Help! This one might be a little confusing....

So I've been working on my project bike 1981 Xj550 maxim all winter, and I had everything ready to go. I was just messing with new seat mounting points and was literally hours away from hitting the road for the first time.

I was connecting a final rear signal light, and when I turned it on to try it I heard a buzzing sound coming from the relay. I turned the switch that controls the signal lights the other way and the other side of the lights blinked normally. I figured something happened and so I disconnected the signal light and tried to reconnect it. This time, my neutral indicator light went off, and all 3 relays starting clicking (headlight, signal, and the other one at the back.)

Now I'm totally confused, and am thinking there is some kind of short or wire crossing happening but after hours of search, everything looks fine. I turned the key on again and now the neutral light doesn't work at all, neither does either side of the indicator lights, nor does the relay click, nor does the horn work!! . I have pulled all connections I had redone and checked them, and they are all good. What could be the cause of these weird and inconsistent issues?

I will note that the highbeam light, headlight, taillight still works, and the bike will still start. Where can these electrical gremlins be coming from? I will also note that all my fuses are good.

 

All your fuses are good, but are the fuse clips? If you have the original fusebox, flip it over and inspect for oxidation and cracking.

 

All my fuses have been converted to modern inline fuses.... and yes its very strange I'm at a point where I have absolutely no idea what to do.

 

Unfortunately the last thig to do is trace every wire. Start by looking for bad grounds and worn-through insulation. Start with disconnecting that final light and leaving it disconnected. If the problem is remidied then you know which wires to look at more closely.

 

stock wiring and Lights?
tail light run from main fuse.
check the connections to the new fuses.
are your relays in the correct places?
loose wire on the signal switch the little slide inside with the 3 wires?
do you have the self canceler installed take that out.

there is a connector that comes back from the right controls under the gas tank check that its near the coil connectors. did you clean your ignition switch you may have a bad wire inside the switch

seca diagram look at the head light relay and what it controls
http://www.frankjohansson.com/stuff/xj550/XJ550ElectricalDiagram.html

 

What would cause me to lose the horn at the same time as the rest? Just seems like something went all at once
Stock wiring, not stock lights.

 

the horn is on the signal fuse so is the neutral light

led or stock 27 watt bulbs?

they all also connect into the diode block

 

do you have a wiring diagram?

start a conversation with me and i will email you one it is a pdf with seca and maxim wiring diagrams

 

I'd start here.

Gary H.

 

Sorry boys the fuses are not the problem. Is there anything on these bikes that the horn, turn signal, and neutral light all run through? There's no other way for them all to stop working at exactly the same time especially when the wiring has not been touched other than replacing some turn signals.

 

yes the same fuse, diode block and neutral light goes to starter relay.

the brown wire that comes from the key switch runs back to the fuse block but splits into 3 wires for the 3 fuses (not main fuse) your problem may be there.


DO you have a wiring diagram?


see Br wire

 

what kind of lights?

 

The lights are just some aftermarket turn signals, and the tail light is aftermarket as well. (Neither are LED). The headlight is stock.
I have been using that interactive wiring diagram that has been posted on here before. If the starter relay was to go, the bike would not start correct? Because it still starts fine. I checked all the systems last night and they are as follows:

1: Headlight works
2: High beam indicator works
3: Bike runs normally

4: Horn does not work
5: Turn signals do not work, nor does the relay click
6: Neutral light does not work

 

your problems are all on the same circuit same fuse, it could be you have more than 1 problem.
check into the location where the Br wire splits off to power the 3 other fuses. Check the wires in that fuse system.

does the neutral switch work? prevents you from starting bike in gear ? is the bulb burnt out?
test the switch with a meter at the switch .
could be you need to clean your relays internal contacts the relays pop open for cleaning

 

could be you have a defective blinker unit try swapping sides to see if the problem moves
or get a bulb and a few jumpers ant disconnect assembly then use bulb to test the 2 connections to see if the problem goes away

 

So after 7 hours I found the problem! Sort of... I took the whole wiring harness off the bike, took everything apart, before cleaning and putting it all back together piece by piece and testing as I went. Thanks for all your help XJ550H

 

And the problem that you sort of found was?

 

cool would you share what the problem was so when others read this thread they might find a fix if they share similar problems/issues ?
if it was operator error, parts issue or harness problem it Helps all to know who read this.

 

Definitely agree, unfortunately I do not know what the problem was. After a good cleaning everything went together without a hitch. I'm going to guess a bad connection somewhere along the line.

 

OK, but be prepared for the possibility that the problem will reoccur. I hate it when things start working and I don't know why.