Electrical confusion

[zedhead]

Okay, so after its winter rest, I went to fire up my Curvy...
Nothing from the starter button. At all. Side panel off, spanner across the starter solenoid contacts, spins over and actually fires up and runs okay-ish. Certainly fine once warm, ticks over nice. Bingo.
But, when warming it up, noticed that the horn didn't work, neither did the headlights, dip or high, although the sidelight worked...
And then, after being warmed, it was turned off and starter button dead once more. No real surprise there.
I've tried testing the switchgear, all seems fine on that front, apart from some swearing at the crap multimeter.
Horn taken off and checked wiring, that works, so horn tried directly on the battery, nothing, so that's dead and needs replacing.
Checked all fuses, and bulbs seem fine. Connector blocks from switchgear disconnected and some water ran out, either from the cable cover or the blocks themselves, cleaned up and looked okay though. More bodywork (is faired one see) taken off, and headlights dropped out, seems that it's been in a smash at some point as the back of the lights is missing a lot of plastic. new one ordered from ebay...
But back to the real issue. Nothing on the starter button, nothing on lights, although the rear light works.
Dunno what to check next...

[zedhead]

Oh yeah, it's been stood outside all winter, and was fine when it was parked up at the end of October... Might be a clue there?

[Corny Gizmo]

Have you checked the front right connector block (Usually above the right headlight, behind the front plastics)

I had some problems with my headlights on my old curvy, that connector block was the culprit.

Have you checked the simple things like the side stand switch and the clutch switch? unsure if it would start when shorting the solenoid if the safety switches were broke but maybe worth a try.

[zedhead]

Yep, checked both connector blocks from both switchgear, seem to be okay.
Also, I removed the broken headlight casing, and replugged the bulbs back in to the loom, so I coauld carry on checking things, and now the lights work! Although the 'flash' button on left bar doesn't do anything... I really hate electrics...

[zedhead]

Checked the clutch switch, that seems fine, but not checked s'stand switch yet, simply because I';m stuck for room on the left hand side of the bike. Going to move it and check that next...

[zedhead]

Stripped RH switchgear, cleaned up contacts for starter, and the starter works!
Cleaned contacts for the light switch too, and then stripped LH side switch, albeit with more swearing thanks tm, dropped screws, spring and little plastic spacer thing. Couldn't find any of them but found a spare set of switches so cannabalised that for screw & spring. Lights now work, although the choke lever doesn't stay put thanks to the lost plastic piece...

[zedhead]

And, after two weeks, the starter switch has stopped working again... Aargh.

[Bibio]

get yourself some contact cleaner and or grease then take the switchgear off squirt the stuff in the offending location and jiggle the switch a few times then squirt more. test the switch and if working the put the switchgear back on. if not working then more investigation is required. i dont know about the curvy but i do know that the pointy has negative termination blocks on the loom that the jumpers corrode and give up causing all sorts of headaches.

[zedhead]

Switchgear checked over, again, all all seemed good but no success with the starter... Thought I'd check the clutch switch again, just in case despite it being fine before. lo and behold, that was the issue! And, with the bypassed, all of a sudden the horn decided that it was time that it started working as well!

[Bibio]

to me that suggests a fault in the wiring as both are on the same switchgear sub loom so messing with one has resulted in disturbing the other. if you have not already check the main connector for the switchgear for the contacts furring up.