Headlight and instruments lights not working.

So Saturday my headlights and intrument lights stopped working. They came on everytime I turned the key before. suggestions on how to trouble shoot. Please

 

What bike are we looking at here?
Check your fuses. If you are still running a stock fuse block, I'd get it replaced straight away.

 

Check fuse.
Check headlight relay (if so equipped).
what model?

 

85 maxim 700 is the model.
THis is kind of wierd, but I cannot find a fuse block on this bike. Just a couple of fuses on individual wires . Under the seat looks like a spegeti bomb.
Were would the relay be at and how should I check it.

 

Its possible that the previous owner did away with the original fusebox and installed in-line fuse holders. This is more of a temporary fix than anything. You should replace it with a blade-style fuse older.

But aside from that... check all of those fuses and just see if any of them are blown.

Not sure about the headlight relay on the 700. (Not sure if it has one). On my seca 650 its underneath the left side cover. Its a little "metal-can" style relay with four wires going to it. Like I said... not sure on your bike. But one of the other guys will jump in and let you know...

best of luck.

 

Yea it looks like he just put in some inline fuse holders on a few of the wires. Some wires are not connected to anything and the back light and turn signals work fine. Was the bike desighned to have a light switch becaouse the lights are alwayse on.

 

yes, the bike is meant to have the headlight on at all times. In many states thats a Law, that a motorcycle must have hte headlight on at all times.

 

As far as I know, all of the XJ's are supposed to have the headlight on all the time. There should be a low/high beam switch, but that should be it.

Most of the XJ headlights function using a relay. Basically (on my 650) when the alternator starts generating enough current, the relay "latches" and the headlight will come on.

I know on some of the other models, the light will come on when you turn the key, but the relay cuts current while the "start" button is being pressed, so as to provide optimal current for starting.

Again, not educated on the 700. Sorry.

 

I don't know if the 700 is the same as the 650's as far as electrical but I had a bad stator wire and that caused my instrument lights and headlight to not work. You can check by using a volt meter. It may be that this could be it. Just thought I would throw it out there just incase.

 

What is a stater wire and were would it be located?

 

You can check the voltage on the battery when the bike is off first. Next you can start the bike and run the rpm's up to 2500 rpm's and check the voltage at that speed. At that speed your charging system is working and you can tell. If the voltage doesn't go up you have a bad stator. At least that is how it worked with my bike.
The wires should be under your seat. If you find the wire coming out of the stator cover and you can trace them back. Hope that explains it for you. Good luck!

 

thanks I am going to check that out

 

I experienced a similar problem several years ago which I traced to the headlight relay. I opened it up and found that moisture had somehow infiltrated the metal cover and rubber gasket. There was some green corrosion on the relay contacts which I very carefully cleaned off. There was also a small leaf spring under the contacts that I had to tweak some.
In addition, there was a diode soldered across two of the terminals that was cracked. It is in there to protect the TCI unit from potential voltage spikes generated in the relay coil. I replaced the diode while I was at it. After all that, the headlight came to life. Then I discovered Comagination's sold state headlight relay and bought this to replace the OEM relay. The OEM coil relay is only supposed to latch once the alternator reaches a certain RPM to ensure sufficient energy is there for ingition. With the solid state relay this isn't even an issue as it uses such little amperage.

 

I hate to ask, but were is the relay located. I am very new to bikes. However I have worked on a few cars and trucks