85 Kawasaki KLT 160 Wiring Question

[SmilingBob]

Recently acquired a running 85 KLT 160. Wiring is a little squirrely. The run/off and light switch is inop, The run/off function is is currently controlled by a toggle switch mounted to the top of the headlight case. There is key switch mounted in the center of the rubber handle bar cover kinda like a KLT 185. Got zapped when I touched the handle bar, found a bare end on a Black/Yellow wire touching the bar. Previous owner wired around the key switch as he was missing the key. Wanting to square away the wiring and see if I can get the lights to work. Took a look at parts diagram for the KLT 160 on partzilla and don't see any kind of key switch listed. Looking at the wiring diagram I am curious as to what component is shown (in the red circle with the question mark), is this the key switch? It appears to have a ground symbol attached.

SmilingBob



SmilingBob

[350for350]

I don't know much about electrical things, but that is the symbol for a ground. You're right.

[SmilingBob]

Did a detailed inspection of the bike yesterday. Pulled the tank and un-taped the wiring harness sos I could trace the wires from the plug to the CDI unit forward. Also pulled the handle bar cover and the key switch attached to it. Found the item in the red circle to be a ring terminal for a frame ground. The key switch was a add on by a previous owner and not factory as the hole in the handle bar cover lacked the flats to keep the switch from turning when used. No wiring was present. Front of the wiring harness was hacked up presumably from an attempt to wire to the key switch. More to come as I get a chance.

SmilingBob

[SmilingBob]

Made some progress with getting the wiring squared away. As I mentioned earlier previous owner had mounted a toggle switch on the top of the headlight case. The way it was wired in it served as the Run/Stop switch. The Run/Stop switch on the handle bar was functional as well. Checked out the circuit for the light switch with my multimeter and found it had no connectivity when placed in the ON position. I believe the original purpose of the toggle switch was to control the lights. somewhere along the line it got hooked up in it's present configuration. Took the light switch apart and checked the connectivity of each lead and found them to be good. Cleaned crud off the contacts on the lights rocker switch with some contact cleaner spray, and that did the trick. Forward end of the Black/Yellow wire branches into a Y. One leg goes to the ring terminal for a frame ground, the other leg goes to a female double bullet connector that was missing on my bike. Male bullet connector on the Black/Yellow wire from the handle bar switch and head light plug into it. The leg that went to the frame ground had been cut and wired to the toggle switch leaving a stub of wire attached to the ring terminal. The leg with the missing end and went nowhere and a bare wire end. Splices consisted of twisting the wires together and sticking some electrical take over it. Spliced the ground leg back together with a butt connector. Making a Y adapter with two bullet connectors to splice to the end of other leg sos I can properly hook it to the handlebar switch and head light leads. Did away with the toggle switch.

SmilingBob

[SmilingBob]

Got the wiring squared away. Light switch has connectivity when switched on but head and tail light would not come on, checked the head light filaments and they were good. Tail light filament was broken. The bulb was a Stanley 67 12Volt 8Watt, picked up a Sylvania 67 long life bulb at Autozone $4.99 for a pack of two. Glass on the Sylvania bulb was slightly different shape but the base is the same and it's 12 volt 8 watt. Replaced the bad bulb and now I have working head and tail light. Evidently the lighting circuit was incomplete with a bad tail light bulb. Specs on the bulb say its rated life is 9600 hrs.

SmilingBob

[350for350]

Interesting about the head light/tail light issue. Glad to hear that you've got it working.

[rotch]

I too have a Klt 200 and the wiring is also squirly, its a 200c and i have a black and yellow wire with a ring on the end...think it may be coming off the cdi which is connected to the taillight according to the wiring diagram. Anyways i have no spark does anyone happen to know where the black and yellow wire is supposed to connect is it a ground or is it to be hooked up to the positive terminal? I have a headlight but no tail light. I really wanna get this thing running any help would be great!!