Don't do this when you lose your keys

[LVTom]

When I came out of the house Monday morning to jump on my 78 Standard for my ride to work, I couldn't find my keys. I looked around until I was almost late for work. Since I new I had another ignition switch somewhere and I already use three different sets of keys, I thought I would just jam a screwdriver in the keyhole, give it a few taps with the hammer and be off to work. Well, that kinda worked. The key turned, the tailight went on and I thought I was ready to go. I pushed the starter button and nothing happened. Now, late for work, I thought %$%#@ it, I'l just cut the three wires in back of the ignition switch and hotwire it. How tough could that be? Put all the wires together. Now I had nothing. No taillight, no starter. I found that I had blown at least one fuse(I still have the old style fuses). I found the broken fuse and replaced it. I crossed two of the wires and it started. At that point I didn't like how warm the wires were getting, so I decided since I was now really late for work that it would be a good day to take off work and just do it the right way. Of course the right way would have been to have an extra set of keys. Went to the storage shed, got the extra ignition switch. Got back and found the new switch had 4 wires instead of 3. In another post I got help with that from Psycoreefer and DCXSER(Thanks again guys). Installed the switch and everything was fine. I was so happy it started, I didn't notice till later my tailight didn't work.

My question is, is there a separate fuse for the tailight? I checked all the fuses I can find, and they are all ok. The bike had been wrecked before I got it and the fuse box was destroyed. The shop that fixed it, just put inline fuses for all the wiring in the area of fuse box (Yes I will be installing TKAT's) spade fuse upgrade really soon). I tracked a blue wire back from the taillight but can't get any power. I do have a full fairing on the bike which makes things a little tougher to see. So, I'd appreciate any help in figuring out how to get my tailight working again, so the cops don't pull me over and othere drivers can see me. Thanks Tom

[psycoreefer]

Check your ignition switch wiring, with the key on you should have +12v coming out of the switch on the blue/yellow wire. (at least it's blue/yellow on my 79sf). If you don't then you won't have power to the light checker and your taillights won't work. If you've got power there, pull the seat and check that you've got power on the blue/yellow at the light checker. Then check that you've got power on the blue wire coming out of the light checker. Does your brake light work? I think it gets power from the same ignition switch source via the light checker...

oh yeah, before all that did you check to make sure the bulb was good?

[LVTom]

taillight

Thanks for the info psycoreefer. I will check when I get home. I do have power coming out of the ignition switch blue wire. and I have pulled the seat but I am not sure what the "light checker" is. With my test light, I definitely know I do not have power back at the taillight. The brake lights do work. That is why I thought there might be a designated fuse for the parking and tail lights. Thanks again for your help. Tom

[bikerphil]

Tom, you\\\'re bike doesn\\\'t have a light checker, it\\\'s on the 79 special only, IIRC.

[natemoen]

Tom, you\\\'re bike doesn\\\'t have a light checker, it\\\'s on the 79 special only, IIRC.

I guess I assumed he was talking about the RLU....

[psycoreefer]

EDIT: Guess I type too slow, didn't know that my special was so special that its the only model with a checker....sorry to mislead you!

There is a fuse, it should be the one with a tan wire on both sides, but I'm not positive that it supplies power for the tail lights, might only be for the brake lights.....

The light checkers it the "other" little black rubber mounted box under the seat (the first one being the flasher canceler unit), I've never devoted much time to understanding how it works, I just know that if you remove it you loose your brake lights and your tail lights.

It is responsible for sending a trickle of current to your brake/tail light bulb all the time and using some sort of electrical wizardry to figure out if the bulb is good. If your bulb burns out it switches on the Oil/brake warning light on the instrument panel. Is your light lit up?

BTW it will also light up the warning light if you, install a brake light modulator, wire your turn signals in as running lights, or hook up extra brake lights.

[XSive Okie]

When I bought my '79 Special, I contacted the locksmith who does all the work for the dealership I'm at, and he showed up and quoted $3 each, so I said "Give me two!". Now have one hanging in the garage and one in the house. Thinking about one more to keep at work, just in case.

[DGXSER]

Never mind, reread the post and see the "new" switch was four wire not the existing.

[fredintoon]

When I came out of the house Monday morning to jump on my 78 Standard for my ride to work, I couldn't find my keys. - - -

Hi Tom,
when your bike left the factory the blue wire to the tail light ran back to the ignition switch and along with the ignition, was powered up when the key was turned via the main fuse along with all the other blue wired running lights.
What has happened since, who knows?
BTW, in an earlier post I said a person should have 5 keys.
On the keyring. In the billfold. In the sock drawer. In the bank deposit box and the last one at your mom's place.
They mocked me.
Better to be mocked than to suffer your cascade failure though?

[thewiz]

Well, Tom .. couldn't ya' have just swapped the tag over to the Standard from the hill-climber? Might look a little conspicuous on the roads but you could shortcut through the desert to get to work here and there, right?.

Surely there's still some desert left in Vegas, isn't there? Wasn't too long ago that the town stopped a couple blocks south of Sunset.

[LVTom]

Hi Steve

Hi Steve, Good to hear from you. The hillclimber only has an on off switch and uses a magneto. But I'll keep it in mind. I also have a switch on the Turbo bike but that is way over in Wisconsin. Take care. Tom

[cywelchjr]

My answer is rather like the suggested, I have a spare set (only one set though) that hangs in the kitchen. It's a complete set though, (ignition, fairing, bags and trunk) so I'm good there. Of course I should get an extra ignition key made to keep in my wallet, just in case.

It would also figure that the screwdriver fix wouldn't work for you, but it sure worked on my 400 (uses almost exactly the same ignition switch) twice when the fools stole it (yes, twice). Of course it would never work for me, and the first time the fact that it would only kick start because of a constantly low battery because of all the extra stuff on it didn't slow the guy down at all. Now I keep things such that the bikes start with a touch of the starter, but I'm still paranoid about someone stealing it, so it's in a locked yard/driveway at night.