Bandit Alley

MODEL SPECIFIC => SUZUKI BANDIT 250 & 400 => Topic started by: tundrazach on December 13, 2008, 12:44:43 AM

Title: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 13, 2008, 12:44:43 AM: Just picked up my 1991 Bandit 400 today. But the thing is, it needs some work, ok, maybe a lot of work... The previous owner said it needs an ignitor. I pulled the tank off and checked the plugs today, no spark. I know the ignitor/cdi boxes run about 275, so i dont want to buy one if its not the problem. So i guess its time to start checking everything. Im just hoping its not the cdi box thats the problem.

Just thought id stop by and say Hi
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: gsxr400 racer on December 13, 2008, 12:49:38 PM: igniter / pick up coil 35.00
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: Chris H on December 13, 2008, 02:58:51 PM: He may of ment the ignitor interlock relay, its a little box mounted on the left hand side of the sub frame above/behind the helmet lock, they get a lot of water and the terminals can corrode.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 13, 2008, 05:10:24 PM: Quote from: Chris H on December 13, 2008, 02:58:51 PM
He may of ment the ignitor interlock relay, its a little box mounted on the left hand side of the sub frame above/behind the helmet lock, they get a lot of water and the terminals can corrode.

Is there any way you could take a picture of this area from the top with the seats off. I think someone has taken my bike down and then rebuilt it the more i look at it. The wiring seems to be a total mess, and the CDI box is zip-tied to the subframe.

Also, is there a way i can test this ignitor relay to see if it is faulty?

Thanks,
Zach
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: Chris H on December 14, 2008, 04:15:58 PM: Hi,
Carnt post picture as my VV model is different but if you try the link its got pictures,
under the heading ignitor is what i would call ths cdi and it mounts on the back mudgard under the rear seat then lower down the page under the heading side stand relay is what im calling the ignitor which if goosed will kill the bike, no sparks, nothing!

http://www1.synapse.ne.jp/s-hara/bandit/ban-spece.html

Can only tell you how to test it if you post a pic of the terminals on the ignitor as again VV is differnt and in the service manual they only show a picture with terminals marked as 1,2,3,4 so no colours!
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 14, 2008, 10:23:30 PM: I just tested the coils/plug caps, They were within the parameters of the service manual. I was getting about 3.4 for the taps and in the low 30s k. ohms for the caps.

But i have some even better news, i went to go check the signal generator, and i noticed there was tape wrapped around the wires. And i looked at the edge of the case, and one of the wires was broken. So i pulled the cover and unplugged it to remove it from the bike. I soon noticed that this wire has been repaired several times. Also, when i tried just bending the wire in one spot, the sheilding cracked :annoy: . So i dont know if i should even try to repair this wire. I am going to try and call around tomorrow and see if i can find a signal generator in good shape. This ought to be fun...........
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 15, 2008, 04:56:08 PM: I fixed the signal generator. still no spark :banghead: what should i do next??
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: gsxr400 racer on December 17, 2008, 03:13:03 PM: what the OHMS of it?
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 19, 2008, 01:56:11 AM: I had a local motorcycle shop check it out today, CDI box is toast, and the wiring is a joke (his words). I knew the wiring was bad, but he thinks that it will just cause endless problems. So he located a used harness and i will be putting that in along with a new CDI box i just got.
This winter project is really living up to its name :motorsmile:
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: gsxr400 racer on December 19, 2008, 12:24:59 PM: hopefully you did not get a cdi for a 1993 unless that is the year you have as it will not work proper
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 19, 2008, 12:57:16 PM: Nope, i made sure to get the one for 91-92 model. part number 32900-10D00
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tomacGTi on December 19, 2008, 03:08:28 PM: Jay, the spare CDI you sold me years ago was from a 93 and works fine. The redline just comes in way sooner at 13500 or something instead of 14.4.

Whether or not that's good or bad, I don't know but it does work and I know it'll get me home if mine craps out.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: gsxr400 racer on December 20, 2008, 11:37:14 AM: :duh: :motorsmile:
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 21, 2008, 12:43:17 AM: It seems like these 400's eat up these boxes. from a little research it looks like its a pretty common, and expensive, problem.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 22, 2008, 03:13:45 PM: ok, i put in the harness, got the new cdi black box in, and its still not starting :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

what to do?
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: pmackie on December 22, 2008, 04:38:54 PM: Start logically working your way through things:

1. Do you have any spark at any of the plugs?
2. Battery in good shape and fully charged?
3. You mentioned you tested the coils but do the Plug caps, coil wires, etc look good?
4. Sidestand switch, clutch switch and kill switch (if you bike has any of them) working?
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: Garyola on December 22, 2008, 05:34:59 PM: What pmakie said plus

-does it turn over?
if so-----------> even if you have spark the plugs may be shot. I found this little bike has no tolerance for even slightly fouled plugs.

Are the plug wires on the correct plugs?

Is the kill switch on? I know this sounds like a "hey, I'm not that stupid" question but it happens and more than some people like to admit. I pulled a bike apart one time because it wouldn't start just to find out it was the kill switch.

G
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 23, 2008, 01:25:57 PM: haha yep the kill switch is in the run position. But i did check it to see if it works. the bike will not turn over if kill switch is flipped to stop. But in run position, it turns over, quite strong too. but it never fires. and i dont think its just the plugs, because i pulled the boot of cyl 1 and put a small screw driver in it and held it very close to a metal part on the bike and i still didnt see a spark. now i think i may have flooded the bike, cause i went out there a few hours after i was working on it, and there was a puddle of gasoline on the floor.

I havent checked the other cylinders yet either. But the battery is good, i keep it on a battery tender. Also, when im trying to start it, i have the bike in neutral, which to my understanding bypasses the sidestand switch. I see in the service manual that it shows me how to inspect the diode, neutral switch, and side stand/ignition interlock relay. Hopefully i can find a solution to this soon. This is my first roadbike and I cannot wait to get it in the road.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 23, 2008, 07:25:48 PM: Is there supposed to be some sort of switch on the clutch lever? I was talking to a local bike shop, and he said to check the clutch switch. I looked under my clutch lever, and there are two mounting holes in a spot that looks like a switch or something goes there. Is there something that supposed to be there or does my bike just have some sort of universal lever or something.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 30, 2008, 12:20:27 AM: Can Anyone help with my question ^ ?

:thanks:
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: Banditmax on December 30, 2008, 06:23:13 AM: Ive never seen a 400 with a clutch switch.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tomacGTi on December 30, 2008, 10:14:32 AM: US bikes did have a clutch switch.

If you look in the manual you can trace the colors and the factory even allows you to bypass the switch (plug the wires into one another) for clutchless starts. All of the wires are in a bird's nest in the HL bucket.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 30, 2008, 12:02:54 PM: So if you do not pull the clutch, does it kill spark, or does it not let the engine turn over?

When i replaced the main harness, I dont remember seeing an empty plug in the headlight, but i guess ill open it up and look again.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tomacGTi on December 30, 2008, 12:22:09 PM: Won't let the engine turn over as in: hit button, nothing happens.

Find the wiring colors and just connect the two wires to bypass.
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: tundrazach on December 30, 2008, 01:07:37 PM: Well I guess the previous owner already did that. Cause the engine will turn over, its just not getting any spark. Everything seems to check out ok, i just cant find where the problem is
Title: Re: My First Bandit. But it needs some work.
Post by: gsxr400 racer on December 30, 2008, 06:25:48 PM: power to the coil wires? with the key on? whats the ohms of the pick up coil?