turn signal woes

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made progress I think- in that I should have the wires connect correctly. I say I think, cause still no signals. Here is my question- now that I have the LG/N wire going into the switch- shouldn't I have voltage to the turn signal wires coming out of switch? with noth wires unceccted, but switch in place and the LG/N connected to witch- It seems to me that I MUST then have juice to the signal wires.

Am I missing something- or can and do the switches (as simple as they seem) go bad?

In any case, got tired of working on it so wife rode it to local bike night and it performed flawlessly.
 
trappnman said:
Here is my question- now that I have the LG/N wire going into the switch- shouldn't I have voltage to the turn signal wires coming out of switch? with noth wires unceccted, but switch in place and the LG/N connected to witch- It seems to me that I MUST then have juice to the signal wires.
Click to expand...

If I've understood correctly then (Ignition On) yes, you should have voltage 'out' to either the left (GR) or right (GW) switch cluster wire when the DI 3-position switch toggle is moved to the appropriate left or right (so up or down) position but not both at the same time and not at all when the toggle is in the central 'off' position.

The direction indicator (DI) switch cluster can be on either side of the handlebars as dealers/owners would often reverse the clusters and something the factory also did during '72 so the clusters don't always match the LH/RH positions as they are drawn on the wiring diagram.
 
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you understood correctly. So I need a new switch it seems. Thank you again for your on hte point quick responses to my questions.
 
trappnman said:
So I need a new switch it seems.
Click to expand...

It could be a dirty contact or a bad soldered joint unless you can see some part that is visibly broken so could be repairable?

If there's no power to either G/R or G/W when selected with the toggle lever then the fault would appear to be on the LG/N side of the switch.

Have you tried bypassing the complete switch assembly by connecting the harness LG/N (from the flasher relay) to the harness G/R and G/W wires in turn as the direction indicators should work to confirm it is the handlebar switch that's faulty?
 
When I had my switch assembly apart, I found one wire having quite a sharp bend under the circuit board, such that the wire insulation was badly torn and potentially allowing a short from the copper wires. I repositioned this to remove the sharp bend and put a dab of silicon sealant at the damaged insulation.
You sould check your wire connections carefully and then bench test with 12v and a test lamp.
 
trappnman said:
you understood correctly. So I need a new switch it seems. Thank you again for your on hte point quick responses to my questions.
Click to expand...
You probably don't need to replace the switch. Where are you located? If near Northern VA, you can bring it by and I'll show you how to fix it. If not, you can send it to me and I'll fix it and send it back. PM or email me. marshg@gregmarsh.com
 
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If there's no power to either G/R or G/W when selected with the toggle lever then the fault would appear to be on the LG/N side of the switch.

Have you tried bypassing the complete switch assembly by connecting the harness LG/N (from the flasher relay) to the harness G/R and G/W wires in turn as the direction indicators should work to confirm it is the handlebar switch that's faulty?"

I have not. I have considered that the LG/N wire might have a fault in it under the grey tubing, and bypassing the switch as you suggested should confirm or deny that.. I will have time to check that today.

Greg- I'm in Se minnesota. If I confirm it is the switch, I'll certainly take you up on your generous offer.
 
trappnman said:
"
If there's no power to either G/R or G/W when selected with the toggle lever then the fault would appear to be on the LG/N side of the switch.

Have you tried bypassing the complete switch assembly by connecting the harness LG/N (from the flasher relay) to the harness G/R and G/W wires in turn as the direction indicators should work to confirm it is the handlebar switch that's faulty?"

I have not. I have considered that the LG/N wire might have a fault in it under the grey tubing, and bypassing the switch as you suggested should confirm or deny that.. I will have time to check that today.

Greg- I'm in Se minnesota. If I confirm it is the switch, I'll certainly take you up on your generous offer.
Click to expand...

Setup for testing: Connect the red lead from your voltmeter to a fin on the head, turn the ignition on but don't start the bike. All testing done with the voltmeter black lead. When I say 12volts, I mean nominal (11.5-14 is fine).

Do these tests in order and report back. If any step fails there's no point in continuing.

1) Check the white wire at the flasher - must be 12 volts.
2) Check the Light Green/Brown wire at the flasher - must be 12 volts.
3) Check the Light Green/Brown wire wherever is connects to the handlebar switch cable - must be 12 volts.
4) Switch the turn signal switch to left or right and check the Green/White and Green/Red wires where they come out of the handlebar switch cable - one must be 12 volts, the other 0 volts.
5) Switch the turn signal switch to the other side and the other wire must have 12 volts (if Green/White had it in step 4 then Green/Red must now)

If you have no trouble finishing step 5 then you can forget the ignition switch, flasher, and handlebar switch - they are fine.
 
Also, haven't heard anyone suggest check function of the lamp bulbs and good conduction from their bulb sockets. What about the indicator bulb and socket?
 
1 & 2...... with LG/N wire hooked up to same wire going into turn signal I have nothing. #3.... also no voltage. Nothing out of switch. If I connect a wire from battery, to LG/N directly, then front turn signals flash in turn, but not rear. However, a test light put into rear light sockets, does flash. But a bulb, even a simple taillight bulb, does not light. Which baffles me.... if current to socket is there , and flashes test light.... so should a inserted bulb. All looks clean so it must be, I'd think, a ground? But where. The ground to tail light is hooked up and brake/taillight work. I think it's now a double problem.... I'm mostly sure switch isn't working, but also a problem in real turns.... but that's just 1
wire back, and flashes is working. Any thoughts as to why?
 
trappnman said:
1 & 2...... with LG/N wire hooked up to same wire going into turn signal I have nothing.
Click to expand...


Test 1 is to check for volts to ground at the flasher relay white wire.
"1) Check the white wire at the flasher - must be 12 volts."

Test 2 is to check for volts to ground at the flasher relay LG/N.
"2) Check the Light Green/Brown wire at the flasher - must be 12 volts."

There is no point in going further if either test 1 or 2 is a fail.


trappnman said:
#3.... also no voltage. Nothing out of switch.
Click to expand...

Test 3:
"3) Check the Light Green/Brown wire wherever is connects to the handlebar switch cable - must be 12 volts."

If no volts at the (connected) handlebar switch LG/N then there is a break between the flasher relay terminal and the handlebar LG/N connection.

trappnman said:
If I connect a wire from battery, to LG/N directly, then front turn signals flash in turn, but not rear.
Click to expand...

Flashed or lit up? Connecting the battery to LG/N bypasses the flasher relay so I would expect the bulbs (that worked) to light up but not flash.

trappnman said:
However, a test light put into rear light sockets, does flash. But a bulb, even a simple taillight bulb, does not light. Which baffles me.... if current to socket is there , and flashes test light.... so should a inserted bulb.
Click to expand...

Could be bad grounds that might pass enough current to light a test lamp but not a 21w (or US 23w) incandescent bulb?
 
trappnman said:
1 & 2...... with LG/N wire hooked up to same wire going into turn signal I have nothing. #3.... also no voltage. Nothing out of switch. If I connect a wire from battery, to LG/N directly, then front turn signals flash in turn, but not rear. However, a test light put into rear light sockets, does flash. But a bulb, even a simple taillight bulb, does not light. Which baffles me.... if current to socket is there , and flashes test light.... so should a inserted bulb. All looks clean so it must be, I'd think, a ground? But where. The ground to tail light is hooked up and brake/taillight work. I think it's now a double problem.... I'm mostly sure switch isn't working, but also a problem in real turns.... but that's just 1
wire back, and flashes is working. Any thoughts as to why?
Click to expand...
You lost me. Step 1 is to see if you have 12 volts on the white wire at the flasher; if not, nothing else matters! If you have 12 volts on the white wire at the flasher, then you check the Light Green/Brown wire at the flasher. Without 12 volts there, nothing else matters! Don't even think about the switch unless 1, 2, and 3 are all good - the switch has nothing to do with those tests.
 
With everything connected as it should be..... all wires connected to harness, to handlebar switch connected.... there is zero voltage at flasher. However, if I disconnect LG/N wire from harness, at connection point of handlebar wire, and then hook up turn signals directly to the LG/N wire coming from main harness... the I DO have 12 volts at both flasher wires. And each front turn signal will flash in turn .. when hooked to left, left front flashes and left rear flashes test light. Ditto for right signal. Flasher connection works. I believe switch is bad, since when connected, neither G/W or G/ R have any voltage when flasher toggle is turned. But right now, it's the rear signals. When I put a test light on the casing, it even flashes, if the bulb is inserted.
 
Ok. When I test at the flasher, the double white wire is 12 volts. I have nothing on the LG/N.
 
trappnman said:
Ok. When I test at the flasher, the double white wire is 12 volts. I have nothing on the LG/N.
Click to expand...
OK, the flasher is bad. Disconnect the double white wire and the LG/N from the flasher and connect them together. With the ignition on and turn signal switch in the middle, no turn signal lights should light. Flip the turn signal to the left position and the left lights should light. Then to the right and the rights should light. If at least one light on each side lights, then the handlebar switch is good and the LG/N wires are good. Report back saying what works and what doesn't.
 
If the LG/N is disconnected from flasher, and it's not hot, how can that mean flasher is bad? Esp when flasher clicks and flashes front signals? New flasher btw. With W connected to flasher, 12 volts coming out other terminal
 
trappnman said:
If the LG/N is disconnected from flasher, and it's not hot, how can that mean flasher is bad? Esp when flasher clicks and flashes front signals? New flasher btw
Click to expand...
Let's try again. Leave the wires connected to the flasher - I never said to disconnect it for the first two tests. Check the double white - you said you have 12 volts. Check the LG/N - you said you have 0 volts.
 
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