Washed my bike, now it wont start

[EazyDuz]

Ive always thought that using a pressure washer is a big no no, so ive always used a normal hose on the cone setting, today no different.
Usually when I go to start the bike and turn ignition on the following happens:

1. LCD illuminates and shows mileage or 'CHEC' if im in gear or side stand is down
2. Fuel pump goes click click click until primed
3. Engine starts

However since washing the bike the following happens:

1. LCD BACKLIGHT illuminates but the display is blank
2. Neutral light illuminates when in neutral, no other lights illuminate (usually the FI/check engine light is red until the bike is started)
3. Headlight, horn, signals work, starter works
4. Bike wont start. No priming sound from the fuel pump

As I was cleaning the wheels I could hear an intermittent slight hissing sound periodically, near the battery. I figured it was just some kind of engine vent due to the slight changes in temperature.

All ive done so far is remove the battery terminals which made the hissing sound stop, then lost all daylight to diagnose.

Any ideas? I googled the problem for my particular bike and i could only find one other guy who had similar symptoms and turned out to be a popped fuse for the fuel pump. Seems odd that would make the LCD display blank though?

Bike is a suzuki c800 fuel injected model or Suzuki Boulevard C50 in the states.

I feel like an idiot but id assume all bikes could handle a hose on cone setting, thats about the same as a torrential rain storm and you would expect the bike to be able to deal with that.

My thoughts are it cant be the clutch switch or side stand switch because as I said before, if either of those are in effect the LCD shows 'CHEC', until you pull the clutch in and raise the side stand

[scorcher]

Kill switch?

[Whatsmyname]

Have you flooded it?

[ash reynolds]

Have you looked under the seat to see if the ECM got wet at all?

[EazyDuz]

ash reynolds said:

Have you looked under the seat to see if the ECM got wet at all?

Not sure where the ECU is on my bike. Minimal evidence of water near the battery, the main fuse box has a cover on it and again doesnt look too wet at all.
There are various plugs behind the body coloured side trim plastics which dont look particularly water proof and i heard the sizzling near that area but couldnt pinpoint where exactly.
The bike doesnt even have an immobiliser so worst comes to worst I hope a new ECU wont cost too much if thats the case

[Ed.]

Hissing from the battery, could it be a short circuit? Have you checked the voltage, do you have a spare you could try in its place?

[lukeyman]

Stick it in a big bowl of rice!

[Ryan-nunm9]

I had this a couole of times with my K1300R either after a wash of ride in the rain. Quick fix was some WD40 and then later on ACF50 squirted I’m behind the starter/kill switch. Long term was new switch gear.

[EazyDuz]

To update:

1. Its not kickstand, clutch or kill switch. They're all working as they should.
2. Found ECM, opened it up, bone dry as were the connections
3. Replaced all fuses
4. Opened headlight bowl, disconnected all plugs, sprayed with WD40, reattached
5. As above but every other plug I could get my hands on
6. Attempted jump start with car batt, didnt work but im not fully convinced because the croc clips were rusty and I connected it to the bikes battery, not directly to the bikes cables.
7. Cleaned and regreased battery terminals and main ground point
8. Removed instrument cluster and cleaned plug behind it

No dice. Im thinking its either the rectifier, ECU (doubtful) or the battery itself.
Tomorrow im taking the tank off and digging around.

I turned the ignition on about 50 times today and in JUST ONE of those times, the instrument cluster woke up to flash the FI light. Turned it off and ever since i've been unable to wake it up again.
Very, very odd.

[sc0tt]

Whatsmyname said:

Have you flooded it?

ISWYDT

[scarble]

Is it maybe something in the clocks/switchgear?
If the starter button or key switch are broken it won't start, right?
Unfortunately if it has a faulty/unpowered immobiliser receiver you won't be able to bump start it.

[EazyDuz]

fkING YES! fking found the problem.
Had the tank off, removed and cleaned every coupler, inspected the rectifier.
Then I looked behind the fuse box, noticed one red wire was snapped. Figured they do that at the factory because it looked like it was feeding into one of the two 'spare fuse' holders in the box, so obviously doesnt connect to anything.
Thats when I sliced and peeled back the main harness just to be sure, funnily enough a broken red wire is inside.
I was so, so close to giving up, but i figured I may as well bridge the wire with some speaker wire and see if the entire bike ignites itself.
Sure enough, flicked it on, WEEEEEEEEEEE pump kicks in, dash showing that lovely mileage display.
So fking pleased Ive spent 2 1/2 days troubleshooting the stupid thing and Im really proud of myself for finding it since im useless with electrics.
Thanks everyone for your help, here it is:





Still no idea why it had snapped, the others look fine. Sounds silly but could a mouse or rat have done it? I packed it away in the garage in November, pulled it out, fired it up to change the oil the other day, put it back, then it wouldnt start. My theory is it was connected by a literal thread, hence the hissing/fizzing sounds, then completely came apart. Im curious why it didnt blow a fuse though.

To add im pissed I spent 2 1/2 days troubleshooting, but I guess on the plus side ive waterproofed every coupler and learned a little bit about my bike.
All my fingers are sore from fking about with 14 year old electrical connectors (which most have probably never been undone) and undoing bolts. Even got to enjoy a shot of petrol when I siphoned it out of the tank with a bit of old hose pipe (all i had). Now every panel is covered in oily finger prints so back to washing it again tomorrow.
Behind the fuse box was literally the last place I looked and I was in 2 minds whether to even bother, I had accepted defeat at that point, so I was so ecstatic when it fired up.

[scarble]

Woohoo, good job finding that. I'm sure 90% of electrical issues are just iffy wiring.
Suspect someone had spliced in some accessory at some point and badly removed it. Had my brake light stop working because someone had a top box with a light on the bike but kept it when they sold the bike, left the splice wrapped in electrical tape. Shattered a socket trying to get the luggage rack off, had to bend the tail plastic around the rack to get it off.

Edited by scarble on Saturday 23 February 21:55

[EazyDuz]

scarble said:

Woohoo, good job finding that. I'm sure 90% of electrical issues are just iffy wiring.
Suspect someone had spliced in some accessory at some point and badly removed it. Had my brake light stop working because someone had a top box with a light on the bike but kept it when they sold the bike, left the splice wrapped in electrical tape. Shattered a socket trying to get the luggage rack off, had to bend the tail plastic around the rack to get it off.

Edited by scarble on Saturday 23 February 21:55

Couldnt have man. All the wiring and insulation looked completely standard. We do get mice in the garage and all those wires are very low to the ground so I think that makes the most sense. Zero evidence of solder or any kind of bodged job with electrical tape either.
Just happy I finally found it.
Electrical gremlins are the absolute worst though thats for sure

[bimsb6]

scarble said:

Woohoo, good job finding that. I'm sure 90% of electrical issues are just iffy wiring.

Edited by scarble on Saturday 23 February 21:55

I’ll just leave that there for posterity! , well done op perseverance paid off , next week it’s a full restoration on something (thats how these things start ) .

[Ed.]

Congratulations, hopefully battery is ok. When my rectifier went out was putting out 17volts to make the battery hiss.