Headlight issues...sometimes it works and sometimes not.

Hi, I am new to the forum and new to owning a XJ. I bought a 1982 XJ 550 and I have some fixing to do. One of the main problems is the headlight just worked and not the low beam. The headlight in general just works when the engine is running and is this normal? On my other bikes as soon as I turn the key forward the headlight coms on so I am not use to that. So with the engine running the high beam works but there is not low beam. I took the main switch apart and cleaned it out and it looks good.I took the head light out and checked with a meter and there was power going to both the low beam as well as the high beam. I checked the bulb itself on a battery and both the low and high beam work. I also checked the fuse and its good. Any help would be appreciated. Also, does the headlight have to be installed to work as in being grounded somehow but putting it together? thanks again

 

On your model the headlight willl only be on when the engine is running. This ensures that there are enough amps for teh startee and ignition module when starting,
The ground is part of the plug for the headlight, so that should not be an issue (same ground for the high beam and low beam.
Since you have power to to both circuits, and the bulb is functioning on both filiments, I would suspect that there is a poor contact at the low beam side of the plug.

 

Thanks for the info K-moe. Yes this si a tricky one. One minute the high beam works and no low beam and then take the light apart and there is power going to the bulb and to both the high and low. Then we tried it again and then nothing worked. I hate electrical problems. Sometimes you can chase them forever. let me know if you can come up with something for me to try. I am out of ideas

 

Intermittent issues are the worst.
Have you bypassed your headlight relay?
You can also test your relay...there's a how-to thread on here somewhere.

If it were me I would start there. Good luck.

 

Clean and deoxidize every terminal in the circuit.

 

Does anybody know where that relay for the headlight is located on a 1982 XJ 550 so I can bypass it? Thanks

 

The Ultimate Relay, Switch, Sensor, and Diodes Guide

 

Thanks K-moe. That is was very helpful. So we tested the headlight relay and it appeared to be faulty. We took the side stand sensor relay out and used that one as we don't have that sensor on the kickstand anymore. Now after the bike starts we have dash lights and a high beam but still no low beam. Can a bulb light up when it is directly hooked up to a battery but then not on a bike hooked up? That's how we tested the light bulb itself by hooking it directly to a battery and both the high beam as well as the low beam work. When we put it in the bike we only have a high beam. Thanks again for everyone's help in trying to get this oldie but goldie bike on the road again

 

The sidestand relay is different internally from the headlight relay, and will (IIRC) do exactly as you are seeing; high beam but no low beam.

Contact info@xj4ever to get the correct replacement.

 

Buy yourself a meter and stop guessing, it'll be cheaper than a relay

 

Re-read his first post in this thread.

Though that does bring up something I didn't think to mention.
@Tony222 Did you positively identify the relay you removed from the headlight circuit as actually being a headlight relay? It's been more than one new owner who found a sidestand relay in both locations because of a PO who didn't know what they were doing.

If money is tight the relay can be carefully pried open and repaired (usually).

 

Hi again, I do have a meter minimutly and am using it to test the relays and such. I just sent Info@xjforever an email to see if he has a headlight relay. Hopefully its a new one and not a million dollars but I will see. We found 3 relays and all of the numbers on every one are worn out and I can't identify any of them so chances are there isn't the right one in the headlight spot. I will let you know whats happening and thanks for your help again

 

Also, the rely had a yellow dot on it which according to somewhere on here that is the headlight relay. thanks

 

Hi again, I found a relay on ebay but it doesn't say what it is for. It has the numbers on it and they are "5A8-00 , its also says "omron" on it and below that there's another number "024209." Does anyone know if this is the right relay for the headlights on a 1982 XJ550. Thanks for your help

 

Yes, I did miss the fact you had a meter - but you still need to learn how to use it. By that I mean use it to test and follow circuits - this means putting it on volts range and working along until you find the missing volts, or lose it if you start at the fuse end.
You've stated you have low beam with the engine running - check the drawing to see if the hi/low switch is after the relay, and therefore you should have both - if the switch is ok. I should know really, but I apologise, I have a few Yams and never memorise electrical drawings.
So decide if you need to work forwards, or backwards, study the drawing and check what you have. I'm trying to make you think for yourself, rather than asking a forum to guess for you, it will be a skill you'll have for life. (Apologies if I've made an incorrect assumption of your age here).

 

My age?...lol... I am almost 59 but thanks anyway I narrowed down the part number for the relay to be a "3h5-81950-00-00." Now I a trying to find one of those. I did take apart the one that was there and it looked mint inside but like K-moe said maybe its the wrong one to begin with. If anyone knows where to get the one that I wrote up there please let me know. thanks

 

Tony,
Confirm that you have bypassed the headlight relay (with a jumper wire) and that things are working...key on and headlight comes on? (Low and high beam and instrument lights)

 

Hi TJ, I have not bypassed the relay. I jumped it with a wire on one side of the female plugs in which I get the high beam and the instrument lights come on but no low beam. How would I by pass it besides that? thanks

 

What colours are the wires on the harness?...where you removed the headlight relay.

 

Lol, snap at the age....Apologie stands.
Also, the rest of my post still stands - logically diagnosing this is the way forward. But you need the diagram.

 

Did I sound like a young know it all teen or something Mini....lol. I wish. Anyway TJ the wire colors going into the relay under the set were " blue with black ,red wire with yellow, and another that I cant read my own notes. It just says B. Does that sound approx right? We jumped it from the blue and black to the red with yellow. So if I jumped the relay and still I got instruments, high beam but still no low beam does that mean the low beam is shot even though I tested it on a battery? Or maybe a wire from the relay heading up to the headlight for the low beam? thanks

 

Sounds like it was jumped correctly Tony...your low beam should have come on with the key on. It doesn't sound like the relay as at fault. If your headlight low beam comes on hooked directly to the battery then no, it's not the headlight.

Yes. Use your multimeter at every connection along the path.

BTW spent many months in Saskatoon, nice place!

 

Wiring Diagram attached (xj550h)...in case you don't have one.
Let us know how it went.

 

Right, this is what I would do.
The diagram tells me the headlight should come on, on the setting selected by the hi/lo switch when the engine is running, or if you link out the relay.
From the beginning you have said this isn't happening, you only have main beam? This is not a classic intermittent fault, so should be easy to trace.
So link out the relay output, and put the headlight on dip or low beam. Have a wiggle of the looms at the plugs along the way, to see if you get a flicker. If not, moving along the loom, test the l/b wire leaving the loom - you should read 12v or so to earth. Next go to the other side of the same plug and test. same expected reading. Then you test the switch and the wires to it and from it - the three wire plug, test G and Y/R - either should be "live" depending on where the dip switch is set - move the switch and test both sides of the plug and socket.
After this your back into the loom, so you check the output from it - this is where it gets difficult, with help needed to hold the headlight. Test both the Y and G wires whilst moving the switch.
My bet is on a plug somewhere, most likely the one in the headlight, followed by the bar switch wire - the G wire.
You are barking up the wrong tree looking at the relay - it's either on for both H/L or not. You need to test with the load on - i.e.the headlight bulb connected.

 

Morning and thanks for all the help guys. Thanks TJ for the elec. diagram and why were you in Saskatoon for months and where are you from now? Ok Mini that sounds like the new plan. I have a lead on the relay from the USA but I won't order and I will try to find the short somewhere in between the relay and the bulb. I will try that this morning and let you know. I still have to get the front brake going and I had to order a front tire for the bike but other than that it is almost time for a test drive

 

Short? You're not looking for a short, an open circuit is what your after.

 

Well good news and weird news. Just for fun we took the stand relay that we are not using and plugged it in to the Headlight relay spot. So here is what we have for now, When the bike is not running we have a high beam light but no low beam or instrument lights. When we start the bike we have all three, low beam and high beam and instruments so we are good to go and we are leaving it like that for now. I will put some miles on the bike to see how it holds up and what goes bad after a few kliks. It still needs a tire, a rebuild on the front brake and the carb is leaking gas on one of the bowls so more fixing coming up. Thanks everyone for all of your advice and help. These forums are great for getting help from others. Thanks again

 

I feel like I've just left the movie theater having just seen "Inception"...don't know what to think.

 

You are not good to go.
Not by a longshot.
No riding until all that gets fixed, especially the brakes and leaking gas.

 

None of that makes sense according to the drawing - I guess it's the wrong one for your bike?
The drawing shows one feed to the dip switch, same feed to the inst lights. For the above to happen is impossible - can you confirm that's what you have? And the drawing matches?

 

In Saskatoon there's 2 feet of snow and its freezing out so you can't really dive a bike yet. When I say test drives I mean down the street a block and then turn around and come home if I need to see if something is working or not. Mini, sometimes life doesn't make sense and that sometimes it is true when fixing old antique bikes also. So we are good with the light situation as we have everything and it just depends on how we fire the bike up and what comes on. My new biggest problem is that leaking carb. So when the bike is straight up and down as in when you are sitting on it, there is no leaking gas but when you put the bike on its side stand the gas just pours out of the second carb. It drains until the bowl is empty and then it stops. I thought it was coming out of the drain screw for the bowl but then I took the screw out for the first and second bowl and switched them around. It kept leaking and upon a closer look it looks like it is coming from the top of the carb/bowl. What is up there that gas can come out of? An overflow hole of maybe the guy didn't put a gasket on right when he re did the carbs? Either way that's one of the reasons that I bought this bike was because the guy selling said that he redid the carbs and they are perfect. I should have noticed that he had an extra board under the side kick stand to keep it more up right and also when he was telling me about the bike he was talking about how sometimes you get dirt in the carb and it leaks and ... okay so lights fixed and any words of wisdom about the carb? Thanks

 

TJ that's funny. I didn't really get that movie either and am still wondering??

 

This might help.

Interactive XJ550 Wiring Diagram

I'm not sure if it will work now that Adobe killed Flash, but the printable version (as are the rest) is correct for the NA delivered xj550 Seca.
Which brings up a question that I think we all overlooked.

@Tony222 , is it a Seca or a Maxim?
The wiring harnesses are not identical.

 

Hi again, mine is a maxim with the tear drop tank. Is that one for a seca or maxim? thanks

 

Wow nice electrical diagram k-moe, thank you very much

 

The wiring diagram posted earlier is for a xj550h (maxim). Are the wiring colours posted the same on your bike?

With the headlight relay connector jumped (blue/black and red/yellow), there should be power going to the blue/black wire at the 6 pin connector in the headlight bucket. The 6 pin connector having colours - blue/black, black, pink, dark green, chocolate, brown/white.
If it does, with the dimmer switch on low, there should be power going to the green wire at the 3 pin connector in the bucket. The three pin connector having colours - green, yellow, yellow/red.
And finally power at the green wire for the headlight.
If there is power found in all these locations with some bouncing and wiggling of the wire harness then the bulb should be checked for resistance.

@Tony222 , even though it may be working now with a sidestand relay??...when you're riding during the daytime you probably can't see the headlight flickering on and off going down the road. Not a bad idea to sort it before the good weather arrives and it's dusk.

 

I really think we're doing a good job with diagnosis, but it might be worth some extra eyes.

@XJ550H
@Rooster53

Can either of you help shed light on this problem?
If nothing else than to confirm that we're all on the right track here.

 

Again that diagram shows a single feed to inst lights and the common of the dip switch. If you use a non latching relay, when the generator volts drop the lights will go out? None of the symptoms tie up with the drawing.

 

Hello all, today I did some other stuff on the bike (oil change, adjust clutch and idle,put on a windshield,) to get a break from the electrical issues but I will start digging into the wiring tomorrow. Today when I fired it up to warm it up I had instrument lights and high beam but no low beam. So the relay from the kick stand is different right and I should order a new one? I found one for approx $80.00 Canadian at info@XJ4ever. It would be half the price but the shipping for that little relay is ridiculous. so the plan is to replace the relay and find the low beam wire short and then I should be good right? (besides the front tire getting replaced andthe carb leaking like crap) thanks

 

just to be sure we are on the same page with headlight
low beam hit the switch light goes out then high beam comes on.
switch is a make break make switch . only high or low luminates never both.
headlight comes on with motorspinning fast or starting


Identification:
- small metal "cube" relay, inked 3H5-00 on the top face.
- has a yellow (yellow) paint mark on the bottom terminal connector block.
- normally open; has an internal diode.
- plugs into a connector shell which has the following set of wires going to it:

Harness connector wire colors:
- on all XJ550 all models, XJ650 all models (except Turbo):
* Blue wire with black tracer stripe
* solid White wire
* Red wire with yellow tracer stripe
* solid Black wire

red/yellow wire runs from fuse to relay . I use a inblade fuse holder to jump across oem fuse holder make sure fuse is good and if glass the connections are tight
blue/black runs to high low switch

the white wire runs from alternator to diode block trigers relay when bike starts then diode in relay keeps relay closed
to bypass relay, red/yellow is jumpered to blue/black wire
test the headlight ground wire for continuity to battery ground.


if bulb is good you want to test for voltage out put from high/ low switch . voltage gets toggled back and forth from green wire and yellow wire.
test for that it could be the hi/low switch is dirty and needs to be dissembled and cleaned or loose wire in control

do you have the little pig tale harness that goes from main harness to headlight bulb?

you want to test head light bulb out of harness to clear that as the issue if it is new it should be good

 

This is bang on right, according to the drawing.

 

Now this just isn't right. A different, or wrong relay doesn't do this. I've said this before - keep your 80 dollars and trace the fault. Use the drawing to check colours, in case it's been modified. Let us all know eh?

 

eh? Your a funny guy Mini. Okay I will check out the wires and find the fault. Here's what it was doing when I first got the bike;
Key on, motor not running, high beam works but no low beam or instrument lights.
Key on with the motor running, same as above.

After I switched the side stand relay to the headlight spot:
Key on, motor not running, high beam on and instrument lights on but no low beam.
Key on with the motor running, Everything worked.

Now as of today:
Key on, motor not running, high beam and instrument lights on but no low beam.
Key on, high beam and instruments on but no low beam

The relay that you described with the yellow dot was faulty. When current was connected to it it would not close.

Yes I have the little pig tale harness Tested it for continuity

I will check the wires and do the other things tomorrow and let you know. Thanks for your help

 

bypass the relay and dig in. the control connects into the harness. clean and check that point on harness. open control and look for issues
if simply bypassing the relay solves the issue then buy the relay

you can ohm the relay and test its diode the cover also pops off

 

head light should not be on. cluster lights and tail light are always on when key is turned on.

 

Okay I shall dig in, thanks

 

Agreed. Besides used relays are all over Ebay and 99% of the time they are in working condition. Plus I'm not entirely sure that the headlight relay is truly bad.

 

The headlight being on when you turn on the ignition key is because you have the sidestand relay plugged into the headlight relay plug.
Remove it, put it back where it belongs.

Put the headlght relay back where it belongs.
Begin troubleshooting at that point. You can't find out what's really wrong if you intentionally install an incorrect component.

 

The side stand relay is totally disconnected from the cdi ( computer) The guy that owned it before me did that. I know because I saw the unplugged black wire with white stripe and it was unplugged. I plugged it back in together and then the bike would not start. After I while I figured that was the only change and that I had made and plugged it back in. The bike fired right up after that.

 

OK, then leave it out for now. You will want to fix that issue eventually, but that relay definately does not work as a headlight relay.