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Someone tried to steal my headlight...

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by 81550Seca, Apr 5, 2019.

  1. 81550Seca

    81550Seca Member

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    I went out to get my bike started for spring and found my headlight lens removed and cables unplugged. Got it mostly back together, but no lights on instrument cluster. Ahh, the joy of living less than a mile from the biggest concentration of homeless and prostitutes in the Seattle area...

    Thing is, my speedo and tach needles are broken from being brittle and overall the cluster looks really worn, so I want to swap out for something modern.

    Any tips on compatible ebay specials? The more minimalist the better for my vision. Thanks for any tips.

    [​IMG]
    Good news is she's purring like a kitten.

    Other things on the list:
    Leaking forks
    Bondo and paint tank (filling emblem tags)
    Gotta do that rear drum brake this year
    New brake/clutch levers
    My oil filter is completely stuck on (stripped bolt) need to drill out and get that twist off one from len.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2019
  2. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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  3. 81550Seca

    81550Seca Member

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  4. 81550Seca

    81550Seca Member

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    Got in there and found one harness had been cut out. Oddly specific theft.

    Bought the cheapo ebay electronic gauge, am well into the battle and so far so good. Wondering if anybody can explain to me what the Reed Switch does? Just looking over the wiring diagram and not finding a clear answer online. Is it vital? The other wires on that harness are for instrument lights, which I won't need. I'm wondering if I can just keep the harness out. Don't want to tempt the local thieves with all these connectors on my bike. /s

    --Oh, and for the Fuel Tank Gauge, can anyone help me understand which wire I should connect to the fuel wire on this speedo? I have attached a 10 ohm resistor, but I'm confused by the wiring diagram.

    It shows Black and Dark Green for the Fuel Tank Gauge, but black is just ground and dark green I thought was Right Blinker...?
     
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2019
  5. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    the reed switch counts something in the speedo and the canceling unit shuts the signal after a number of counts
     
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  6. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Dg dark green is used in blinkers and headlight too

    your fuel gauge uses black wire Dark green and brown wire.
    the sender unit has Dark green and black wires.
    black wires are ground Brown wire is hot

    the dark green wire is the wire from sender to gauge so it is the dark green wire you want to hook to the speedo fuel guage
     
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  7. 81550Seca

    81550Seca Member

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    Thanks, that helps!

    As far as power to the speedo goes, I have a constant power wire that should go straight to battery (positive), then a negative ground (negative battery terminal), and the third power wire is the one I'm confused about. This is the wire that provides power when the key is turned and I believe should come from the ignition.

    Does anyone know the best place to tap into power (81 XJ550 Seca) so that the speedo turns on when the key is turned. I know so little about electrical stuff, this may be super basic, but I want to be sure before I start installing this on the bike. Thanks!
     
  8. Chitwood

    Chitwood Well-Known Member

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    When I tapped into the ignition circuit to provide my handlebar mounted voltmeter with key on power I went right into the headlight bucket and spliced in there. Without looking at it or a wiring diagram I cannot tell you what color wire I spliced into.
     
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  9. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    all your power wires should go to fuses that turn off when key is off. those would be the brown wires or the blue wire from key which is fused by main fuse . blue wire is what you would want as it is for the always on lights (not headlight) meter and tail lights

    you could buy the Yamaha connectors from chacal and make a plug and play set up.
    look inside your headlight bucket there should be some spare bullet connectors in there that have power and ground. again with correct connectors from chacal you could make a nice plug and play unit or cut the existing connector off and use what you have local.

    the speedo wire depending what speedo you have goes to the wires in the ignition coil (orange or gray). or to a magnetic pickup on the rim
     
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  10. 81550Seca

    81550Seca Member

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    Thanks man! I've got it mostly done. Need to attach the speed sensor and tap in for the tach in the morning. It looks like in previous discussions, the grey wire on the Ignition Unit can be tapped into for tach, is this correct?

    Finally, I tapped into my positive battery terminal and connected it to the red wire on the speedo (described as the constant power or always on power wire) and my battery died almost immediately. Charging it up now (it's brand new so should be fine) but wondering where I should connect for constant power to the unit. I assume this has to do with the memory in the unit (settings, etc.?) but really have no clue.

    Any thoughts? Thanks so much for the support. I've been recording some of the process and will at least write up a diagram for colors relative to my model.
     
  11. Colin 85 700

    Colin 85 700 Active Member

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    First it shouldnt die immediatly unless theres a short, second, you speedo should be on ignition power, not constant unless it has a digital readout and memory, One should be lights, other ignition...
    Cheap e bay stuff sometimes aint so good...
    Be carefull, i bought cheap chineese junk where red is negative and black s positive... For real!
    As for the reed switch, its an automatic blinker cancelling unit. Not needed but nice feature on an old bike. :)
     
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  12. Colin 85 700

    Colin 85 700 Active Member

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    I suppose you could remove the reed switch and run it in line in the same circuit, however, youd have to...
    "Store it in a cool dry place" dun dun dun dun... Hehe.
     
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  13. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    My usual go-to for tapping into a keyed wire, when all I need is to make a light work, is the hot side of the horn.
     
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  14. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    black wire used as a positive wire ….like a starter cable
     
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  15. Colin 85 700

    Colin 85 700 Active Member

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    Ya, at my shop we sell a 3-wire handwarmer kit for sleds... Hi, Lo, ground.
    Wires are Red, White, Black.
    You would assume Red Hi, White Lo, Black ground.. If you dont read instructions.
    Correct wiring is.... Wait for it...
    White Hi, Black Lo, Red ground... WTF?
    Have so many customers call, they dint work, i tell em to check instructions, reply Why the hell is red ground?
    Idk, i think the chineeese read blueprints backwards lol!
     
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  16. 81550Seca

    81550Seca Member

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    I think the manufacturers of these speedos have made progress, because my diagram is mostly accurate as far as colors go, the language is translated poorly, but you can figure it out. The support in the forums here, combined with youtube videos makes this a doable job. Fingers crossed I can get her running today.

    Still not sure where to tap into for constant power (memory). I have my battery charged (no outlet at my apartment for keeping the charger on the battery or running off the charger while doing the testing). Going to try to get the tach to work angle grind me a bracket out of some home depot metal with holes in it!
     
  17. 81550Seca

    81550Seca Member

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    I think it does need some minor constant power for memory...
     
  18. Colin 85 700

    Colin 85 700 Active Member

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    You should be able to pull that direct from battery, however id add a fuse incase it ever shorts (5 or 10A)
    Memory shouldnt draw any real power, (0.1A or less) hook up an ammeter and check draw before pemanantly attaching the wire incase somethings not right in the cluster/wiring.
     
  19. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    i leave mine on all year, it's gone at least a month without a charger without problems
     

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