Turn signal Issue

ussoldier1984 · 08-30-2011, 10:52 AM

I have a strange issue with my front turn signals. I will do the best I can to describe it. First I have to let you know I have an led rear tail light/ turn signal. If I have my front turn signals hooked up and I turn either left or right on the headlight dims and gets brighter with the same pattern the turn signal lights on and off, and my rear break light does not work or running light. but rear turn signals work. If I disconnect my front turn signals the headlight does not dim and my rear running and break light and turn signals work fine. I have heard that if you run a led you need to run an inline resistor or somthing could this be the issue? or what would cause these symptoms? for now I leave the front turn signals disconnected so the rear break light and running light work.

ussoldier1984 · 08-30-2011, 11:10 AM

Ohhh one more thing when the bike is not running and the front turn signals hooked up the rear brake light and running light work its just when I start the motor is when the rear brake and running light does not work

WintrSol · 08-30-2011, 01:31 PM

Sounds to me that you have a grounding problem, with the ground that is common to the headlamp and the signals. What bike is this? Is it new enough to have a separate ground system in the wiring harness, or does it depend on the chassis/frame to provide the grounds?

ussoldier1984 · 08-30-2011, 02:36 PM

sorry about that. Its a 2004 yamaha R6 I have yet to come across a service manual so I am not sure about the wiring

ussoldier1984 · 09-04-2011, 12:05 PM

ok update on the turn signal issue if anyone has been following, it is related to front turn signal wires and headlight, If i dissconnect the headlight all signals and brake lights work, soon as the headlight is hooked up and running I lose rear brake lights and running lights. Man I wish I had a wiring schematic for the lighting system. I can not find any broken wires or bad grounds although it is flippen difficult because the wiring is all tucked up and inside the rubber insulater that bundles all the wires together. thinking of just ordering a whole headlight turn signal/brake light wiring harness.

Dodsfall · 09-04-2011, 12:15 PM

Look closely at any areas where the wires may be bending or moving. Sometimes the insulation on the wiring wears out and starts shorting.

If you can find a reasonable source for a headlight sub-harness, that may be the best idea.

ussoldier1984 · 09-04-2011, 01:02 PM

ok just took the whole wiring harness for the front headlight/ turn signals damn it has been butchered and electrical taped like a nightmare. got all the electrical tape off but the way whoever tried to fix this didnt have a flippen clue and I have no reference to how its supposed to go i need a schematic for it.

ussoldier1984 · 09-04-2011, 05:09 PM

too screwed up going to have too order a new wiring harness

MirrorrorriM · 09-06-2011, 10:19 PM

That's strange, but it all points to shoddy wiring from a previous owner. Without seeing exactly what's going on, it's hard to say.

I can, however shed light on the in line resistor/relay for LED's. In my case, on my 1993 Suzuki GSX1100, the original lights were incandescent bulbs. I replaced the front signal lights for LED's and they wouldn't flash, they would just stay on. The problem was that the LED's have such a low draw, that the Relay was thinking the bulb was just burned out and was causing it to not flash. The fix is to either run a ceramic in-line load resistor, which will increase the load, "tricking" the system into thinking you are still running incandescent bulbs, or run an adjustable relay. I opted for a cheap chinese adjustable relay on ebay, and it worked rather well for $8.

By no means am I an electrician, so that's just a crude rendition of my past problem. It does not seem to resemble the issue you are having though, which makes me think its the shoddy wiring you referred to.

ussoldier1984 · 09-07-2011, 06:59 AM

I ordered a new headlight wiring harness should be here any day. but still cant ride had to pull the motor 2nd and 3rd dogs were wore the eff out and bent shift forks from previous owner slamming gears while wheeling. guess thats what you get for getting a used bike with no history

its alright thought have the case open and old tranny out new one is in the mail headed to me now. But on a positive note when I am done with this bike it will run like it did from the show room floor. I have a tendency to buy broken things and fix them. it all started with a 1995 seadoo spx jet ski. damn that jet ski. now I am in a never ending loop.

MirrorrorriM · 09-08-2011, 08:16 PM

Yeah I saw your thread over there with the tranny. Nice work, hope it all goes well.

08-30-2011, 10:52 AM	#1
ussoldier1984 Verified Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TX Posts: 86	Turn signal Issue I have a strange issue with my front turn signals. I will do the best I can to describe it. First I have to let you know I have an led rear tail light/ turn signal. If I have my front turn signals hooked up and I turn either left or right on the headlight dims and gets brighter with the same pattern the turn signal lights on and off, and my rear break light does not work or running light. but rear turn signals work. If I disconnect my front turn signals the headlight does not dim and my rear running and break light and turn signals work fine. I have heard that if you run a led you need to run an inline resistor or somthing could this be the issue? or what would cause these symptoms? for now I leave the front turn signals disconnected so the rear break light and running light work.

08-30-2011, 01:31 PM	#3
WintrSol Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Florissant, MO Posts: 2,602	Sounds to me that you have a grounding problem, with the ground that is common to the headlamp and the signals. What bike is this? Is it new enough to have a separate ground system in the wiring harness, or does it depend on the chassis/frame to provide the grounds? __________________ '68-7? CB450 and '05 S50 Boulevard

09-04-2011, 12:15 PM	#6
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 16,352	Look closely at any areas where the wires may be bending or moving. Sometimes the insulation on the wiring wears out and starts shorting. If you can find a reasonable source for a headlight sub-harness, that may be the best idea. __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-06-2011, 10:19 PM	#9
MirrorrorriM Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 271	That's strange, but it all points to shoddy wiring from a previous owner. Without seeing exactly what's going on, it's hard to say. I can, however shed light on the in line resistor/relay for LED's. In my case, on my 1993 Suzuki GSX1100, the original lights were incandescent bulbs. I replaced the front signal lights for LED's and they wouldn't flash, they would just stay on. The problem was that the LED's have such a low draw, that the Relay was thinking the bulb was just burned out and was causing it to not flash. The fix is to either run a ceramic in-line load resistor, which will increase the load, "tricking" the system into thinking you are still running incandescent bulbs, or run an adjustable relay. I opted for a cheap chinese adjustable relay on ebay, and it worked rather well for $8. By no means am I an electrician, so that's just a crude rendition of my past problem. It does not seem to resemble the issue you are having though, which makes me think its the shoddy wiring you referred to. __________________ -Clark

09-07-2011, 06:59 AM	#10
ussoldier1984 Verified Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TX Posts: 86	I ordered a new headlight wiring harness should be here any day. but still cant ride had to pull the motor 2nd and 3rd dogs were wore the eff out and bent shift forks from previous owner slamming gears while wheeling. guess thats what you get for getting a used bike with no history its alright thought have the case open and old tranny out new one is in the mail headed to me now. But on a positive note when I am done with this bike it will run like it did from the show room floor. I have a tendency to buy broken things and fix them. it all started with a 1995 seadoo spx jet ski. damn that jet ski. now I am in a never ending loop. Last edited by ussoldier1984; 09-07-2011 at 07:05 AM..

08-30-2011, 11:10 AM	#2
ussoldier1984 Verified Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TX Posts: 86	Ohhh one more thing when the bike is not running and the front turn signals hooked up the rear brake light and running light work its just when I start the motor is when the rear brake and running light does not work

08-30-2011, 02:36 PM	#4
ussoldier1984 Verified Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TX Posts: 86	sorry about that. Its a 2004 yamaha R6 I have yet to come across a service manual so I am not sure about the wiring

09-04-2011, 12:05 PM	#5
ussoldier1984 Verified Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TX Posts: 86	ok update on the turn signal issue if anyone has been following, it is related to front turn signal wires and headlight, If i dissconnect the headlight all signals and brake lights work, soon as the headlight is hooked up and running I lose rear brake lights and running lights. Man I wish I had a wiring schematic for the lighting system. I can not find any broken wires or bad grounds although it is flippen difficult because the wiring is all tucked up and inside the rubber insulater that bundles all the wires together. thinking of just ordering a whole headlight turn signal/brake light wiring harness.

09-04-2011, 01:02 PM	#7
ussoldier1984 Verified Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TX Posts: 86	ok just took the whole wiring harness for the front headlight/ turn signals damn it has been butchered and electrical taped like a nightmare. got all the electrical tape off but the way whoever tried to fix this didnt have a flippen clue and I have no reference to how its supposed to go i need a schematic for it.

09-04-2011, 05:09 PM	#8
ussoldier1984 Verified Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TX Posts: 86	too screwed up going to have too order a new wiring harness

09-08-2011, 08:16 PM	#11
MirrorrorriM Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 271	Yeah I saw your thread over there with the tranny. Nice work, hope it all goes well. __________________ -Clark

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