1982 1100e tach light

[Rob S.]

My tach and gear indicator lights don't work. Picked up a half-dozen bulbs from the dealer two hours ago, and dove in.

Disconnect the instrument drive cables - done. Speedo and tach cables disconnected. Dismounted the headlight to make room to work.

Then remove the screws which secure the back cover of the panel assembly. Done, 2 long & 2 short screws removed, back cover is removed.

"The moulded rubber bulb holders are a push-fit in the panel." Push-fit, but not a pull-unfit, apparently. Result: I have a gray wire, and a black & white striped wire. I have a piece of torn rubber collar. The old bulb and it's holder are inside the tach, not retrievable.

The replacement bulbs do not have exposed wires. If they did, I would just twist or solder the wires to a bulb, and jury-rig it with electrical tape and the piece of rubber bulb holder (collar) I have.

I doubt that Suzuki sells the "moulded rubber bulb holder." If this were Mayberry, I'd take a bulb into the hardware store and ask for a socket or holder.

I was able to contain the bleeding on my finger with a band-aid, but what about Suzi?

[rapidray]

Rob, the 83 panel has a 140 mph speedo if you want to change it out.
Ray.

[Rob S.]

Well, that's not the immediate issue. In fact, as gay as I think the 85mph speedo is, it could be healthy. When I last rode in 1989, I would frequently try to see how fast I could go on my '73 Z1 with it's 160 speedo.

I've pinned my gay (not that there's anything wrong with that) 85 speedo many times since I started riding again three months ago, and since my tach is dark (HINT), I haven't bothered to calibrate it for triple-digit speeds.

[RobW]

that's a bummer Radio Shack used to have bulbs and sockets you could rig up...

[blowerbike]

so you need some good used "bulb sockets"?

[Rob S.]

I think that would do it. But who would sell such a small part? I don't need the whole panel.

[blowerbike]

let me look..
i think i have a crashed set of 82/83 gauges...maybe some good sockets.

[Rob S.]

1982 1100e

The 'bottom' or 'back' cover of my instrument panel is off. The speedo and tach cables are disconnected. There appears to be four nuts, 2 large and 2 small, that will release the instrument panel from the mounting bracket.

IF I remove the back cover of the headlamp, will I find ONE electrical connector that I can disconnect, so that I may completely remove the instrument panel from the bike?

At this point, I think I should remove the whole panel so I can fish the bad bulb and it's holder out of the back of the tach. I'm worried that if I leave it there, it'll interfere with or destroy the tach.

Help me out, guys. You said to wrench, so I wrenched. Well, I didn't wrench, exactly, I Phillip screwed. But now I'm screwed!

[blowerbike]

take pictures before and during Assembly if you are uncertain.

[Rob S.]

Pictures before...too late.

Here is the bulb I just bought five of.

[blowerbike]

same bulbs i put in my kawalski.
also marker light bulbs on early GM cars and others.

actually my before post should have read "disassembly"

[Rob S.]

14 and 2

My diagram shows 14 bulbs (for the ten warning lights plus maybe the gear indicator), plus 2 others (that may or may not be identical).

I think I should remove the entire panel. I see two small and two larger nuts; I believe those would detach the entire panel except for the wires.

I'm hoping that when/if I remove the back of the headlight, I'll find one big electrical connector that I can unhook to completely free the inst. panel.

I put a piece of white paper under the two cables as they enter the back of the headlight for contrast.

[Rob S.]

Upside down

Pics may be upside down

[blowerbike]

find out how many bad sockets you have and i will see what i have available.

[Rob S.]

Electrical is unhooked - I think. There were two connectors in the headlight housing (I color-coded them).