What's wrong with my turn indicator indcator?

[PAGoldsby]

You know, the little amber <---> lamp on the instrument cluster? Today, it started working intermittently. Not like, "on - off - on - off - on - off" either. As I was changing lanes on the interstate this morning, I noticed that the indicator was not, well, indicating, but the signals were working fine. As I got to the parking lot at the hallowed halls of Old KU, the indicator started working again. On the way to the office after class, same thing - it would work sometimes, not work sometimes. On my little jaunt to the bank and Town Topic at lunchtime today, it was working alright.

Wiring? Crudded-up socket for the bulb in the cluster? Bulb about to depart?

I've already got a non-functioning high-beam indicator, and a 10,000-mile-digit odometer wheel that spins like a slot machine reel, so cracking open the binnacle is not uncalled-for.

Also, should the "Brake Failure" light come on with the ignition on, bike not running, like the Gen and Oil lights? I've never seen it on, so I'm thinking bulbski.

TIA,
Philbert

[20774]

Except for the turn signal light, the other lights should show brightly with key on but engine not started, IIRC. I've heard that when the signal light flashes once and then turns off, that's an indication that something's not right in the circuit. Time to check the bulbs and grounds. You say the turn signals are working correctly...can you tell while you're underway or is this something that you check in the parking lot? I have a fairing, so I can't see my front signals at all...and I can't twist around enough to see the rears...

Sounds like the wheels on your odometer have slipped down the shaft a bit, thus not engaging the wheel next to it. The repair of this is not too difficult...have you seen this website?

http://www.airheads.org/content/view/160/98/

On the brake failure light, the problem might be at the connection to the master cylinder...what year/model bike is this? On my /7 under the tank m/c, the wire can be gummed up and/or slip off the connector. If this style of m/c, you can simulate low fluid by taking the cap off and letting the plunger drop to its full extent. That should activate the intrument light.

[PAGoldsby]

Kurt:

Thanks for the quick reply. I should have noted that the patient is a '77 R75/7. It's blue. It's pretty.

1) I was able to verify at a traffic light that both the right and left, front and rear, turn signals were functioning properly when the <---> indicator was not working. I thought of what you mentioned when I first experienced the anomaly this morning. In my pick-up, if I have a burned-out bulb, the system will not flash. The indicator, I can live without. Non-functioning turn signals might get me killed.

2) I have seen the Airheads article on odometer repair. It's excellent. I have printed it out and studied it, but wasn't going to open the cluster just for that. If I have other things going on inside the binnacle, then it seems worth the considerable effort.

3) That's a great tip on simulating the low-fluid condition. I will try that and hit some of the connection with the trusty 20-year-old Radio Shack multimeter to check for signal.

Thanks again.

Anybody else?

[russbritt]

Its the relay...one set of contacts for the turn signal lamps,another set of contacts for the indicator. Open the relay up ....you will see them. Sometimes you can clean them. Or just replace the relay, that should fix the problem. Go to Boxerworks.com and search, you can learn a lot.:wave

[Rod Sheridan]

On a /7, only the generator and oil lamp should be illuminated before engine startup.

The brake failure lamp is really a low brake fluid level lamp, controlled by the float switch in the master cyclinder.

The turn signal indicator is driven from the pilot contact in the turn signal flasher relay. Your problem could be the relay, the wiring, the socket, the lamp or the connector on the back of the instrument cluster.

Time to get out the multimeter and make some measurements.


Regards, Rod.

[PAGoldsby]

Thanks loads, Russ and Rod!

[kstoo]

The brake failure lamp is really a low brake fluid level lamp, controlled by the float switch in the master cyclinder.


It is also a "really big bump" indicator. Mine flashes on when I jump railroad tracks. Not intentionally.