water temp light and ignition light

hi folks I'm pulling my hair out with this fault , the blue water temp and red ignition light come on when I hit a bump ,this is on a 2000 usa imported marauder 800 , it also runs like a bag of crap when these lights are illuminated , if I leave the bike overnight it won't start as something seems to be draining the battery , the battery is only a month or two old  any help will be apprieciated , thanks in advance

Hi, Does the Fan come on and stay on when the lights illuminate?, even after switching the ignition off, sounds like something shorting out if it only does it when going over bumps.

the fan only comes on when  bike gets hot not when the lights illuminate , it has got to be a short somewhere but that is the problem I cannot find it lol,,,,, the fan seems to be coming on as it should ..it all started after I had the tank off

dougr1411 wrote:

.it all started after I had the tank off

Take tank back off, check all the connections for arcing then clean them and give them a daub of vaseline and see if the problem persists?, Not sure why the battery would go flat though if nothings on? does it stay charged overnight when you avoid bumps and the warning lights don't illuminate?.

Can't quite picture your model of bike, but on my m800 the warning lights are in a little housing which sits on the tank, so you have to unbolt it from the tank, then tie it up out of the way, while you remove the tank. If you have the same type of housing, Maybe the wires to that housing have got strained or pinched in the process?

To establish if you have a short circuit to earth with the ignition OFF disconnect the battery positive and connect a Milliamp meter IN LINE (Meter positive on the battery terminal meter negative on to the disconnected lead ) If you have any reading at all that proves you have a short circuit to earth that is draining your battery. Your reading should be zero.

G,Terence

bigmal my bike has the light cluster on the top of the yoke system by the headlight , unlike yours ,

g Terence I will try that later on today , thanks

My M800 had arcing wires down by the fuse box bracket (down low on left side frame rail) that caused similar symptoms to yours, they had worn through on sharp edge of bracket, could your wiring be getting chaffed/caught around headstock area .

thanks ross I found the problem , as you say wiring chaffing