Connected battery backwards, now cranks but won't start...HELP

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Ciscoz

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Joined
Jun 1, 2018
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Location
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
2014 ES model FJR. Well, I pulled a real bonehead move yesterday while pulling my bikes out of storage. I keep them in a seacan for winter, so, poor light, and brain-fart contributed to my connecting Neg cable to Pos terminal, and Pos cable to Neg terminal. Some electrical motor began running upon this backward connection, sounded like at the rear of the engine. I didn't immediately twig that I'd screwed up, so actually then turned the ignition switch. Nothing more happened and it was about this time I realized my mistake and disconnected the battery. So I then reconnected it correctly and got no power upon turning the key, no response at all. So, hoping Yamaha may have expected some stupid fool to do this at some point, I was hoping it was just a fuse issue. Sure enough I found the big 50 amp PAL fuse, mounted just in front of the battery in the rubber holder, to have popped. I replaced this fuse, and when turning the key on I now get full start initiation, with gauge package firing up, going thru checks, and then waiting for start attempt. Upon pressing the starter it cranks normally, but I am getting no fire. I tried holding full throttle a couple times, and this made no difference. I let it sit overnight, then tried a start sequence again today and sprayed some starting fluid directly into the air intake. This made no difference, there does not seem to be spark as there was no attempt at ignition even with starting fluid. I am seeing no error codes on my display. So can any of you advise on next steps? I don't know what else may have fried with the reverse connection either before the fuse popped or outside of the fused circuit that may be preventing my starting. A relay, or another fuse I haven't found? I tested all the fuses in the fuse section to the rear of my battery, and the 30 amp one just in front of the battery, and all those are fine. I've got multiple batteries, 2 brand new, and have tried them all. The bike is cranking just fine, but not firing, so it's definitely not a battery issue. I'm hoping some of you may have either experienced this, or at least can point me to a troubleshooting sequence of electrical checks. Thanks in advance guys. And yes, I've already beat myself up and down over my stupidity, so if you feel you must pile on, know you can't be any harder on me than I already have been! Arrrrgghh!
 
SUCCESS ... I decided to do one last check for possibly missed fuse blocks and ... found a second black covered fuse block I'd missed the first few times around. This bike has nearly as many fuses as my Duramax, wow! In any case, for anyone who might make the same mistake I just did, the second fuse that popped was the 7.5 amp ETV fuse (Electronic Throttle Valve? I believe). Replaced this fuse, cranked it over and it started burbling trying to start. I gave it a small shot of starting fluid, and a little throttle and she started right up. Took a few seconds to clear up from a winter's rest, and from all the cranking attempts I've made in the past 2 days, but then settled into high idle until warm and then came back down to normal. Appears all is good. I've checked all the functions, and suspension adjustments and they all appear to be working normally, so, Thank You Mama Yama for anticipating your customer's stupidity and protecting your beautiful machine with 2 fuses, should anyone reverse their battery in a moment of inattention. Upon doing a Google search to determine what the ETV fuse was for, I discovered a number of discussions of people, mostly kids with sport bikes, having done the same thing, and solving the problem by replacing the 2 fuses I did, the 50 amp PAL, and the 7.5 amp ETV fuses. Comforting that I'm not alone, but disturbed over having made such a rookie mistake. Oh well, Live and Learn. It's a good day when you learn something new about your toys, so today is a good day!
 
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