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Message started by metalhead1982 on 04/09/15 at 09:46:49

Title: Electrical gremlin
Post by metalhead1982 on 04/09/15 at 09:46:49

Hey all,

I just picked up a used 1997 Savage with 15000 miles on it. I know to check the cam chain adjuster and I will be purchasing the yamaha petcock today. I have run across a strange bug. If I leave the kill switch on it will drain my battery overnight even with the key off and removed. It is not a big deal, I just have to remember to turn off the kill switch when I park the bike.

Rich

Title: Re: Electrical gremlin
Post by Dave on 04/09/15 at 09:48:01

Are you turning the key counterclockwise to turn it off?

Turning it clockwise leaves the tail light on.

Title: Re: Electrical gremlin
Post by metalhead1982 on 04/09/15 at 09:58:53

Yes. I am turning the key to "off" not "park".

Title: Re: Electrical gremlin
Post by Dave on 04/09/15 at 10:07:55

Well obviously something is not turning off when you turn the key to off....or your battery wouldn't drain. Both key positions do the exact same thing.....except that in park there is a connection to run the parking lights.

Here is a link to the wiring diagrams:
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1294779818

You can see that in the off position your switch is supposed to be completely open. You need to unplug your switch and use a volt/ohm meter to test the wires and make sure that in the "OFF" position no circuits are being closed (you should read an open circuit on all combinations of wires).

Title: Re: Electrical gremlin
Post by verslagen1 on 04/09/15 at 11:48:50

There are 2 components which have power to them all the time.
the starter relay and the decomp controller.
we have found before that the decomp controller can fill with water and fail potentially causing the starter to initiate in the middle of the night.
only thing around that is to pull the decomp controller. :-?

You said you throw the run/kill switch to eliminate the drain, there's several components connected there.

Title: Re: Electrical gremlin
Post by Dave on 04/09/15 at 13:31:42

Good point Verslagen....I didn't take into account that one of those two items could be involved.

I have looked at the wiring diagram a bit to understand how the engine "stop" switch might be affecting those two items....and it is not really obvious.

The engine stop switch doesn't appear to be involved with the starter relay at all....and I can't see how it is involved with the decompression controller.

The engine stop switch appears to interrupt a circuit that is connected to the side stand relay, and the side stand diode. The side stand relay kills the power to the coil when either the side stand is down or the stop switch is activated.

If the side stand relay is bad......or the side stand diode is bad it might run the battery down with the stop switch in the run position.

I have a side stand diode and relay I can mail to you if you want to try replacing them. (I just want $ 6.00 to cover the cost of a small flat rate box).

Title: Re: Electrical gremlin
Post by metalhead1982 on 04/10/15 at 14:27:56

Thanks for the help guys. I have only had this bike since last Saturday and I just wondered if anyone had seen that before. I think the Previous Owner must have done something else to drain the battery. I took apart the handlebar controls and connected my meter across the kill switch. With the key off, there is no current going through the kill switch in either position.

Thanks again.