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Mailman’s XS2 a full on restoration
- Thread starter Mailman
- Start date
Yeah, the factory's original depiction is funky.
The left switchblock contains 4 functions, Lights on/off, Hi/Low, Horn, and turnsignal.
The original schematic shows the horn button in one area, the turnsignal switch in another. Those are in the bottom-half of the handlebar switchblock.
The Lighting components are at the left side of the schematic, shown as a single module, which is the upper-half of the handlebar switchblock. The factory didn't expect folks to disassemble and service these switches, just replace them. So, a detailed breakdown isn't shown. This other schematic excerpt attempts to show the inner workings, poorly.
So, viewing the lighting section, on/off and hi/low, as a single module, the wiring is correct.
R/Y - Independent power
Blue - Tail and instruments
Green - Low beam
Yellow - High beam
But, the depiction of the headlight bulb wiring is wrong.
Ground is between the filaments.
At the moment, I'm at a loss for the handlebar grounding.
Guess I'll have to go out there and figure it out...
The left switchblock contains 4 functions, Lights on/off, Hi/Low, Horn, and turnsignal.
The original schematic shows the horn button in one area, the turnsignal switch in another. Those are in the bottom-half of the handlebar switchblock.
The Lighting components are at the left side of the schematic, shown as a single module, which is the upper-half of the handlebar switchblock. The factory didn't expect folks to disassemble and service these switches, just replace them. So, a detailed breakdown isn't shown. This other schematic excerpt attempts to show the inner workings, poorly.
So, viewing the lighting section, on/off and hi/low, as a single module, the wiring is correct.
R/Y - Independent power
Blue - Tail and instruments
Green - Low beam
Yellow - High beam
But, the depiction of the headlight bulb wiring is wrong.
Ground is between the filaments.
At the moment, I'm at a loss for the handlebar grounding.
Guess I'll have to go out there and figure it out...
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I see the confusion I caused. I got in a hurry and had a little brain fade. I should have said in the run position the red/yellow is power to the headlight on/off switch.
Sorry
I think when the key is in the #2 position, that's it's in Park Light mode and only the tail light comes on. The key comes out and
you can lock your bike. Pardon me if this has been discussed.
you can lock your bike. Pardon me if this has been discussed.
In #2/park position the taillight and tach/speedo lights are always on. The headlight will be on if the headlight on/off switch is on.I think when the key is in the #2 position, that's it's in Park Light mode and only the tail light comes on. The key comes out and
you can lock your bike. Pardon me if this has been discussed.
I’m not in the garage today, I’m going to be re reading all this material. I also still haven’t got an understanding of why my handlebars aren’t grounding or even where they should be. I still might run a sneaky little wire just for back up.
Also I just wanted to reply to this.
Skull, when I get back out there I’m going to take some detailed photos of my multi plugs in my headlight shell and I might open up my left handlebar switch again. I had it open about three times yesterday, what’s one more time. In the meantime, now that I’m thinking about it, I might have some photos from when I rebuilt my switch. Let me go look.
Also I just wanted to reply to this.
What you’re seeing there is the wires for my aftermarket pressure activated front brake switch. I needed a couple bullet connectors to tie into my harness and they were what I had on hand. Yeah they’re not the best.
Skull, when I get back out there I’m going to take some detailed photos of my multi plugs in my headlight shell and I might open up my left handlebar switch again. I had it open about three times yesterday, what’s one more time. In the meantime, now that I’m thinking about it, I might have some photos from when I rebuilt my switch. Let me go look.
As far as the ground for your switch assemblies goes, later bikes had a ground wire in the left control running into the headlight. There, it connected to one of the ground wires coming out of the main harness. In the switch, the ground wire connected to the housing. Clamping the housing to the bars transferred that ground connection through them over to the right switch housing. But your early model may not be like this. I've heard it mentioned that some of the earlier models had a separate ground wire attached to the bar mounts.
I've also heard it mentioned that this ground wire then attached to the triple trees or headlight bucket. That's really not a good way to establish a ground. To complete the ground connection back to the main frame, it would have to flow through the steering head bearings. Bearings freshly packed with grease may not transmit the signal very well. That might explain the intermittent functions you got. There's also the possibility of sparking occurring, and that could damage the bearings.
So, I'd say you need to examine your control assemblies carefully to see if either contains a ground wire. If they don't then one will need to be added to the handlebar clamp. I would run that one either into the headlight to a ground wire coming out of the main harness, or directly back to the main frame.
I've also heard it mentioned that this ground wire then attached to the triple trees or headlight bucket. That's really not a good way to establish a ground. To complete the ground connection back to the main frame, it would have to flow through the steering head bearings. Bearings freshly packed with grease may not transmit the signal very well. That might explain the intermittent functions you got. There's also the possibility of sparking occurring, and that could damage the bearings.
So, I'd say you need to examine your control assemblies carefully to see if either contains a ground wire. If they don't then one will need to be added to the handlebar clamp. I would run that one either into the headlight to a ground wire coming out of the main harness, or directly back to the main frame.
Well I took scores of detailed photos of the disassembly, because they are mechanically complex. But the wires are so dirty you can’t make out the colors.
Thank you for that. I can do that, one way or the other. I know that when I ran that jumper wire yesterday from the handlebar clamps directly to the frame, a lot of my gremlins immediately disappeared.
Lookin' good! I'm sure you can "sneak" a wire in there, that'll look like it belongs. "The Basketcase" had several braided wires for grounds, here and there, with "eye"-end connectors. You can never have too many redundant redundant grounds. Most electrical fixes start with "did you check the ground?".
No I don’t, this whole thing is something of a mystery to me. I wound up being able to get out in my garage for a couple hours this afternoon and I started tearing into handlebar switches and headlight bucket AGAIN !
I opened up all the switches, took inventory of wire colors, then checked inside the headlight bucket, to see what was coming out of the wiring bundles on the connection ends. I thought I made a major discovery early on, I found a black ground wire inside my brand new reproduction kill switch. The terminal was loose and barely making contact. I tightened it up but it made no difference, then I realized it was only a ground jumper wire from the kill switch housing to the starter lever. That ground wire never comes out of the loom inside the headlight bucket.
So I opened up the left side handlebar switch and looked for a ground wire, there was none. I cannot for the life of me figure out how the handlebars were grounded. So I decided to just put an end to this. Inside the headlight bucket I disconnected one of the wiring looms from the the left handlebar switch and I fed a black wire through it. I put a terminal end on it and attached it to a screw inside the switch housing, I also shined up the housing where it contacts the handlebar. The other end of the black wire inside the headlight bucket got a bullet connector crimped on it and I plugged it into an empty plug on a main harness ground wire.
I pushed the wiring loom back up into place and closed everything up and SUCESS!!! Grounding issues resolved.
Starter works, horn works, YAY!
I ran out of time and I still need to run down the tail light issue, but you guys have given me some good direction to look at.
Later,
Bob
No I don’t, this whole thing is something of a mystery to me. I wound up being able to get out in my garage for a couple hours this afternoon and I started tearing into handlebar switches and headlight bucket AGAIN !
I opened up all the switches, took inventory of wire colors, then checked inside the headlight bucket, to see what was coming out of the wiring bundles on the connection ends. I thought I made a major discovery early on, I found a black ground wire inside my brand new reproduction kill switch. The terminal was loose and barely making contact. I tightened it up but it made no difference, then I realized it was only a ground jumper wire from the kill switch housing to the starter lever. That ground wire never comes out of the loom inside the headlight bucket.
View attachment 135779 View attachment 135780 View attachment 135781
So I opened up the left side handlebar switch and looked for a ground wire, there was none. I cannot for the life of me figure out how the handlebars were grounded. So I decided to just put an end to this. Inside the headlight bucket I disconnected one of the wiring looms from the the left handlebar switch and I fed a black wire through it. I put a terminal end on it and attached it to a screw inside the switch housing, I also shined up the housing where it contacts the handlebar. The other end of the black wire inside the headlight bucket got a bullet connector crimped on it and I plugged it into an empty plug on a main harness ground wire.
View attachment 135782 View attachment 135783
I pushed the wiring loom back up into place and closed everything up and SUCESS!!! Grounding issues resolved.
Starter works, horn works, YAY!
I ran out of time and I still need to run down the tail light issue, but you guys have given me some good direction to look at.
Later,
Bob
G'day B-O-B,
Mate electricity is kind of like oxygen.....you cannot see it but you know it is out there, keep troubleshooting my brother from another continent, LOL. It will all come together Grasshopper as long as you keep the faith.
Thanks Master Po! Don’t you worry, I’m like a dog with a bone. I’ll keep working on it until I get it! 
I’ll soon “ Snatch the pebble from your hand!”
—Grasshopper
I’ll soon “ Snatch the pebble from your hand!”
—Grasshopper
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Good fix running ground wire through loom to switch.
I've looked over both of my 72s and can find no ground wires running to the handlebars, yet they both are grounded. It is confusing because as we know the handlebar mounts are rubber mounted. And as 5Twins pointed out the ground would also have to travel through the steering head bearings, which is not good. I think you have effected a very good solution.
Does your headlight work?
GLJ said: ↑
What about the speedo/tach lights?
Yes and yes.
I rereading your tail issue. I believe your ignition switch is good. Headlights work in run so its powering the Red/Yellow. Taillight works in Park means it's powering the Blue. I think you need to check the Blue wire coming from the headlight switch for power when the key is in the run position and the headlight on/off switch is on.
It should be one of the blues on the left side of the double female connector. If you have no power on the blue when the headlight is on you either have a problem with the wire/connection or the on/off switch is bad. Good luck remember meters are your friend.
I've looked over both of my 72s and can find no ground wires running to the handlebars, yet they both are grounded. It is confusing because as we know the handlebar mounts are rubber mounted. And as 5Twins pointed out the ground would also have to travel through the steering head bearings, which is not good. I think you have effected a very good solution.
GLJ said: ↑
Does your headlight work?
GLJ said: ↑
What about the speedo/tach lights?
Yes and yes.
I rereading your tail issue. I believe your ignition switch is good. Headlights work in run so its powering the Red/Yellow. Taillight works in Park means it's powering the Blue. I think you need to check the Blue wire coming from the headlight switch for power when the key is in the run position and the headlight on/off switch is on.
It should be one of the blues on the left side of the double female connector. If you have no power on the blue when the headlight is on you either have a problem with the wire/connection or the on/off switch is bad. Good luck remember meters are your friend.
The later left switch housing had a ground wire run into it from the headlight. It was attached to one of the screws holding the turn signal switch in place. This effectively grounded the whole housing. To better insure this ground would transfer to the handlebar, a cad plated combination wire loom retainer and grounding clip was added .....
Your new right switch assembly looks very well painted, probably too good in the areas that clamp against the handlebar. I assume you cleaned the paint off of those as well. I discovered while working on my '83 that Yamaha eventually did give the right switch assembly it's own separate ground wire run into the headlight. After eliminating the headlight on-off switch a few years earlier, I guess they figured they now had room for it. As far as I can tell from studying various wiring diagrams, this happened in '82.
Your new right switch assembly looks very well painted, probably too good in the areas that clamp against the handlebar. I assume you cleaned the paint off of those as well. I discovered while working on my '83 that Yamaha eventually did give the right switch assembly it's own separate ground wire run into the headlight. After eliminating the headlight on-off switch a few years earlier, I guess they figured they now had room for it. As far as I can tell from studying various wiring diagrams, this happened in '82.
I’m on a little lunch break. I’ve been chasing wires all morning until there is steam coming outa my ears.
I completely removed my ignition switch and wire harness from the bike and took it apart and checked all wires for continuity and checked to make sure that when the key is turned to the two positions , that the right wires are being connected. All is good with the switch. I tested the switch under power and all connections are being made as they are supposed to. EVERYTHING WORKS AS IT SHOULD REGARDING THE IGN SWITCH.
THE LEFT HANDLE BAR SWITCH.....
I have it off of the handlebar and opened up just hanging so I can see what’s going on inside. I’ve check d the red / yellow wire going to the switch. When the ign is turned on, I’m getting power to the switch. I checked continuity of the blue wire from inside the headlight bucket back up to the switch ITS GOOD. But with the key on , no matter where I move the headlight off/on switch, I NEVER GET POWER TO THE BLUE WIRE.
As I understand this correctly , that blue wire has to be energized when I turn on the headlight, or I will not have a tail light.
So if I am correct, I’ve isolated the problem to the left handlebar switch.
Now I just need to figure out what to do about it. I’ve rebuilt that switch, it should be good. Man I hate taking those things apart, tiny springs and ball bearings and tiny little contact plates go flying everywhere.
I completely removed my ignition switch and wire harness from the bike and took it apart and checked all wires for continuity and checked to make sure that when the key is turned to the two positions , that the right wires are being connected. All is good with the switch. I tested the switch under power and all connections are being made as they are supposed to. EVERYTHING WORKS AS IT SHOULD REGARDING THE IGN SWITCH.
THE LEFT HANDLE BAR SWITCH.....
I have it off of the handlebar and opened up just hanging so I can see what’s going on inside. I’ve check d the red / yellow wire going to the switch. When the ign is turned on, I’m getting power to the switch. I checked continuity of the blue wire from inside the headlight bucket back up to the switch ITS GOOD. But with the key on , no matter where I move the headlight off/on switch, I NEVER GET POWER TO THE BLUE WIRE.
As I understand this correctly , that blue wire has to be energized when I turn on the headlight, or I will not have a tail light.
So if I am correct, I’ve isolated the problem to the left handlebar switch.
Now I just need to figure out what to do about it. I’ve rebuilt that switch, it should be good. Man I hate taking those things apart, tiny springs and ball bearings and tiny little contact plates go flying everywhere.
