HELP ME! Lights sometimes work...

[Flaming Chainsaws]

First of all, don't mind the pictures. My camera is broken.

I've made some good progress.

I left the bike on the side stand and removed the clutch cover. No need to drain the oil!


Then I tightened down the clutch spring bolts because they were too loose. After that, I wanted to see the clutch spin for half a second so I hit the starter.

Now I am very surprised. My lights turned on!!!


Here is a quick video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5giVeuqX8Q

I quickly put the clutch cover back on then I turned the key to ON and there are no more lights. Started it up, no lights. So I removed the clutch cover again. Key ON, no lights. Turn the starter for half a second with clutch cover off, LIGHTS TURN BACK ON! WTF???

I did that over and over with the same result. Maybe something is up with the oil pressure???

PLEASE HELP ME!

[hampshirehog]

You must be snagging the wiring somewhere - it's nothing to do with oil pressure or the clutch cover, it's just coincidence. However, it has given you a clue. When you pop the cover on or off have a close look at what wiring runs close and jiggle it about to see if you can duplicate the same effect.

[cowboyup3371]

Like I said in your other post, could the cover be touching a wire or otherwise grounding it out?

[Flaming Chainsaws]

The only wiring that is even close would be the signal generator underneath the clutch cover BUT, those wires are completely covered up and it is not touching the clutch cover..... Except for the little bracket that attaches to the clutch cover which holds up the wiring.

[Guest]

Was it all your lights that turned off? Or just your idiot lights?
Your oil pressure switch supplies the ground to some of those idiot lights.
Next time your lights are off and won't come on you could disconnect the wire from your oil pressure switch and ground the wire to the engine or the frame and the lights should come back on. If it doesn't the problem is somewhere else. That is a very peculiar problem but it seems like a floating ground or loose connection somewhere's.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

Was it all your lights that turned off? Or just your idiot lights?
Your oil pressure switch supplies the ground to some of those idiot lights.
Next time your lights are off and won't come on you could disconnect the wire from your oil pressure switch and ground the wire to the engine or the frame and the lights should come back on. If it doesn't the problem is somewhere else. That is a very peculiar problem but it seems like a floating ground or loose connection somewhere's.

ALL of my lights were not working except for the headlight. When those lights did come back on, everything was working like it should be.

[Guest]

ALL of my lights were not working except for the headlight. When those lights did come back on, everything was working like it should be.

You've got a loose connection somewhere, or floating ground. It's almost like a switch being flipped on or off. I wished I was there, I'd like to tackle it.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

You've got a loose connection somewhere, or floating ground. It's almost like a switch being flipped on or off. I wished I was there, I'd like to tackle it.

What is the meaning of floating ground? Like this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_ground

There are no loose connections anywhere. So it must be the above...

I wish you were here.

[Redman]

If it is like the 850G and 1100G (that I am familiar with):
- the oil light has power to it all the time, the wire goes to the oil pressure switch, and the switch connects the wire to ground.
- the sidestand light has power to it all the time, the wire goes to the sidestand switch, and the switch connects the wire to ground. (I am Ignoring describing the diode)
- the netural light has power to it all the time, the wire goes to the netural switch, and the switch connects the wire to ground.
- the guage lights have power all the time and also have a ground wire on them.
(when I say, "all the time", I mean when the ignition key is on)

So, the only thing common to all these lights is the power wire. THey have seperate ground wires.
SO the one thing that can make them go on and off at the same time is the power.

I think all these things are on same fuse and same wire going to the instruments.
Get a scehmatic and see what color wire that is.

.

[Redman]

FC,

Manaul on BassCliff site for GS1100E (and others)

http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/80-83_GS1100T-LT-EX-1000SZ-EZ-SD-ED-ESD.pdf

Page 450 is scahmatic for EZ.

Let me take a look for awhile.

Dave

>>Later Note
Ah. Scan is not fine enough to see small details on the schematic.

[Joe Nardy]

PM inbox is full

Allen,

Your PM inbox is full. Check you email.

Joe

[Guest]

What is the meaning of floating ground? Like this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_ground

There are no loose connections anywhere. So it must be the above...

I wish you were here.

I didn't like that definition, the way I define a floating ground is a ground wire that makes a definite connection one minute, then for some reason opens, it could be a weak, loose, or dirty connection between two wires in a single circuit, or a rusty, dirty or loose bolt, or ground terminal where it bolts, screws to the frame, or a rusty frame. It implies that you get a good ground one minute and an open circuit the next, I'd be checking all your grounds to make sure the terminals are shiny, the metal is shiny where the two mate, and that they are properly tightened together. A high resistance ground will cause voltage drops.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

OK, so I might have a ground that works good at one time then doesn't at another time?

I think it's the oil pressure switch.......

[Guest]

OK, so I might have a ground that works good at one time then doesn't at another time?

I think it's the oil pressure switch.......

Very well could be a loose ground connection, or a 12 Volt connection also.
But, I don't think it's the Oil Pressure Switch as that doesn't affects all the lights that you had go out.
But it would be easy to check, disconnect the oil pressure switch wire and connect it to a good ground. Your lights should come on, disconnect it and your lights should go off.
Don't confuse the the oil pressure switch wire with the one behind it, that being the temp gauge sending unit. Take that off and ground it and your temp gauge will jump to maximum.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

Very well could be a loose ground connection, or a 12 Volt connection also.
But, I don't think it's the Oil Pressure Switch as that doesn't affects all the lights that you had go out.
But it would be easy to check, disconnect the oil pressure switch wire and connect it to a good ground. Your lights should come on, disconnect it and your lights should go off.
Don't confuse the the oil pressure switch wire with the one behind it, that being the temp gauge sending unit. Take that off and ground it and your temp gauge will jump to maximum.

I already tried connecting the oil pressure switch to a ground. NO LIGHTS!

I guess I can try testing the temperature switch while I'm at it.