Tail lights are not working and will not flash, Help

[whoride76]

I have been working on this bike for the last couple of months since i purchased it. When i purchased it did not have the taillights connected.

I HAVE LOOKED AT ALL THE WIRING DIAGRAMS, and to me everything is connected.
I have 1980 Xs1100G

Problem: When I turn on my hazard lights, Nothing happens, When i turn the key off then they start to blink. I have had problems with trying to wire all the turn signals. They light up, and then when i turn the switch to the right (or left) the Left light will turn off and the right with stay on (not blinking).

I did replace the turn signal unit (I forgot the name) The little silver relay switch. And i have ordered a new left control for the handle bars, they said it was the same year.

I did get my brake light to work correctly.

I still can not get my headlight to turn on.

I have tested the light it works, I have read ALL the threads about the Bypassing the lighting unit (did not work) ( I connected the two sets of wires and still nothing, left the black and light Green (I don’t have a white wire) not connected. I have had to use a toggle switch which is hard wired directly to the battery.

Does the Lighting unit have anything to do with the turn signals? I don’t think so from what i have read.

ANY ideas why the blinkers would blink for the hazard light but not for the handle bar switch?

Is it normal for the rear of the wire harness to have a 6 thermals that connects the rear brake light AND have A have a Brown and Dark green wire in the same wrapped section, Then i have three wires with Brown, Dark Green, and Black running in another wired section (would these be used for the saddle bags) I have ended up having to use the Brown and Dark Green from the brake light harness and then use the Black from the other harness section to make the blinkers come on???

I have on order to replace the fuse box, but it LOOKS fines.

I have spent hours and feel lost with the turn signals and head light.

Thank you for taking time and reading my drama, please give me some ideas, If you may need other infomation i can take pictures and post them if needed, I am just on my lunch break right now, like most of you i cant even sleep because i thinking about it, it driving me crazy!!! So please help if you can..

[Ken Talbot]

With a fully charged battery, and with good clean connections all over the bike, your turn signals will flash with the engine idling, or even not running. As time goes on, and you need to have the engine running and sitting up around 2K or so to get the lights to flash, you know it is time to get in and clean all the various contacts. You need to be sure all of your ground connections are spotless, recheck the battery terminals, clean the fuse holders, clean up the contacts in the switches, etc, etc.

Your blinkers blinking for the hazards but not for the handlebar turn switch tells me right off that the contacts in the switch are probably corroded. It is a tedious process, but something you should only need to do every ten years or so...

[DiverRay]

You will have to take the cover off the wire loom. There is a diode in the wire harness that turns the headlight on after the engine has started. If the diode is bad, no headlight, ever. The tail lights should be easier. With a VOM check the resistance from the ground in the tail lamp socket to the battery ground. It should be about 1 to 3 Ohms MAXIMUM. The main ground for the harness is at the regulator. You will see about 3 black wires connected to one mount screw. Pull the screw, and clean all the contacts AND the frame. Reinstall after coating everything with a product called "No-Ox". You can find this at your local Radio Shack. I would also check the ground wires from the battery to the frame, and the frame to engine wire.

[bikerphil]

[QUOTE=whoride76;190085] I did replace the turn signal unit (I forgot the name) The little silver relay switch.

ANY ideas why the blinkers would blink for the hazard light but not for the handle bar switch? QUOTE]

If you replaced the turn signal relay under the right side cover with a 3 prong flasher from the auto parts store, is won't work. Use a 2 prong standard car flasher attached to just the tan and tan/wht wires. When plugging it in, try both combinations, the plug comes apart and the terminals can be switched. The hazard lights function on their own flasher, and this can also be unplugged and tried in the turn signal flasher plug. Make sure all related connectors are clean and grounds are good.

[whoride76]

Little more info from whoride76, Thanks

I have seen the white wire diode in the wire harness in pictures that have been posted. Is a diode like a in line fuse, or something i can just rewire or bypass?

The blinkers will not work even at 2000 rpms or greater.

- I did replace the flasher unit a auto parts store, it was the same one that was already on the bike (maybe thats why they didnt have the tail lights on it when i got it). The bike had a 3 prong connector that fit right on it. Could it be the wrong flasher unit?

I am going to post some pictures when i get home in a few hour to better help my help. Thanks guys.

please continue to help if you have different ideas.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Whoride,

Yep, the PO put the wrong 3 prong automotive flasher in it. The OEM flasher does have 3 prongs, for the self cancelling feature, but you don't get that with a basic AUTOMOTIVE one, and so you only need the 2 prong. The Emergency flasher that's under the seat between the frame rails IS a 2 prong that you can borrow....unplug it and plug it into the 3 wire connector. Try the signals, if nothing, unplug it and try it the only other way it can plug into the connector, and the signals SHOULD work!!

You haven't said if you are using the OEM lightbulbs, or have you put on LED lights? LEDs will NOT work with a regular automotive flasher, not enough current draw to heat up the flasher. However, the ER flashers work, so it sounds like you still have regular incandescent bulbs, but the wrong 3 prong flasher instead just a 2 prong!

But the green/brown wires to the tail light bothers me!? Should be solid blue for running, and a green/yellow striped for the brake light, and the black being the ground ofc.

Another thing, you state the fuseblock "looks ok"!? Have you actually pulled the glass fuses, and tested them with a meter for continuity, and to ensure the copper prongs are springy and able to hold the fuse and make contact with both ends properly? Glass fuses can look good, but be bad, have been known to have the ends twist off when removed, and copper tangs break off!!

T.C.

[Cobia]

Hey Whoride,
Having just replaced all four signal lights on my '79F and the '82J I found that Yamaha subscribes to the standard used in most cars and trailer harnesses throughout the civilized world. I found that the left and right blinkers work off the green and dark brown wires (don't remember which if left or right), with the ground being black. My brake lights work off the yellow wire.
With regards to your headlight, as Ken, TC and everyone else said, go through every connection on your harness and verify that they are carrosion free and making good contact. I disconnect every connector and spray them with contact cleaner to wash out any contaminant that may be there. This way you can inspect each connector and clean it further if you find corrosion or whatever.
Good luck.

[DiverRay]

I have seen the white wire diode in the wire harness in pictures that have been posted. Is a diode like a in line fuse, or something i can just rewire or bypass?

A Diode is like an electrical one way valve. It will allow current to flow one way, but NOT the other. It is used because the current in the white wires is AC, or Alternating, while the rest of the bike runs on DC, or Direct current. When you remove the old diode, look VERY CLOSE at the markings. There will be a dark line on one end of it that has to be installed the same way when you put the new one in. Draw a picture of the wire and diode with this symbol for the diode.( >| ) The bar on the symbol shows the end of the diode that has the bar on it. The arrow part shows the direction the current is allowed to flow. If you bring what you can find of the diode into a Radio Shack, there should be someone who can help you get one that will work. Just let them know it will be pushing 90 Volts at about 1 Amp. That IS an overkill, but it will still work. You WILL need to replace the diode or do some careful rework on the wire harness. AC into the DC side is VERY BAD for the electronics in the TCI.

[whoride76]

Answer to some questions, Thanks Keep it coming.

I will try to replace the flasher unit to see if that works.
I will also pull out the fuse box and test it and replace all the fuses just in case.
I am not use LED lights. Just Oem lights.

Sorry I was unable to take the pictures last night i will try today.

Thanks everyone for your continued help.
If i had any hair to pulll out, i think i would.

[oldyam80sg]

That IS an overkill, but it will still work. You WILL need to replace the diode or do some careful rework on the wire harness. AC into the DC side is VERY BAD for the electronics in the TCI.


My diode was non existent before i replaced it, so how would i know if it is on the right way?Everything works fine.What would be the tell tale signs that something was wrong?