Turn Signals Not Lighting at All

[Ole Blue 73]

The previous owner of my 73 TX had wired in an aftermarket left side switch that could not turn the headlight off, but everything worked fine, until the turn signal switch broke. I bought a reproduction switch off of ebay that seems to be very much like OEM although maybe lower quality. Everything inside the headlight was hard wired so I bought bullet connectors from Mikes and slowly tied it into the 8 wires from my switch. Now headlight turns on and off, high beam/low beam work, and horn beeps, but nothing happens when you switch on either turn signal. There are only three wires from the switch involved a dark brown and dark green that go to each turn signal and a brown & white wire that I assume is power(?) I am 99% sure the turn signal wires are hooked up correctly and I tied the brown & white wire to a similar brown & white wire inside the headlight, but that appears to be incorrect. I have a wiring diagram, but my skills at interpreting it leave a lot to be desired. Does anyone know if the brown & white wire is power for the turn signals or what wire in the headlight it should be tied to? If it is power, could I just bring a wire from the battery up the backbone and tie it into the headlight loom? I think I am close to having this working, but and advise or clues as to how the turn signals wiring should be set up would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Raymond]

Somebody will be along who can give an exact answer what colour wires you need to join for your year XS. But if the wires have been swapped about by the PO that might not get you all the way. Have you identified the flasher unit? Small, black plastic box probably mounted under the tank near the coil? That needs a power feed in, probably from the main harness after the igniton switch, then follow the output to the headlamp and it should link to the l/h handlebar group, the turn signal switch receives the pulsed signal from the flasher unit and earths it through the t/s bulbs when the switch is moved left or right.

Of course it all gets a lot more complicated due to hazard lights and self-cancelling indicators. But I thought it might help you see the overall pictue?

 

[Jim]

Does anyone know if the brown & white wire is power for the turn signals or what wire in the headlight it should be tied to? If it is power, could I just bring a wire from the battery up the backbone and tie it into the headlight loom?

Yes, it's power. But no, you can't just run it from the battery. The Br/W is power from the flasher relay.

 

[mike in idaho]

I believe brown is the color for switched current, brown/white goes forward to the turn signal switch connection in the headlight. There should be 12 volts at both wires on the signal flasher, with the key switch turned on.

 

[Ole Blue 73]

Thanks to all for helping me understand the flow of power through the turn signal system. I found the flasher and it seemed very funky (moving where it shouldn't move) on further inspection it has failed completely (come apart). I jumped through it with a wire and the right turn signal front and back came on, the switch doesn't feel right going left and that side is not working yet. I will have to take the switch apart and see if I can get the left side working and replace the flasher relay. I have a real bad feeling that the old switch I removed because nothing on the signal system was working was probably perfectly fine and the failed flasher was the whole issue. I guess the moral to that story is don't act on what you think is wrong, but trouble shoot until you understand exactly what is really wrong - then much easier (and maybe cheaper) to fix. Thanks for all your help.