Turn signal issue

[sLoWnStEaDy]

OK, I have had this on a few sport bike forums and a couple CBR specific forums with ZERO help so far so I thought I would try here. Just going to copy/paste from one of those forums...




When I turn the turn signal on, the "turn" light on the gauge cluster does NOT light up and the turn signals do not work. I did some testing and messing around of my own but couldn't get anything to work and with the "turn" light not illuminating on the cluster, I think that might be the first place to start.


I did check the wires on the right side of the bike because the other side is against the wall right now. I checked the voltage on the blue (turn signal) wire and on the blue/white (running light) wire. First with just the key on, then the left turn signal and then the right turn signal.


---------------Blue -------- Blue/White
key on--------10.8v-----------11.3v
Left turn-------6.6v-----------11.3v
right turn------10.8v------------0v

[sparkles]

Is this a new problem or was it like that when you bought it?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Is this a new problem or was it like that when you bought it?

Since I bought it pretty much. Basically, the guy "tried" to install some after market LED's on the front. He got 2-wire units instead of 3-wire like he should have. So, he just hooked them up as running lights and that was it. Then I found out how to wire the 2-wire units to a 3-wire setup using some restrictor diodes and resistors.
I did that and the turn signals don't work. Then I noticed the "turn" light on the gauge cluster isn't even lighting up so I figure there is a problem somewhere. I redid all of his shitty wiring, soldered everything and heat shrink tubed it, etc. So, all I can say is that the wiring is for sure correct.

[sparkles]

Well, that pretty much answered the next 2 things I was gonna say. Some of the LED types use a diode that you have to put inline, though mostly it's so it doesn't flash faster. And if you've already gotten a wiring diagram and traced wires, my next step would be disassembling the switch and checking that. Sorry, not much help.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Well, that pretty much answered the next 2 things I was gonna say. Some of the LED types use a diode that you have to put inline, though mostly it's so it doesn't flash faster. And if you've already gotten a wiring diagram and traced wires, my next step would be disassembling the switch and checking that. Sorry, not much help.

Yeah, I took the switch apart already too, didn't see anything wrong in there. cleaned it up and the contacts all looked good still so... i don't fukkin know! Just wanting to try some stuff before I take it in and get raped.

[sparkles]

Wonder what makes it flash. Check the fusebox or a diagram and see if maybe the "flasher is the issue.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Wonder what makes it flash. Check the fusebox or a diagram and see if maybe the "flasher is the issue.

Yeah, I found a flasher relay deal... it's $50, going to go grab it later and see if that fixes my problem.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Well, I checked out my flasher and it is all busted up, it was black taped to shit and I didn't know why. I took the black tape of and it is just busted to shit. unhooked the blinker, jumped the wires and got a constant turn signal, meaning I need a new blinker. $50 from McGrath Power Sports but I am, of course, going to see if I can find a cheaper replacement!

[sLoWnStEaDy]

FUCK!! that didn't fix my problem either!

[sLoWnStEaDy]

OK, right now this is how I have it all setup.


http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9553/ledwiring.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/i/ledwiring.jpg/)

As it is wired... the front running lights work but when I hit the turn signal, that side goes out and that is it. I checked the voltage of the two wires coming from the LED. When it is running, they are at 10.2V and are dim as they should be for running lights. Then, when I hit the turn signal, it drops down to about 7.2V and they don't light up at all. It doesn't matter if I try the left or right signal, they drop to 7.2V either way.

[warchild145]

Have you checked your grounds? With the previous guy messing with the wiring who knows what else may have been cut, removed, spliced, etc. Wouldnt hurt to check that out while your at it. Otherwise not sure what else to check as you have done everything else I would have mentioned.

Maybe try going back to stock and starting over and seeing what happens?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

yeah, I checked the grounds related to the turn signals anyways...

here is another thread about it: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=14835 (http://www.iowaautoforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=14835)

[Ricky]

i know you probaly know this but make sure the diodes are pointing in the right direction.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

i know you probaly know this but make sure the diodes are pointing in the right direction.

of course my horse... the issue is before any of the wiring I did. I checked the factory wiring and the problem is still there. I ordered a switch off ebay for cheap so we will see if that does anything.

[Scott]

Maybe try some cheap 3 wire lights and get rid of all the resistor/diode stuff, at least find out if its the bikes wiring or the add on lights and resistor stuff. Start eliminating things that are cheap or free to test first

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Maybe try some cheap 3 wire lights and get rid of all the resistor/diode stuff, at least find out if its the bikes wiring or the add on lights and resistor stuff. Start eliminating things that are cheap or free to test first

I did that... well, I used the two wire lights but I just hooked them up to a single wire (running or turn signal) and the turn signal still did not work. so, 100% for sure, the resistors/diodes and such is NOT the problem.

The problem seem to be that when you hit the turn signal, instead of the voltage increasing and making the light brighter, it decreases and the light goes out. I believe I read something once upon a time about losing voltage through a turn signal switch so I got one for $25 shipped, I will have to wait and see what happens with that.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Well, I found this so at least now I know for sure what is what....

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/4154/9394wiringdiagram900rr0.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/i/9394wiringdiagram900rr0.jpg/)



The wire harness is still in the factory loom so at least I am fairly confident that hasn't been cluster fucked.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

I am "pretty sure" it has to be the switch at this point. When I light up the front signals (by jumping the wires in the connector) the rears light up as they should as well. So, there is obviously no short there and the lights are good. All of the fuses are good, I replaced the blinker relay and that did nothing so that is eliminated. the only thing left in the circuit is the turn signal switch itself. I am trying to figure out exactly what wires to jump to eliminate the switch from the circuit and see if they work then.

i.e. it looks like if I jump the gray and blue wires, my right signals should work and if I jump the gray and orange wires, my left signals should work. Going to give that a try in a few minutes, when Skye gets back from the store. If they work then, I know it is the switch. If not, I guess I will be kicking and screaming and probably throwing shit.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Well, that adds to my confusion! The gray wire never goes above 3.XX volts. If I jump the wires the lights getter brighter but still do not flash. If I am understanding the "blinker relay" itself, it is suppose to internally connect those two wires for a second or so at a time, in a "flashing" manner, thus creating a turn signal. Which, leads me back to the flasher itself but I replaced it with an OEM, Honda replacement and it didn't change anything and I used an aftermarket 12v blinker for a car and it didn't change anything either.

The ground is solid, and the constant voltage wire is at 13V as well so it just isn't connecting to the "flash" wire inside the relay as it should apparently. Does this make since?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Fucked with it more, tore a lot of the loom away and checked the wires, it all looks good. I think I am just going to say fuck it until I get then new switch and see if that does anything. If not, I will make sure to take some lube with me when I go to McGrath Power Sports...

[Ricky]

its a basic system... Its a switch, relay, fuse, and power..... you of all people shouldn't be having this much trouble with it.

Check all grounds
check fuse
check switch
check relay

IF all those check out then i would say some is wacko with your L.E.D. signals. Test them with a separate power system.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

its a basic system... Its a switch, relay, fuse, and power..... you of all people shouldn't be having this much trouble with it.

Check all grounds
check fuse
check switch
check relay

IF all those check out then i would say some is wacko with your L.E.D. signals. Test them with a separate power system.

I know right... it is almost embarrassing that I can't figure it out! grounds (that I have found) are all good, fuses are good, relay is good. The only thing I am not 100% sure on is the switch and I don't know for sure how to test that so. I bought one from a dealership online that guaranteed it to be in working order so... Other than that, I am just fucking CLUELESS!!!

I tore the loom apart yesterday and didn't find anything wrong. I unplugged the rear signals just to eliminate those and it didn't help, I cleaned up all of the grounds, I even ran wires directly from the battery just to make 100% sure they positive and ground where good (even though I had already checked it with a DMM and it was good). The only thing I can think of is the switch. However, I cannot get the signals to blink. If i jump the wires in the switch harness, all four signals just light up and stay solid.

[Ricky]

when you are testing the turn signals do you have the relay in the circuit?

Did you test the diodes? It could be possible that you have bad diodes.... try removing the resister diodes from the circuit. They are there to regulate the speed of the flash.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

when you are testing the turn signals do you have the relay in the circuit?

Did you test the diodes? It could be possible that you have bad diodes.... try removing the resister diodes from the circuit. They are there to regulate the speed of the flash.

the relay was in the circuit... and I did test all of the stock wiring before any of the diode crap got put in place...

[Ricky]

damn. then i would say switch too. I was just double checking with you. I know you know what your doing so i was sure you did.

I too am stumped now :-/

[sLoWnStEaDy]

damn. then i would say switch too. I was just double checking with you. I know you know what your doing so i was sure you did.

I too am stumped now :-/

I gotcha... never hurts to double check, I have literally checked everything probably 5-6 times now! LOL
I am convinced that is has to be the switch but I still cannot figure out why the "turn" light on the cluster doesn't come on. I checked the bulb and it is good. the wire for that bulb connects to the turn signal wire so whenever the turn signal lights up, it lights up as well. Even when I had the power hooked up directly to the signals, it still didn't light up.

It has to be the switch or something so simple that I have over looked it half a dozen times.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Well, just to shut the people on the bike forums up... I went and bought an LED specific flasher form Autozone... It did nothing, as I expected...

[sparkles]

You ought to be able to jump the switch and get it figured out. If it's still not flashing, my money is on something to do with the diodes and lights. Try getting rid of the diodes all together. That should just make them flash faster.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

You ought to be able to jump the switch and get it figured out. If it's still not flashing, my money is on something to do with the diodes and lights. Try getting rid of the diodes all together. That should just make them flash faster.

Already did that... I just went up to Autozone and picked up an LED flasher which would eliminate the need for the diodes. So, I got rid of the diodes and wired up the new flasher and the turn signals. It still does the exact same thing. if you hit the left signal, the front left light goes out, right signal, the front right goes out. the backs do nothing still...

there is still no "pulsing" signal coming from the relay either.

[sparkles]

WTF man! Not even my bike and it's pissing me off. It's gotta be something stupid we're overlooking.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

WTF man! Not even my bike and it's pissing me off. It's gotta be something stupid we're overlooking.

IDK.... The switch should be here thursday or friday, until then, I am done with it. Going to work on the mustang a little more and/or start getting the RX7 ready for the turbo setup.

I feel bad for the puppies! I go to the garage, get all pissed off and then I have to come back inside and play with the little fuckers to cheer me up! They are probably going to get really sick of me quick now that their eyes are open and they know it's me all the time! LOL

here's a picture of them a few hours after being born (there are 6, the far right one always seems to get missed when people look at this picture) http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/1950/puppies004.jpg (http://img844.imageshack.us/i/puppies004.jpg/)

[sLoWnStEaDy]

DAMMIT! the switch would have been here today but I forgot to change the shipping address in my paypal account. Luckily, they sent it USPS so it was forwarded here so I think it will be here tomorrow.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

....got the switch, didn't change a fucking thing....

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Something I don't understand... A 3-prong flasher is just suppose to take a + and - and then put out a "flashing" + signal form the third post correct? Because I can't get any of mine to do SHIT!!

I hook the LED flasher up to the stock flasher plug and it just puts out a constant 7v which obviously does NOTHING. and there is always a 12V+ and a ground going to the flasher so wouldn't it always be flashing?


AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so fucking lost!!!