Only one signal working

I did the fuse box rebuild with the newer style ATO fuses because some animal decided to build a nest in my wiring sometime in the last few weeks while my bike has been sitting.

So after a lot of work and a lot of patched in wiring to fill the gaps, everything is back up and working, but now only my right turn signal works. This seems unrelated to the fuse box, since if I had messed something up there, neither signal would work.

The left signal kicks on but then only the front bulb lights up and it stays on steadily. I have a feeling this is something with the flasher, because I took the bulb out of the back and it looks fine. I didn't test it with a meter because it was getting late after the fuse job and it's cold outside and I wanted to go in, but I'll test both the bulb and the socket with the meter tomorrow.

Is there a flasher for each side? I assumed there was only one, but if there are two, that's probably my problem. Any advice would be appreciated. I'll post some pics of my fuse box tomorrow if anyone wants to see them.

Thanks!

 

I dunno what the cause is, but my Seca will do just that at stop lights....only with the left signal! I think maybe it's a switch issue.

 

Your hypothosis is correct, nothing in the fuse box would produce the symptoms you describe. One flasher in the system. Check that all of your bulbs are the same. Different wattage bulbs will load the system if there is a miss match. Keep a sharp eye out for corrosion, it'll mess up anyones day. Post your findings.

 

When I bought my bike (81 650 maxim) it only had front signals, and thats exactly what would happen, the front would come on and stay on. Since then I have replaced the rear signals and all is well, so my suggestion would be to check the rear bulbs, and the wiring to the rear signals.

Captain Kirk, my bike does the same thing, the leftside won't flash at idle, but any throttle at all and it flashes

 

Absolutely correct...

Start with the easy stuff - make sure the wire to the rear light is not damaged. I had the same problem with my bike - to find it I turned the indicator on and jostled the wire from front to back. Where it entered the indicator housing it chaffed and had grounded out. I cut the wire out and replaced it, no problems since.

If the wire is continuous, then check the flasher side of things... again if the front lamp works then it's most likely a connection IMHO. If it's not, then yes it is the flasher.

 

I had a similar problem on my bike, right hand side front and back lights would come on, but not flash. In addition to the above mentioned, check the bulb holders for good grounds. My front right bulb wasn't getting a proper ground (wire wrapped around spring, no solder or anything, it had corroded), i hooked up a better ground using a terminal and connecting it to the mounting screw, and the right side front and back started flashing. Front left would only flash at higher rpm's, i also fixed the ground here (preventitive) but it took changing out that bulb with a new one to get it to flash properly. Now if I could only get the self-canceller to work...

 

same thing happened to me my signal went out right in the middle of a XXXXing road trip to ohio. Took forever to find out what it was but it ended up being the wire was damaged. A little electrical tape later and I was fine.

Post edit by Robert: Please be so kind as to use appropriate language here. Thanks!

 

When you start having "Lazy flasher" syndrome ... it's an open invite to pop-off the Alternator cover and peek at those brushes.

If you don't want to undo the three screws and measure them ... you can try a little Old School Test to see if the problem is related to inadequate charging voltage.

If its lazy > with < the headlight plugged in ... unplug the headlight.
If its NOT lazy > without < the headlight plugged-in ... Visit the Brush Family just to say hello.

If the brushes seem to be good. Separate the quik-connect from the Voltage Regulator and very closely inspect the spade and the plastic surrounding the spade of the RED wire.

If the spade looks blued ... or, there is melted plastic around the where the RED wire's spade is mounted in the connection ... there's an intermittent problem with the Regulator.

 

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies. I was afraid I was going to have to look through a lot of wiring. Maybe the animals had chewed through more wires than just in the fuse box? But the problem, thankfully, was much simpler.

It's almost a little embarrassing to admit it, but in my defense, it was like 35 degrees and dark. That said, while I was wrapping the cables up last night I jostled loose a quick-disconnect for one of the wires to the turn signal. I opened the seat, saw it, hooked it back up. Problem solved.

Here's the new fuse box. I also added some new pics in my gallery.

 

Glad the fix was easy. Beats having to tear apart a wiring harness!