must hold signal switch on to operate?

[klrconcours]

81SX11 I have to hold the turn signal swith in left or right position and signals flash normally. They just won't stay on when I release the switch. What needs replacing? Thanx!!!

[DGXSER]

My best guess is nothing. I would suggest you open up the switch and clean it up inside. I'm almost certain it will work perfectly afterwards.

[fredintoon]

My best guess is nothing. I would suggest you open up the switch and clean it up inside. I'm almost certain it will work perfectly afterwards.

Hi Don,
I had the same problem except that my flashers wouldn't turn OFF.
The switch sprung back centred OK but the flasher just kept on flashing until the switch was pushed the other way.
Then the other side wouldn't turn off neither.
But I'm with you on the cure.
Very carefully take the switch completely apart then clean & re-lube everything.
When the fiddly little thing is properly back together it'll work again just fine.

[skids]

You probably know that without self-cancelling feature working, you can normally push the switch straight in to cancel the turn signals. I have to do that on two of mine because they have electronic flashers and LED signals.

[fredintoon]

You probably know that without self-cancelling feature working, you can normally push the switch straight in to cancel the turn signals. I have to do that on two of mine because they have electronic flashers and LED signals.

Hi skids,
yeah, the rig has been without the self-canceling feature ever since the original flasher died I found out the price of a genuine replacement.
My previous post should have said:-
The switch sprung back centred OK but when it was pushed inwards, even several times, the flasher just kept on flashing until the switch was pushed the other way.

[klrconcours]

Thanks. I tried the cleaning. Very clean! This bike has 4,000 original miles too. Still won't flash when released. I see inside the bar switch, a white plastic block. It has contacts which keep a circuit closed when the block is either right or left (not pushed in to cancel) and two dedicated wires for that plastic block's contacts that lead out of the bar switch to the bike's electronics. It seems to me there is a mechanism elswhere that, as long as the plastic block is to the left or right, should be continuing the circuit and keeping the lights flashing. What would the device be on the bike? Not the flasher, cuz the flasher works. Thanx. John

[fredintoon]

Thanks. I tried the cleaning. Very clean! This bike has 4,000 original miles too. Still won't flash when released. I see inside the bar switch, a white plastic block. It has contacts which keep a circuit closed when the block is either right or left (not pushed in to cancel) and two dedicated wires for that plastic block's contacts that lead out of the bar switch to the bike's electronics. It seems to me there is a mechanism elsewhere that, as long as the plastic block is to the left or right, should be continuing the circuit and keeping the lights flashing. What would the device be on the bike? Not the flasher, cuz the flasher works. Thanx. John

Hi John,
it sounds like you didn't remove that white plastic block and clean behind it?
Let me restate and italicise a line from my previous post:-
Very carefully take the switch COMPLETELY apart then clean & re-lube everything.

[klrconcours]

You are correct. I will try again today. Taking the block out (if I can figure out how).

[DGXSER]

I will offerone word of caution. When you pull out the electrical connection block, use caution. Those old soldier joints can be a little fragile and it can be a bit of apain to get those wires soldied back on at the correct angle to fit back in that hole.

[fredintoon]

You are correct. I will try again today. Taking the block out (if I can figure out how).

Hi klr,
I disremember the details but it's a fiddly thing to deal with.
Like the dgxer sez, watch those frail elderly soldered connections, be prepared to re-solder them at need and disconnect the multiplug on the far end to do the job in the middle of a large clean tray to catch all the bits that can fall out.

[klrconcours]

Took it completely appart and it didn't need much to make it PERFECTLY clean. Still have to hold the switch left or right to flash. Does my '81 special have the self cancelling feature? I think it's related to that and not in the switch.

[CatatonicBug]

Took it completely appart and it didn't need much to make it PERFECTLY clean. Still have to hold the switch left or right to flash. Does my '81 special have the self cancelling feature? I think it's related to that and not in the switch.

Yes, they all have the self-cancel feature. You can just remove (unplug) the self-canceller from the circuit to see if anything changes. It is located under the seat, on top of the battery. Looks like this:

[foreda]

Signal

You did not by chance paint the handle bar clamp? If so, you may not be getting a good ground.

[CatatonicBug]

You did not by chance paint the handle bar clamp? If so, you may not be getting a good ground.

The left control does not ground to the handlebars. Only the right one does.

[cywelchjr]

You know, it sounds like the auto cancel may be defective and instantly cancels, if that's the case, disconnecting it may help, but then I'm not really sure how the system works.