Ive got a 96, had it going on 3 years. It had its fair share of problems when I bought it, oil in coolant from o-ring leak, way too big of rear sprocket, hacked up harness, oil leaks, dead temp gauge(thanks again Ern!), and ugly as hell.
I went thru everything and it had been working great for 2 years. I decided to change the coolant mixture to my "summer formula" (less coolant, more water, water wetter) because it was starting to get rather hot on even shorter rides.
Ive been changing the coolant each major season change, cause this thing is temper-mental about getting a little too hot in the summer, or not getting hot enough in the winter. Im in the Sacramento area, and we get our share of over 100 degree days. To explain further about the coolant mixtures, once summer is over and its cold if I leave the water wetter in the coolant, it has trouble warming up to it optimal operating temp.
Anyway, back to a couple weeks ago. I drained the coolant from the bolt hole on the side of the water pump, drained out the overflow by pulling the lower hose from container, and popped the rad cap open. My overflow looked a little grungy, so the genius I am, took the garden hose and filled it up a few times and let it drain. Right here is where I believe i went wrong, because there's no doubt I got water all over the place when flushing the overflow. Satisfied the overflow is cleaned up, I connect the little hose on the bottom, put the bolt back in the water-pump, and fill it up with my summer mix of coolant.
I get everything cleaned up and put back together, go to start her up and POP goes the ignition fuse. This is where im at. I chased wires all over the place and have been attempting to find out why this fuse keeps blowing, been working at it on and off over the last two weeks. I took apart both bar switches and re-soldered one starter button wire. Ive been going in circles with this thing, and I need a new approach.

All I know for sure is the ign fuse blows as soon as the key is turned on.

I was wondering how i should approach this, perhaps unplug every thing that plugs into the harness (minus the starter relay) and see if it still blows? If it does, the short is in the main harness, or starter relay? And if it does not blow, im thinking plug each connector back in one at a time and see when it blows then?

This is what im about to try, any other ideas are greatly appreciated! sorry for the long story, just wanted a background for my problem.

 

Get an air compressor and blow out all the nooks and crannies you can find in the wiring connectors under the seat. Chances are that's where the water got to. The over flow is right below the main bundle of connectors.

 

+1
A compressor is your best friend when you get water where it shouldn't go.
Even a hairdryer is a good idea around the fuses and connecters.

 

Thanks guys for the idea. Ive taken the whole harness apart and finally found my stupid side stand switch is blowing the fuse as soon as the stand is put in the UP position. WTF? I disconnect the green 3 wire plug at the harness, it does not blow the ign, fuse when key is on. Switch unplugged, If I connect the two outer wires (green and green/white stripe) the fuse blows with the key on. Any ideas? Ive nearly taken all the ****ing tape off the whole harness, and it looks great everywhere... I have just a little bit left to uncover, and that area is right about where the stand switch wires enter the main harness, so im gonna look for shorts.

Thanks again for reading, and any ideas on how to get my ign fuse to stop blowing when my side stand goes up, that would be stellar.

 

when the stand is down, is the light on the dash on? the green wire is the power to the switch. it is a single pole single throw switch..with it down, the switch connects the g wire to y/bl wire, sending power to the dash light. with it up, the switch connects the g wire to the g/w wire, sending power to the icm..it sounds like you have a short on your g/w wire, since it only pops in the up position. either that, or the short is in your icm or after..

does the bike not start with the stand down at all? if not, you have other issues than a stand switch

 

Hey Will, thanks for checking out my questions and taking the time to respond. You are spot on with the G/w wire going to my icm.

I figured it out.... I forgot all about how i took some gorilla tape and covered up my icm, because its pretty beat to **** looking and idk what the **** why does anyone do anything..?lol anyway, if you put tape over my icm, it will blow the ign fuse whenever the side stand goes up. something about duct tape ****ing with electrical signals or pulses, idk... My mom told me this info, and well il be damned but i take the tape off the icm, plug her in and she fires right up. Im a dipwadster. thanks all for the help and support

Lesson learned: Do not put tape around your ICM, it may cause it to blow fuses, or god knows what else may or may not work afterward.