Blinker Issues

L

LikeyMeYommy

XS650 Enthusiast
Messages
44
Reaction score
27
Points
18
Location
Bloomfield Hills, MI USA
Hello all! Currently sorting through several things with the 79 650SF. Amongst them I have some blinker issues. Right side lights up but it does not blink. Left side does not light up at all and obviously does not blink (ha!). Checked and all the bulbs are good. I had read in another thread that you really have to watch which wattage bulbs you are using (even for incandescent). Could this be an issue? Any other suggestions where to start troubleshooting?

I should throw out there that the wiring of this entire bike is highly under suspicion. Lot's of spices and such going on from PO. I'm seriously considering making it my first winter project to rewire this thing with a new harness. How big of a PITA is it?

Thanks!
 
I just had that happen to my 75
The left side flashed right side only lit the front signal checked the bulb it was good
Followed the black wire from the rear signal and one of the bullet connectors had wiggled out of the wiring harness
Its under the seat and towards the front of the rear fender
Just follow the wiring from the signals to where the connect up to the harness
Might be worth a shot
 
Have a look in Tech. You'll find stuff like this....

https://www.xs650.com/threads/flasher-fault-troubleshoot-flowchart.42200/



1667860733276.png
 
I would check the bottom of the lampholders ensure there is contact
Its not the problem here but I would do it.
Then I would check the relay Measure that it has power. Listen if it clicks or making sounds,..
And then service the handlebar switch for the blinkers I need to do that now and then
one year there was lots of insects in there

I Guess the Relay
 
Jan_P said:
I would check the bottom of the lampholders ensure there is contact
Its not the problem here but I would do it.
Then I would check the relay Measure that it has power. Listen if it clicks or making sounds,..
And then service the handlebar switch for the blinkers I need to do that now and then
one year there was lots of insects in there

I Guess the Relay
Click to expand...

And now for the dumb question... where is the relay? In the switch?
 
LikeyMeYommy said:
Hello all! Currently sorting through several things with the 79 650SF. Amongst them I have some blinker issues. Right side lights up but it does not blink. Left side does not light up at all and obviously does not blink (ha!). Checked and all the bulbs are good. I had read in another thread that you really have to watch which wattage bulbs you are using (even for incandescent). Could this be an issue? Any other suggestions where to start troubleshooting?

I should throw out there that the wiring of this entire bike is highly under suspicion. Lot's of spices and such going on from PO. I'm seriously considering making it my first winter project to rewire this thing with a new harness. How big of a PITA is it?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I think putting on a new harness would eventually save you lots of time, especially if the wiring's been dinked with. Provided you can find a good harness. Harnesses are out there but haven't read about them.

In the blinker switch there are some wires that solder into some little cup-like contacts. I think it's a group of 3 -- been 15 years. They're way down in the switch. Most people have trouble with the blinkers until they have re-soldered those, thereafter no problem. The solder was bad to start with and then degraded.
 
Mikey said:
I just had that happen to my 75
The left side flashed right side only lit the front signal checked the bulb it was good
Followed the black wire from the rear signal and one of the bullet connectors had wiggled out of the wiring harness
Its under the seat and towards the front of the rear fender
Just follow the wiring from the signals to where the connect up to the harness
Might be worth a shot
Click to expand...
Same issue -- solid on, no rear, throw in a weird hum/ticky noise. Had everything apart, so I'm thinking I plugged something in wrong. Searching the site trying to find a picture of how stuff's supposed to be plugged in to see what I did wrong.
 
Shelby said:
Same issue -- solid on, no rear, throw in a weird hum/ticky noise. Had everything apart, so I'm thinking I plugged something in wrong. Searching the site trying to find a picture of how stuff's supposed to be plugged in to see what I did wrong.
Click to expand...
Just watch those chocolate brown blinker wires as they can pass as grounds on a quick glance.
Blinkers will go to double female plugs in the bucket (one wire supplying juice to two receiving). A dark green double and a dark brown double. Then your front grounds for the blinkers on a washer of sorts with the wire attached, mounted on the blinker stem in the bucket and then grounded to the harness.
Rear will have single bullet connectors, one for each side and ring grounds into a double iirc.
 
bosco659 said:
Flow charts like this are a great way to methodically troubleshoot a problem. Easy to follow for almost anyone.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Plus there are two basic directions in which to move when tracing an electrical problem. Either from the source of power toward the load or from the load toward the source of power. On a more complicated system like these Yamahas have with the self-canceling units etc, I personally would choose the top-down direction (from power source toward the load).
 
bosco659 said:
Flow charts like this are a great way to methodically troubleshoot a problem. Easy to follow for almost anyone.
Click to expand...
Saw the flow chart, went thru it and everything else I could find, but I have a problem with wiring diagrams. Just don't compute for me. (Possibly because I'm mildly dyslexic). Pictures work much better. Or I can take words like "Blinkers go to double female plugs, dark green double and a dark brown double" and run with that.

For some reason while I found lots of great stuff about the bucket rat's nest, including twenty seven eight-by-ten glossy pictures with circles and arrows -- which worked great -- there's next to nothing about rear wiring problems. WHICH tells me I did something really obvious cause there just aren't a lot of ways to screw this up. Going to go start with alcohol wipes and see where I read the colors wrong. In retrospect, thinking the turn signals are identical, so likely the wiring's the same as well. Gonna pull the signals themselves and clean them inside and out + check the wiring for possible shorts, which I hadn't in the rear.

Wonder what else I forgot...
 
Shelby said:
Saw the flow chart, went thru it and everything else I could find, but I have a problem with wiring diagrams. Just don't compute for me. (Possibly because I'm mildly dyslexic). Pictures work much better. Or I can take words like "Blinkers go to double female plugs, dark green double and a dark brown double" and run with that.

For some reason while I found lots of great stuff about the bucket rat's nest, including twenty seven eight-by-ten glossy pictures with circles and arrows -- which worked great -- there's next to nothing about rear wiring problems. WHICH tells me I did something really obvious cause there just aren't a lot of ways to screw this up. Going to go start with alcohol wipes and see where I read the colors wrong. In retrospect, thinking the turn signals are identical, so likely the wiring's the same as well. Gonna pull the signals themselves and clean them inside and out + check the wiring for possible shorts, which I hadn't in the rear.

Wonder what else I forgot...
Click to expand...
aaarrrggghhhh... top of the list: the lock nut off on the bottom of the clutch cable mounting bolt -- under that three point rubber boot I was replacing. Which, handy if you know a circus contortionist...
 

Similar threads

BB62
LED brake indicator light question
Replies
1
Views
694
RonXS
RonXS
JaxShane650
1980 Yamaha XS650 oil leak and electrical issue (with video explaining)
Replies
4
Views
2K
mikeh36
mikeh36
M
Leaks and stuck RPM (high) even with clutch in. 83' xs650 Heritage Special
3 4 5
Replies
86
Views
11K
5twins
5twins
Guss80special
New signal lights don’t flash
Replies
17
Views
2K
mrtwowheel
mrtwowheel
Boog
Resolved: 2006 Stratoliner starting issue.
Replies
3
Views
1K
Boog
Boog
Back
Top