Ahhhh!! Turn Signals!!!!

[beechfront]

WON'T BLINK NOW!

when I got the bike a year ago, left side would blink - right side would not. Then replaced the front right blinker and all was well. well now after stripping the entire bike down and putting it all back together - NOTHING. Man this is such a pain to troubleshoot. When hitting either blinker switch, the relay (silver cylindrical object behind the right side cover) will make a higher sounding click (if htat makes any sense), then make a lower sounding click when then lights come on.

Can anyone PLEASE give me a place to start? I'm pulling out my hair here. When I put it back together I made it a point to clean the connections on the rear blinkers, so I'm at a loos.

[carman]

turn sinals

firts thing to do is make sure with a test light that you have power to the signal when switced to whatever side ? if you have power? if so check and make sure you then have a good ground?nine times out of ten , you will have a poor or no ground, hope this helps? mike.

[Dennyz]

Grounding is most of the problem I have had with turn signals. They rely on the signal housing mount to establish ground on the front signals and the mounting nut and washer for the rear signals. Any paint or grease in these areas will screw things up.

I finally soldered ground wires to the bulb sockets on all four signals. My signals have worked fine since.

[beechfront]

So just one of two lights not grounded properly will cause the whole side not to work?

when I put it together I used steel wool on the rear ground wire to ensure good connectivity (or so i thought). I'll go through again to see if I've missed something. Perhaps the front signals need some attention.

Dennyz - Your soldering approach sounds like a great idea.


(I need to get this working so I can finally go get the motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license which I've been putting off since I got my bike a year ago)

[Dennyz]

I forgot to mention that I also replaced all the bulbs. I found that the stock (old bulbs) have a different resistive value (higher). I put new aftermarket bulbs from the auto store.

[Snow]

Originally posted by beechfront
So just one of two lights not grounded properly will cause the whole side not to work?

Yup, should act the same way as if one bulb was missing... I believe

[chiarew]

I had the problem that when i put the signals on, the bulbs would light, but they wouldnt flash. The hazards worked fine. I ended up purchasing a universal electronic flasher. It cost me $8, and I replaced the large silver flasher unit with it. It works like a charm. If you check the basics first, connections, ground, light bulb, power getting where it should, and are still having problems, give the replacement flasher a try.

Bill

[beechfront]

FIXED!

I don't know why it worked before, but the headlight bracket is not grounded at all. So I just added a ground wire to each light and ran them into the black, double female plug.

Works great now.

thanks everyone.

[rtucker5612]

I also recently had a problem with my '82 Maxim 1100 turn signals. About a month ago, the left side started working only intermittently, then it quit working all together. I would get the clicking sound in the flasher relay. The right side was fine. Replace the flasher relay - left side still wouldn't work. After talking to my brother, who had a similar problem a few years ago, I pulled my headlight and found the ground wire partially bare. It seems that when I replaced the headlight a couple of months ago, I must have caught the ground in the assembly when I put things back together. Needless to say, after repairing the ground wire, it works great. I'd check the ground wires on all 4 turn signals - trace them all the way if you have to. That's probably the culprit.

[TopCatGr58]

Possible little Tech Tip

Hey folks,

Along with the 1st/2nd gear fix I did for DEO on his 82XJ, I was also getting it ready to pass inspection. The turn signals crapped out, the right side worked, but the left side just came on but didn't blink, inspected all grounds, and all was okay, could hear the flasher click once to start the blink sequence, but wouldn't keep going for the left side, but did for the right side. If I rapped/tapped on the flasher unit, it would cycle, but only if I kept hitting it.

So...I decided to replace it with standard "thermal" flasher unit, but the wires didn't quite match up. Had to switch the one marked "L", I assumed for Load, from the middle position to and end position in the plug on the bike, then plugged it into the flasher and it worked perfectly!? Just matched the "L" position with the same location of the "L" on the flasher relay. HTH someone!?
T.C.

[beechfront]

just like to add - since I went through all the connections and fixed the grounds - my blinkers work fine when at idle. it used to be they would blink for 2 seconds at idle then quit.