1981 XJ650 Tachometer Wires Go Nowhere?

So I have an 81 650 and the tachometer lights up fine, but the wires that signal the rpms terminates without an obvious place to reconnect.

I tried to hook to alternator but I failed.

Video

 

wire for stock electronic tach signal hooks to ignition coil orange wire. the connector is in the bucket


brown wire is 12 orange wire is to ignition coil orange wire, black wire is ground
bulb shares the connector for ground and has a blue wire for 12 volts (l=blue)

 

the charging system feeds voltage back through main fuse to battery via a single wire and connector it has a red insulating shield on it. that wire should be connected to battery or solinoid at battery cable

 

The bucket is the headlight? New to this term.

 

the bucket is the steel piece that the headlight mounts on. It has the mess of wires in it

 

Guess I'm gonna have to get drilling to get the last screw out. I'll never understand why they would use a f***ing Phillips screw and now something like a 10mm.

 

If that phillips is only partly chewed out, get an impact driver with the right size tip and use it. Drilling rarely ends well. Another thing you can do is use a dremel to cut a slot in the head for a flatblade screwdriver.

If you are doing anything on these bikes, you really need an impact driver. Even this cheap one is WAY better than cussing like you are now.

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-bit...ase-64812.html?_br_psugg_q=impact+screwdriver

And yes, when you are done, find some stainless metric bolts with hex-heads to replace them. DO NOT force-thread a 1/4nc bolt where a 6mm metric bolt is supposed to be.

 

that's not a phillips head. That's a JIS head

https://www.amazon.com/Vessel-Megadora-Impacta-P2x150-Screwdriver/dp/B003BGZ9CO/

something like the above would be very good to own
I use the screwdriver that came in the bike's OEM toolkit as it's the right one.

 

Aren’t you supposed to have a mechanical tach?

 

That was my original thought I imagine when he opens the headlight bucket and does not have a connector he'll realize he has the wrong tack on there hopefully his PO bought the block off kit for the mechanical tach. I suppose now would be a good time to suggest you check his VIN numbers on both the motor in the frame.

run your frame vin AND motor vin through this link

http://www.dissingermoto.com

 

Or just look at the front of the engine above exhaust 3 and see if there’s a tach drive there where a cable should attach

 

Well shit, looks like someone put the wrong tachometer/ gauge cluster on here because above exhaust 3 there is a spot where a cable should attach! I got the bucket open and found no un answered wires.

Thanks again guys.

 

you can hook your tach brown wire to the brown connector in bucket where the brake lever wir connects it is a double connector . there are extra black wire grounds too. for the electric tach you connect that to ignition coil orange wire. should be right coil as you sit on bike splice in a wire to main harness connector and run it to the orange wire on tach, this is done a lot.

you will need to buy one of the 2 style block off kits from chacal to keep oil from coming out tach port. IIRC on kit is a cap the other is a complete block off kit.

3 kits

HCP10017 Aftermarket mechanical-to-electrical TACHOMETER CONVERSION KIT contains an easy-to-install conversion harness, a tach drive housing block-off cap (HCP7521), and instructions, giving you all the parts you'll need to make a professional and correct change-over. Tach not included!

you are missing a connector on your tach wire which would have to be replaced to use above kit




HCP7521 Aftermarket tachometer cable drive gear housing BLOCK OFF CAP. If you decide to replace your cable-driven tach with something else, , this block-off cap screws onto to the cable adapter in places of the tach cable, and prevents oil from spraying out of the engine and prevents grit and grime from getting into the engine. Fits all XJ550 models, 1980-81 XJ650 Maxim and Midnight Maxim models, and 1982 XJ650RJ Seca model. Bright finish.


HCP23120 Aftermarket tachometer cable drive gear housing BLOCK OFF PLUG. If you decide to replace your cable-driven tach with something else, this this block-off plug replaces the entire cable housing unit, and prevents oil from spraying out of the engine and prevents grit and grime from getting into the engine. Fits all XJ550 models, 1980-81 XJ650 Maxim and Midnight Maxim models, and 1982 XJ650RJ Seca model. Bright finish. NOTE: You need to retain and re-use the drive housing retaining clamp and bolt to secure this plug to the engine.

 

I now wonder what the actual mileage is..?

Curious, it doesn't spray oil.. not that I know of? The kit you listed is just as expensive as buying a mechanical tachometer and cable and reinstalling lol

Strange how mind doesn't have a plug, but doesn't spray oil.. wonder if they did something to it..

Very very curious indeed..

 

Wad of bubble gum??

 

Just noticed your profile says central NY! You enjoy the snow we got yesterday! Lmaoooo

 

Looks like the cable end / drive gear was left in there. Seems like that should keep the oil in well enough.

BTW, it doesn't have to be the orange wire, the grey will work just as well. It's just convention that Yamaha connects to the orange wire.

 

Looks oily to me

 

Heck, I took my sled for a few rips around the field.

Norwich, Huh? I’m straight up the road from you...less than 1/2 hr straight up 12

 

Damn small world!

 

Wait so even tho I have the motor of a cable driven tach, I can still hook up my electric driven tach?

 

Yes. There's no special signal to drive the tach. It uses the coil drive from either coil.

 

That's why they sell those kits so you can convert to an electronic tach
If you go to electronic tach you want either the cap with the block off plate you don't need the wire harness but it makes for a better installation

 

What exactly is the coil drive? Is that one of the wires that goes to into the ignition coil? If so could you please tell me the color of said wire so I can splice it up to my tachometer. Also to which wire on my tachometer would I connect it to? I have to wires coming out of tach. One orange and one brown I believe.

 

https://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/...-to-81’-wiring-harness-82-xj650-maxim.118382/

Well would you just look at that, hopefully 81 vs 82 isn't that different.

 

Hoping the following still applies...

Brown is hot (12V) to the actual meter unit
Blue is hot (12V) to the light bulbs inside the tacho case
Orange is the signal from the TCI, it can go to either the Gray or the Orange wire leading to the ignition coil(s)
Black is ground.

 

yup thats the wires and what they do .

blue is fused by main fuse and also runs tail light and cluster back lights.

you would want to splice at the coil connector or you could solder a wire directly to the coil wire (orange or gray) and put a bullet connector on it.

if you wanted a nice set up you could order the pin for the connector from XJ4ever and crimp tci feed and your extension wire to the connector. many ways to skin this cat.

I just do not like crimp splices

 

Fixed it,

I spliced the orange to the ignition coil and the other to the bulb light 12v.