OK, race fans. I am stumped. Here's the deal: Every wiring diagram I can find on the XS650E, including my Clymer manual, says the turn signal flasher is connected to a Yellow/Green (Y/G) wire, a Brown/White (Br/W) and a Black (B) wire. The diagrams all say the black wire goes to the wire harness ground, the Br/W wire goes to the turn signal switch on the left handle bar, and the Y/G wire goes to the turn signal cancel thingie. I therefore assume the power for the turn signals comes from the cancel thingie, and when it has detected X amount of pulses from the speedo reed switch, it yanks the connection.
With me so far? Anyone disagree?
However, on my stock 1978 XS650E, there is no Black wire connected to the flasher. Instead, it is Brown (Br). If I disconnect the entire cancel thingie, the turn signals STILL WORK. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Over?
If I disconnect the flasher, and turn on the ignition, the Br wire (which before was assumed to be ground) becomes hot, reading around 12 volts. There is no voltage at the Y/G wire nor the Br/W wire.
I checked wring diagrams of other years to see if I maybe had an off-year wiring harness, and they all agree that one of the terminals of the flasher is connected to a Black wire running to ground.
BTW, I found this investigating my intermittent turnsignal operation at high RPM. I found that the plastic insulation cover of the relay had been worn through and was rubbing against the frame. It actually rubbed a gash in the metal "can." When I had the flasher demounted but connected and it was touching the engine head, when I operated the turn signals all it did was buzz. So, I think I found my initial problem. However, I would really like to get to the bottom of the discrepancy between my bike and the Rest Of The World. In another BTW, I have had several issues with Real Strangeness with this bike. I ordered the PMA replacement kit from Mike's and the directions for mounting the rectifier/regulator look nothing like my 78 XS-E. Also, I ordered a passenger grab rail, supposedly able to fit all XS650 years, but it doesn't fit mine as there is a factory-mounted grab handle (for center stand deployment) welded to the frame and in the way of the nifty chrome grab rail. The guys at Mike's must think I am smoking dope as they have never heard of either case. I would be suspicious of the bike, but this is the second 78 XS-E I have owned and it all looks familiar to me.
Any help is appreciated.