No running lights, gauge lights

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EdK
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No running lights, gauge lights

#1

Post by EdK »

Hi, 78 GL1000, I need some help tracking down an electrical problem. I don't have running lights, or any lighting on any of the gauges.

Here's what does work:
Oil and neutral light
All gauges operate normally except for the lights
Turn signals
Brake lights
Parking lights when ignition switch is in park
Headlight
Horn

I pulled the 4 pin plug in the bucket and tested for 12 volts with the ignition switch on, and I got 12 volts from the gray and pink wires, but not the brown/white wire. I tested the 5 amp fuse connection that says meter lamp with the ignition switch on, and read 12 volts.

I don't know where to go from here, so any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks!
Ed

Oh, here's a schematic:
1978_79_GL1000_Colour_Schematic.jpg
1978_79_GL1000_Colour_Schematic.jpg (149.92 KiB) Viewed 333 times
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow human beings. Real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
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1978 GL1000
1987 Shadow VT700
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rcmatt007
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#2

Post by rcmatt007 »

the first thing always to check is your ground connections. Sorry, but I cannot see the schematic well enough to know what brown/white is for. Then, recheck all connections (and clean). Also, did this bike have a vetter fairing and did the PO use those blue clamp on wire connectors... they often slice wires in half over time
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
EdK
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#3

Post by EdK »

I think the brown/white wire is the power for the gauge lights. I just replaced the harness and went through all the connections so I know those are clean. This bike did not have a fairing.

Thanks!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow human beings. Real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
~Hemingway

1978 GL1000
1987 Shadow VT700
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rcmatt007
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#4

Post by rcmatt007 »

I just looked at a better diagram. Yes it is the power line. it runs of the ignition switch so I would check there next. you could simply have a wore ut switch. I do not know if you clean the inner contacts
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
EdK
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#5

Post by EdK »

Thanks I did replace the bottom plug portion of the ignition switch and I checked it for continuity according to the manual before i installed it. There is another brown/white wire from the junction box that I think feeds the turn signal switch sub harness. I pulled the sub harness plug and stuck a probe into the junction box connector where it accepts the brown/white wire and I did not show 12 volts there with the ignition switch on. If i stick one probe in there and ground the other, and the ignition is on, it should read 12 volts, right?
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow human beings. Real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
~Hemingway

1978 GL1000
1987 Shadow VT700
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rcmatt007
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#6

Post by rcmatt007 »

yes.... this is why we all hate wiring gremlins.... but you just need to keep checking
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
EdK
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Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:27 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#7

Post by EdK »

Solved!

It was the fuse, classic case of looking good but in fact the metal cap on one end was loose. Something I've read about on this forum time and time again. Feel kind of stupid for over-complicating :oops:

Thanks for the quick responses!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow human beings. Real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
~Hemingway

1978 GL1000
1987 Shadow VT700
User avatar
rcmatt007
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#8

Post by rcmatt007 »

I have often replaced things I did not... I hate wiring gremlins
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#9

Post by Sidecar Bob »

As I read through this I kept thinking "Its probably a bad fuse that looks OK"...

Good to hear you figured it out. Now replace all the other fuses so you don't have problems with them later. The "classic" bad fuse that looks good is usually caused by years of vibration (everything is always vibrating) causing the link to fracture next to where it is welded to the inside of the cap.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
EdK
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#10

Post by EdK »

I will do that. It's funny - now that I've somewhat learned to use a multi-meter and read a schematic, at any whiff of an electrical problem I immediately start pulling connections and testing wires instead of addressing the easy stuff first. I swear I've read about bad fuses that look good - on this very forum - at least 20 times. :P
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow human beings. Real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
~Hemingway

1978 GL1000
1987 Shadow VT700
User avatar
Sidecar Bob
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#11

Post by Sidecar Bob »

On our first day of Electronics in high school our teacher said "Always look for the simplest thing that could go wrong first. You don't know how many times every year people pay $5 for the TV repairman to come and plug in their TV."

And if $5 for a TV repair call doesn't date me.......
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
User avatar
rcmatt007
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Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:48 pm
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Location: New River Valley, Virginia

Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#12

Post by rcmatt007 »

whenever I check fuses I check both ends to see if there is power... I have done the same thing you did in the past
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
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n5zhu
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Re: No running lights, gauge lights

#13

Post by n5zhu »

I have better luck with a good test light it loads the point you are testing.I have had a VOM show voltage but would open up with anything over a milleamp and send me down the bunny trail. That and its quicker the light is on now a VOM take a bit to show its reading. 73 Patrick
In the sticks So. of Heneryetta OK
1992 Suzuti VX800 Gone Traded for 2nd 78 GL1000
1978 GL1000 X2 1 Up and Runing 1 to go in the shop for work
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