJ1200 and it's not a Bimota YB5...........

"The full sad problem"?  Steve you have a mint, low mileage Bimota with a minor wiring hiccup, hardly a biggy. If you can't sort it out, an auto elec/mechanic could do it in no time flat. Those bike looms are very simple.

Re photos - A relay in itself is not significant, it is, as the name implies, a means of relaying full voltage to something and may well have been added in later (as we all do to our bikes). The answer lies in where the wires come from and go to.
I am reluctant to offer an opinion on the other photos as the wiring on this bike is no longer standard but the white connector is the same as the one from the fuel tank on a standard bike. You need to trace it out.

IMO

Noel

Hi Noel,

that is a very sad story of yours

Yesterday was a bad day, and this difference was the last thing i needed at the end of the day, my hopes were high of starting the bike by the end of the day, so when i discovered the difference i decided to play it safe and ask some questions before connecting the battery... i was very lucky i didn't lose the bike with a fire when the short occured, so i'm a bit gun shy...

My fuel tank connector is a white 3 pin connector near the same location, so the white 6 pin plug must be the tail light connector. Once i have had a good look at it today, i'll connect up the battery and meter the connector.

Thanks for your comments.

[rpo83]

In my amateur observations of your first set of pics, I see a lot of crimp connectors in there. They don't appear to be soldered with a lot of exposed copper, or have heat shrink tubing over them.  With all that exposed wiring it wouldn't be too long with the buzzy FJ causing a short in the system, especially where all these exposed connectors are bundled together.

How they jammed it between the frame and engine may not be the ideal location either. Form over function Italian style I suppose.

Wonder if the tech who rewired it was following the SOP, or it was a blurry eyed Monday morning and he/she just forgot what to do. 

Anyhow, hope your rewire goes smoothly. Would be neat to hear about a riding comparison between this and an FJ from the same era.

Good luck 

Thanks Paul,

when i first removed the insulation and saw all the raw cable joins with ferules i was shocked, ther would have been 4 or 5 of them in a 300mm section of loom, no tape or heatshrink to be seen on any of them!!!

I consider myself extremely lucky that the bike didn't catch fire when the short happened....

Thanks for your comment.

[ribbert]

p

[rpo83]

Today has been a little more productive, i have simply decided not to worry about the connectors that have nothing to connect too. I double checked everything and carefully connected up the battery, no smoke so that was a good start.

I put the key in and turned the ignition on and right away the Neutral light came on.. The clock worked, it turned the lights on, yup all worked, so it was time to hit the starter...

She turned over but wouldn't start, there was fuel at the filters but it wouldn't start... Now, this just might be the carbs, as i fitted the carbs from the T-rex race bike as Rex told me he had it running and put it on his dyno before he stripped it for racing and they ran beautifully, where as mine were running very rich...

So i decided to get creative... I removed the fuel tank and sprayed small amounts of fuel into the carbs and hit the button, it stumbled but caught, it idled for a few seconds so the good news is that it sounds like i'm close to buttoning her back together.

After the excitement of her running the last thing to do was to check the 6 pin connector that i thought is for the tail lights.. So out with the trusty multi-meter and yes, lights, brake and indicators all identified. So all i need to do is modify the loom to suit the waterproof connector i have fitted to the lights and we're done..

I do like the access now that the airbox is out, the fj1200 airbox is almost impossible to access, to change the filter you have to remove the airbox, i think i'll buy some filter pods as this will allow me to re locate the rear brake fluid reservoir which will make removing the battery box much easier...

[Country Joe]

Good news! I like hearing about success!

[jscgdunn]

You can get those connectors from eastern beaver if you need them.

Jeff