Installing Missing Front Turn Signals

[giganticflying]

Hey everyone,

Long time no speak! Got my 1979 GS850 up and running this year! I have one little problem left (for now).


My GS only had the back turn signals when I bought it. When I use the blinkers they do not flash but they will self cancel. Someone suggested I try to replace the self cancelling unit to see if that changes anything. No go.

Then I thought that maybe it was due to not having front turn signals installed, maybe the circuit wasn't finished (I don't know what I'm doing in the wiring department) so I bought them.

The problem is, I have no idea how to plug them in. There are three small, and one large female connectors free in the headlight bucket, the rest is connected to something else. I don't understand how to read wiring diagrams.

Does someone have some advice, or maybe can point me to a wiring diagram that makes more sense of the headlight bucket wiring? Thanks in advance.

 

[tkent02]

There's a double female connector in the headlight bucket, black wires with white tracer. That's the ground for both signals. Then two single wires are the + to the two signals. One wire is green, one is gray if I remember correctly. Not sure which is right and left, but they will be the same color as the ones going to the rear signals.

And you are correct, with only one bulb it will light up, but it won't flash.

 

[Steve]

Actually, the two wires are black and gray. The black one is for the left, the green is for the right. The black wire with a white stripe is the ground.

Hope your new signals do NOT have LED 'bulbs' in them, as you will still not have flashing signals. The flasher unit is a thermal unit, it depends on seeing a certain load to flash correctly. That load happens to be exactly TWO incandescent turn signal bulbs and one indicator lamp on the instrument panel.

I know you said you are no good with diagrams, but click HERE to see a very nice diagram for an '80 850. Yes, there are a few differences, but the headlight area is pretty much the same.

.

 

[giganticflying]

Thank you so much, both of you. I'll give this a shot tomorrow.

Steve, that diagram makes way more sense.

 

[tkent02]

Actually, the two wires are black and gray.

Green, black, I was close!

 

[Steve]

..., I was close!

Horseshoes, hand grenades and atomic bombs, Tom.

 

[JTGS850GL]

Actually, the two wires are black and gray. The black one is for the left, the green is for the right. The black wire with a white stripe is the ground.

Clear as mud.

Just for clarification, the black wire with a bullet connector is left and the light green wire is for the right. As stated above, the black/white wire is the common and should have a double connector on the end. The turn signals should have a black and a black/white wire coming off of it. The black wire goes to the black or green and the black/white wire goes to the black/white double connector.

 

[giganticflying]

Nice, thanks for the clarification.

Do you think any hardware store has that rubber washer/spacer? My set came with the threaded hollow bolt, but no spacer or nut.

 

[JTGS850GL]

Not likely. They're specifically designed for the turn signals. The good news is that they're still available and pretty cheep at around $3.17 each.

Check it here and use promo code BANG for free shipping.