[blusmith]

1985 GL400 A barn find that hada burnt out alternator and the IGNTN switch was bad and previous owner had bypassed it .Bike had not run since 1994. I have stripped bike and engine and rebuilt it completely and have got a spark and engine will turn over I have replaced the stator the regulator/rectifier ,the diode and the ignition switch The beast still draws 0.2 Amps with everything off and 5.4 A when the ignition is on The current drain is thru the black wire and remains even when I pull all the fuses out . Any help out there for the desperate ?? Chris

 

[CXPHREAK]

Trace the black wire.

Start at the back where there are less items plugged into it.

Disconnect one connector at a time on/from the black wire until the draw disappears and you'll be halfway to finding the culprit.

Someone with better electrical knowledge can tell you if the switch 'off' .2 amp draw is significant but the 5.4 amp draw sounds like it is.

If I have ohms law right {and I may not} the 5.4 amp draw would correspond to a 60 - 65 watt draw. Headlight not on?

Ignition coils perhaps. Though the draw would be abnormal at a guess.

What resistance do you get between the black wire and ground? High resistance short?

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Which flavour of GL400 is it? I'm pretty sure they weren't made for the '85 model year so that's probably the year first registered (which is meaningless).
Please post some pics of it so that we can help you figure out what it actually is.

Early models had the Capacitor Discharge Ignition (CDI), which is powered by special windings in the stator that aren't connected to the charging system but later ones have Transistor amplifier Ignition (TI), which is powered by the charging system.
If this is a TI model the only fuse between the ignition system and the battery is the main fuse on the side of the solenoid so it will draw a few amps when the keyswitch is turned on. even with all of the fuses on the handlebars removed.

Silly question: Are you turning the keyswitch to Off or Park? In the Park position the tail light is on and that could draw about 0.2A...

 

[brinkcx]

draws 0.2 Amps with everything off and 5.4 A when the ignition is on

The black wire should be isolated from the battery voltage if the ignition switch is in the OFF position and 12v current leaks impossible. If your wiring and ign.switch is OK and you still see voltage or current on black wires (measured exactly where?) the only place it can come from is the regulator where black is still connected and 12V power is still present from the battery . The regulator uses that connection to sense the actual onboard voltage but should not supply current to it.

Verify by disconnecting the connector containing the black wire at the regulator end. Leave the 3x yellow connector connected, should not make any difference but pull if in doubt. If your current now disappears there is your problem.

(If you have a non-standard regulator with no voltage sensing input the black wire should be disconnected and isolated at the regulator end)

 

[blusmith]

Thanks everyone for the expert advice The bike is TI not CDI and is probably a 1982 model- first registered here in NZ in 1985 -my mistake I have removed the loom and found some amateurish splicing on the black wire The :Brown wire at the ignition terminal block have zero resistance to earth and I think my problem lies in the instrument cluster .: Oil lamp and indicator lamps and Main Beam warning lights work OK but IGNTN and Neutral are not working at all . Does anyone know what there wire gadget inside the speedo is for -- It is supplied by Green: Black/Brown and Red /Brown wires?? I will send photos soon. At the outset the bikes condition was deplorable so I have no useful photos as yet Chris

 

[reclinedrelic]

It sounds like it might be the 7 volt regulator except for the red/brown wire.