Can somebody help me its the electrics on lifan lf125

[danieladam199...]

I know what everyones going to say before i post its your own fault for buying a Lifan but to be honest its normally a realiable bike.

when i bought the bike the electrics would all work off ignition setting before i started the engine and everything worked perfect then one night i went to start it up to ride home from work and nothing it was as if the battery was flat so it tried bump starting it and it started but the electrics will only run off the alternator. it will also start if you connect the terminals on top of the starter solenoid with a spanner.

when its running all the electrics will still only run off the alternator i have tried recharging the battery and a new battery still nothing changes this isn't a intermittent problem its a constant and its beginning to get on my tits.

if anyone can help it would be Hugely appreciated


cheers

Dan
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Dan

2010-2011 1986 - honda cb125rs, 2011-present 2004 - lifan lf 125

[bikenut]

:karma: hi dude,
so electric start works ok when solenoid starter terminals bridged
, bike runs on bump start with everything working.

so you come to start as normal. put key in and turn, no electrics?????

check fuses.

[danieladam199...]

yes but it only runs off the alternator i know this because when running things such as the lights only run very dimly until i rev the engine while i am reving they go brighter then when not reving they go dim once again

and yes as you said i turn the key nothing
____________________
Dan

2010-2011 1986 - honda cb125rs, 2011-present 2004 - lifan lf 125

[bikenut]

SO CHECK THE FUSE, over

[danieladam199...]

[bikenut]

:karma: so,

to recap, fuse ok and battery charged, put in key, turn on and the horn, flashers, stop light and side lights work? but eng will not start on electric start ( but does when solenoid bridged )?

yes, over......

[danieladam199...]

[bikenut]

dude,

no they used to, but nothing will work now unless the engine is running.

ok so bat ok fuse ok fault with ign switch possibly, you have multimeter?? and can do basic checks with it??

over

[danieladam199...]

[jjdugen]

Just had the same with a scooter. Check the kill switch connections and that the sidestand switch is working correctly. I had one connection come adrift in the kill switch, nothing would work as it supplied the power to (side) lighting and starter solenoid.
But I would also be looking at the connections between battery and main loom. There will be a thick (usually red) lead going to the starter motor, and a thinner one going to the ignition switch with a fuse in ine. From there it usually goes to the main loom and, as I say, on mine via the kill switch.
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[danieladam199...]

[Teflon-Mike]

Electrics are not black magic. They are very, VERY logical, and diagnosing faults MERELY takes a diligent, sytematic LOGICAL approach.

You dont have one.

You are darting around, poking and prodding hoping to find the problem by divination, or luck!

Now; back up; what is actually 'wrong'?

Bike wont start, right?

First check; is the battery charged? No? Charge it up... WHAT do we get?

I dont want to know whats happening when the engine is running, or to be told about the lamps.

Fully charged battery; on the bike. What works, what doesn't. START AT THE BEGINNING, dont rush down possible avenues and get confuddled.

Charged battery; key in ignition, switched 'on'. Does the Neutral Lamp come on? Does the side light work? Does the brake lamp work? BASICS. Check the systems and tell us what DOES and DOES not work as it should.

We know that bridging the solenoid turns the starter and the engine then catches and runs off its self exited ignition. This MAY be pointing us towards a duff regulator; or it could simply be a poor earth, or a faulty contact in the starter switch.

And, debugging electrical gremlins, easy to go chasing these 'suggestions'... DONT... nail down ALL the possibilities from the start point; by elimination; follow the logic, and do it dogmatically.

Charged battery, fresh on the wires, ignition 'on': what works, what doesn't?

Starter motor doesn't start 'on the button'.... so next test: by pass the switch;

>take a bit of wire - (I find a jump lead useful here; clip one end to battery + clip a nail in the other end) from battery + to the feed on the solenoid.
- If solenoid engages, fault lies in the switch or wiring from.
- If solenoid doesn't engage>
>Next Test - isolate the earth. reconnect solenoid feed; bypass earth with flying lead to battery -
- If solenoid engages, you have a dead earth.
- If solenoid doesn't engage>
>Next Test: Flying lead to + bypassing switch, AND Flying lead to - bypassing earth
- If solenoid engages, you have a dead earth, and dead feed: suggests fault in wiring loom.
- If solenoid doesn't engage: Then its something INSIDE the solenoid; The solenoid is jammed; the coil burned out; contacts dirty, or 'something'.
CURE: replace the solenoid... OR attempt to salvage it, opening the thing up.

THAT is the first chain' of logic to hammer out, and put right ONE known fault.

The OTHER faults; bike suspected of not charging, MAY actually be related. Common live rail in the harness, that connects the battery, regulator out-put and feeds the ignition switch to distribute it to the switches, OFTEN attaches at the solenoid permenant + terminal.....

If there is an internal short in the solenoid, then could be that has fried the solenoid, and is whats draining battery and soaking volts from the generator. Could be that the wire has simply come loose.

More suggestions; that you could easily go 'chase'; but DONT... follow the logic; be systematic; dont jump in half way through; Think like an idiot, be dumb, but diligent.

Start fault finding right at the top; battery charged, ignition on; WHAT DO I SEE? and list what works, what doesn't.

Get to the solenoid; follow de-bug tree offered nail it down.

DONT go chasing regulators or harness faults, or pulling the solenoid to bits on the 'probability'...

Its electrics, there are two states ON and OFF. it works, it Doesn't work. its dead simple, all you do is follow the logic systematically. And all WILL become clear.
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Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[danieladam199...]

[Teflon-Mike]

[danieladam199...]

nothing is working AT ALL (WITHOUT the engine running!), with a good charge holding battery,

so i will followthe instructions above and get back to you tomorrow


thanks for you help
____________________
Dan

2010-2011 1986 - honda cb125rs, 2011-present 2004 - lifan lf 125

[danieladam199...]

problem now solved

The wire thats attached to the fuse was split halfway down

thanks for all of your help
____________________
Dan

2010-2011 1986 - honda cb125rs, 2011-present 2004 - lifan lf 125