I'm having trouble with my 600SL Pantah.
A few weeks ago I turned on the key and the idiot lights came on. I hadn't started the bike but turned the headlights on. I don't know why, probably got mixed up and thought they were in the ON position and was turning them off as I normally do to aid starting. Anyway the bike blacked out completely.
Thinking the battery may have suddenly died I charged it up. When it didn't take a charge I bought a new Motobatt battery and fitted it.
Now when I turn the key on the lights come on for a split second then the lot goes dead. Nothing will make anything come on again for at least a few hours, it is only the first attempt where it lights up temporarily.
Any clues?
Pantah lights up then dead
Re: Pantah lights up then dead
A couple of weeks back there was a few of us on a ride.One of the blokes bikes just died at a traffic light.We had a quick look and found nothing obvious,just no charge.Finaly the owner shorted a couple of tools across the couple of days old Motobatt battery to find nothing.A sudden internal fault in a brand new expensive name brand battery.Just a quick tip to not rule out anything when chasing the green smoke.BTW toward the end of your post you imply the power comes back after a while?Have you wiggled the keys,that switch would do the same on my Pantah.It became progressively worse till I replaced it.And now and this is with my bike,who knows if its wired the same as yours.Anyway the new keyed switch's are different.Originally centre is all off,turn left powers the park position with a few lights on,power to one connection.Turn right is the starting and riding position.The new keyed switch's when turned right activate all the connections including the park connection.This means when you start the bike the tail light and park light are also turned on permanently.Its a pain in the arse but I am not redoing the wiring to adjust it to suit the keyed switch,I tried all the suppliers and thats all thats available.Ian Gowanlock even has a couple of hundred switch's made and they also arrived wrong. Bit long winded but thats
my story,try wiggling the keys and let us know?
my story,try wiggling the keys and let us know?
Re: Pantah lights up then dead
Turned out to be the key.
The three little tabs on the back were a tad loose allowing the plastic centre to move away from the top part of the switch.
Both little spring loaded contacts (ignition and park) had come out of their seats. When you turned the key on it connected the circuit at a point before the key clicked all the way but not at the full turn, giving the impression it was powering up then stopping.
When it is left off and the bike is moved around eg. putting it back in the shed very roughly out of frustration
the contact probably fell back into a position where it would complete the circuit next time the key was turned.
Tapping the tabs at the back of the switch in tighter fixed it.
The three little tabs on the back were a tad loose allowing the plastic centre to move away from the top part of the switch.
Both little spring loaded contacts (ignition and park) had come out of their seats. When you turned the key on it connected the circuit at a point before the key clicked all the way but not at the full turn, giving the impression it was powering up then stopping.
When it is left off and the bike is moved around eg. putting it back in the shed very roughly out of frustration
the contact probably fell back into a position where it would complete the circuit next time the key was turned.Tapping the tabs at the back of the switch in tighter fixed it.