headlight and trun signal light question

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Mark King
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headlight and trun signal light question

#1

Post by Mark King »

The 76 failed a safety inspection yesterday for a bunch of easy fixes (small leak apparently at fork seal, exhaust clamp failure) but one question lingers.

When they turned the bike on, none of the headlight, tailight or turn signals worked.

When I reached my hand in and jiggled the mass of wires in the former headlight bucket behind the fairing - they all worked - just as they had in my garage all spring.

As near as I can figure the only common wire connecting all of these is the ground.

When I take the fairing off to check the connections and wires, I won't be able to tell what's working or not, except with a continuity tester on each, because of course, the lights are in the fairing.

Am I safe to assume that the ground is the problem? Or is there a common hot wire that I am missing looking at the wiring diagram that could be disconnecting?

Or is there the possibilioty of another problem I haven't thought of?

By the way, when the lights weren't working, the neutral start switch light was working, the high beam indicator light was not working and the turn signal indicator light just remained on solid, both bulbs.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
M King
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#2

Post by skydog »

Yes,my Vetterized 78 did the same thing until I took off all the blue Scotchlock connecters off and spliced them correctly.
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#3

Post by drumgod »

I'd check the ignition switch plug as well.
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Mark King
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#4

Post by Mark King »

Now a moving target.

Picked the bike up at the shop today, started and ran ok, fixed the idle problem - or adjusted it - runs good at what the tach sez is 1200 but doesn't sound that high.

Parked it at home and changed an exhaust clamp, then went to start it up and - just a click at the starter.

Dash lights up and playing with the wires sees power to everything.

Battery reads 12.75.

But no joy when I press the start button.

Any ideas?
M King
1977 GL1000 - Under s l o w restoration
1981 CB900C - Rebuilt but stripped spark plug thread
2002 VTX 1800 -Current Rider
1984 GL1200 Aspencade - Restored and Sold
1980 Suzuki GS850G - Restoration on hold
1985 750 Nighthawk SC - Sold
1976 GL1000 - Yellow - Restored and Sold (regret the sale)
1981 GL1100 - Naked - Restored and Sold
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#5

Post by gregforesi »

Make sure the main ground is clean at the left triangle motor mount and at the battery.
Try jumping the solenoid. If the solenoid is clicking but the starter doesn't spin the main solenoid contacts may be corroded. The solenoid can be taken apart and the contacts can be cleaned up with emery cloth or sandpaper.
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Mark King
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#6

Post by Mark King »

I should have added to the last post that when I press the start button the headlight is dimming so I know that is working. It is new anyway.
M King
1977 GL1000 - Under s l o w restoration
1981 CB900C - Rebuilt but stripped spark plug thread
2002 VTX 1800 -Current Rider
1984 GL1200 Aspencade - Restored and Sold
1980 Suzuki GS850G - Restoration on hold
1985 750 Nighthawk SC - Sold
1976 GL1000 - Yellow - Restored and Sold (regret the sale)
1981 GL1100 - Naked - Restored and Sold
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Mark King
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#7

Post by Mark King »

That was easy.

Shorted out the solenoid with a big screwdriver. One big spark and I released it.

Then turned the key on and hit the start button and poof, it works.

I guess I have to carry a "solenoid shorting out screwdriver" in the tool kit for awhile until I get a new solenoid. I wonder how well the kick starters work on these machines?

Now back to the original problem. Headlight and turn signals and marker lights wiring issue(s).
M King
1977 GL1000 - Under s l o w restoration
1981 CB900C - Rebuilt but stripped spark plug thread
2002 VTX 1800 -Current Rider
1984 GL1200 Aspencade - Restored and Sold
1980 Suzuki GS850G - Restoration on hold
1985 750 Nighthawk SC - Sold
1976 GL1000 - Yellow - Restored and Sold (regret the sale)
1981 GL1100 - Naked - Restored and Sold
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Mark King
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#8

Post by Mark King »

And what I think will be the final entry in this thread.

With the fairing off I ran a test light from the hot wires leading to the headlight and turn signals to the battery negative terminal.

Strong results.

Then I ran it to the negative wire from the fairing and got intermittent results.

It appears to be in those "blue" Scotchlock connectors that they willy-nilly spliced into the lines to quickly hook up the fairing circuit.

Definitely a ground problem anyway so I have a few connections to upgrade and this job should be done.
M King
1977 GL1000 - Under s l o w restoration
1981 CB900C - Rebuilt but stripped spark plug thread
2002 VTX 1800 -Current Rider
1984 GL1200 Aspencade - Restored and Sold
1980 Suzuki GS850G - Restoration on hold
1985 750 Nighthawk SC - Sold
1976 GL1000 - Yellow - Restored and Sold (regret the sale)
1981 GL1100 - Naked - Restored and Sold
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Mark King
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#9

Post by Mark King »

So one final observation.

I replaced three of those blue scotchlock terminals this morning.

One had failed almost completely, another was on its way with an occasional failure, and the third was getting ready.

What appears to happen is over time the wires work away from the connection until at a certain point they not longer make proper connection.

So the point I guess I am making is that if you have these connections on your bike and they are old, just rip them out and replace them before they fail, which it appears they will eventually.
M King
1977 GL1000 - Under s l o w restoration
1981 CB900C - Rebuilt but stripped spark plug thread
2002 VTX 1800 -Current Rider
1984 GL1200 Aspencade - Restored and Sold
1980 Suzuki GS850G - Restoration on hold
1985 750 Nighthawk SC - Sold
1976 GL1000 - Yellow - Restored and Sold (regret the sale)
1981 GL1100 - Naked - Restored and Sold
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#10

Post by BurnsYoFace34 »

So I have a question relating to this where does the harness from the lights an turns signal switch connect to on the main wire harness Atwell as the headlight harness an ignition switch harness. Pictures would be great thanks
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#11

Post by Fred Camper »

In the left side wire birds nest. Access with the left shelter cover flipped open if you have a GL1000.
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#12

Post by Shadowjack »

The headlight didn't dim because it was pulling the voltage down, it dimmed because the starter button has a set of interrupter contacts in it. When you hit the button, it disconnects the headlight power. The power to the solenoid is a different circuit and a different set of contacts.
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#13

Post by pidjones »

Scotchlock - the herpes of the electrical world. You are best advised to remove them all and replace with proper splices. You may have to strip back corroded wire and certainly heal damaged insulation with liquid electrical tape.
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#14

Post by Whiskerfish »

Original thread is 10 years old.
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Re: headlight and trun signal light question

#15

Post by Rat »

I wondered where Mark had been …

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