I have a blinker problem...

[tippinwa]

Thanks, those are good suggestions. Tomorrow I will run a direct jumper to the positive of each turn indicator from the battery positive to see if they work.

I really appreciate all the help - this is a mystery. There is no logical reason why three of the indicators do not work, even if I run a jumper from the working RR to any of the others. It is totally illogical. If I can just make the lights come on with the jumper from the battery positive, then I will know the lights work so there must be a problem in misconnected wiring.

I never should have taken the thing apart. I was in the Air Force in 1976 and was being transferred to England. The Air Force wouldn't ship motorcycles, and they wouldn't store them either. So, I took the thing apart and put it in lots of small boxes and labled them as books, toys, kitchen stuff and so forth. Unfortunately, by the time I got around to reassembling the bike, I apparently got the wiring confused. Well, this gives me something to do in retirement - I'll figure it out sooner or later. That's what makes motorcycles fun, riight? That and riding in the rain. OK, tomorrow I'll do the jumper from the battery thing and get back to you. Thanks for your advice.

[e3steve]

Fun in the rain? I don't fink so!

Proving stuff, electrically, is simple and logical; if the wiring is sound, the rest is seemples! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSIKy3-mnLk Watch out for the model of Titanic as the camera pulls back!

First & foremost:

• remove each indicator and test in turn (no pun!) across the battery; make sure that the batt hasn't been gassing or, at least, that the cell plugs are in and the breather tube is fitted!

The wiring is very straightforward:

• l/blue & orange run from the headlamp bucket to around the rectifier; they should each have continuity, front to back. At the flasher 'can' there's a black (ign) and grey (switch, centre); the black will have 12V on it with the key ON. The grey runs to the headlamp bucket. The switch wires into the handlebar are: grey (sw centre), orange (left contact) & l/blue (right contact)

To prove the wiring:

• link the black and grey together at the flasher can > turn the key ON > with the wiring inside the bucket connected, colour for colour, check for 12V at the orange (front & rear) with the switch in the LEFT position, and same for the l/blue with the switch in the RIGHT position -- you can use a test light or a voltmeter.

TIP: I would use a known-to-be-working headlamp bulb; why? Because it draws sufficient current to prove the wiring/switch properly! Scenario: if the wire(s) have suffered a cut or abrasion and moisture has ingressed, then it's possible that the wire(s) has/have become partially discontinuous due to corrosion (which happens when even a small voltage is present in exposed copper strands). These wires will probably show 12V with a meter but the voltage will collapse to the square-root-of-sod-all when current is required.

Keep us info'd.

G'luck!

Edited out bad punctutation.

[tippinwa]

I haven't forgotton, it's just that something came up yesterday that took me away from my workshop. Today it's raining, so that makes it a good day to trace that wiring problem, starting with putting the wire from the battery positive to each indicator wire to see what happens. More this afternoon....

[tippinwa]

OK, I took two steps forward, and one back. I employed the suggestion of jumping from the battery positive directly to the turn indicator light. The RR came on bright and steady, but none of the others would as I tested them individually. I determined the problem was "no ground" on the RF, LF, and LR so I took the RF and LF off and cleaned the housing base and inside the light where the bolt secures the indicator housing. Still no light. I ran a jumper from the engine to the indicator housing and presto, the bulb came on which led me to determine the bad ground was actually from the front forks to the frame. I ran a jumper from a bolt inside the headlight housing through the hole, and connected it to the coil bolt. OK, now I have a good front-end ground and the front two lights will come on. The LR still would not so I took it off and cleaned the base and used a copper washer - the LR would then come on as it now has a good ground. Great, now I have all four bulbs that will light when I jump their "hot" wire directly to the battery positive. I thought I had finally succeeded so I reconnected the system to the blinker, the handlebar switch and the wiring harness. Unfortunately, I no longer get 12v to the center of the L/R handlebar switch. So, now I know the four signals WILL work, but there seems to be a wiring problem. The solution is there, I just have to keep plugging at it. Thanks for all your help...

[Wilf]

Glad to hear that you're making progress! It would be helpful for me to know exactly how your flasher relay and handlebar switch are wired (include the wire colors too). Also, is that a stock flasher relay? Does it have 2 wiring terminals? Are there labels or markings on the terminals?

Wilf

[e3steve]

Prove each component in turn.

Basics! All logical steps....

To prove the wiring:
link the black and grey together at the flasher can >

This will prove/disprove the flasher relay/'can'!

One step at a time, brother! Keep at it.....

[tippinwa]

Everything on the bike is original, including the handlebar indicator switch. However, the wires have different colors than any schematic I have found. The problem is that Honda made two CL's, one domestic, and one for export. Like the idiot that I am, I flew to Japan in 1967 from Anchorage and while there, I bought the domestic CL and shipped it back to Anchorage and rode it to Fairbanks. Looking back, it would have been more cost effective to have bought one in Anchorage or Fairbanks. What an idiot I was, but I was only 26 then and wasn't thinking straight.

I now know that the ground is good at all points. If I connect the battery positive to the R side of the handlebar switch, both R indicators come on bright and steady. Same thing for the L side of the bike. However, the blinker is no longer working. I am convinced there is a wiring problem, so I am going to completely re-wire the turn indicator circuit, using the correct color wires from the export CL schematic. Then I will KNOW that the wiring is correct. There is something basic wrong, and I am missing it. I have already unwrapped the harness (they used electrical tape in those days) and all the wires are exposed and easy to replace. I will now trace every wire to ensure no breakage or hot wire grounding to the frame. I'll get it sooner or later - with good advice and determination, the solution will come.