Trike Help Needed

[drumdoctor]

Are there any trikers that live in or around the Tampa,Florida area?

I have a V8 trike that has a Chevy 350 engine and I need help with the wiring.

I have worked on it for over a week, but cannot find what is wrong.

So if any triker is good with wiring and knows about small block engines, please contact me.

Anybody want to help out a disabled Viet Nam vet?

Thank you in advance.

Mike---drumdoctor at live dot com---
40 Seven--95 Three--500 Seven

[wiredgeorge]

Thanks for your service. I was in 1972-75 (US Regular Army). I am not much on auto mechanics but am a bike mechanic and the electrical stuff should be pretty much same/same. Describe what type problem you are having and perhaps someone can help with suggestions or how to troubleshoot the issue. The basics of vehicle wiring should pretty much cross over.

[drumdoctor]

I was regular Army --1969--1971

I was removing the speedo cable and then tried to start the trike.

There was some smoke and the 8 guage power cable from the starter to the key switch melted.

I replaced that cable --but everytime I try to put the battery cables on, there is sparking.

Something has to be shorting out somewhere---I just cannot find it.

[Loner]

Wiring tends to meltdown first and foremost at the source of the problem. To me, it sounds like a starter/solenoid problem (since they are basically integrated on the Chevy). Try leaving the primary power post on the solenoid disconnected and run a jumper directly from the + post on the battery to the solenoid. If the sparks fly or something fries, my suspicion is confirmed. If not, I may be wrong - we keep looking.

If that test of the starter turns the starter as it should with no sparks, etc., then I'd check the engine turnover to make sure it is not overloading the starter (quite possible if the motor's been sitting for a while, or if it has been 'hopped up')..

If the overloading is the problem, then the starter is good and you will need to find the bind in the motor arena.

Keep us informed on your progress.

[tom w]

drove, built ,and circle track raced Chevrolet's for a number of years. and I agree.
starter is probley the source of your problem. jammed starter drive gear ? solenoid shorted ? in need of shims ? armature shorted ? lots of moving parts in there that could cause the problem. probley easiest way to check it all out is get another "working" starter and install it, see if the problem still exists.

[drumdoctor]

Loner,

You say to "disconnect the primary power post on the solenoid and run a jumper from the

+ post on the battery to the solenoid"

What will that show?

The +post on the battery runs directly to the starter, then back to the key switch.

This is exactly what you are telling me to do with the jumper.

Because the sparks are flying when I try to connect the battery, doesn't that show that there is a direct ground (a bare wire touching metal) going on somewhere?

When the power cable (8 gauge wire) going from the starter to the keyswitch melted,

I think that it also melted another wire in the "bundle" of wires and that wire is touching metal.

One of the previous owners drilled a hole in the floor (behind the dash) to run all the wires through.

He did not put any type of grommet or anything to prevent any wire from touching metal. There is just some electrical tape on the wires.

Plus the hole is too small and one of those guys, just crammed all those wires through.

I am going to label every wire, pull them out of the floor and run them through the firewall WTH an insulating grommet in it.

I'll keep you informed of my progress.

Thanks to all.

[rrunner]

My guess is the ignition switch shorted out. Try replacing it.