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

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

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).

 

[Rob S.]

This is where it stands now - electrical unhooked; 4 "panel mounting nuts" should free it from the bike.

Taking a break now. Gonna eat, get drunk, and try to locate enough band aids to patch up my bloody fingers.

Still upside down pics, one thing at a time.

Thanks.

 

[dorkburger]

Regarding the gear indicator light. Mine died, and I found it was a tiny bulb similar to an old maglite bulb-a tiny bulb with 2 wires that was soldered to a board. I picked up a similar 12 volt bulb at radio shack, unsoldered the bad one and soldered the new one on. Tedious, but It worked.

 

[Rob S.]

I can't see how to access that light - just the two tach lights, one of which had to be destroyed as the 32 year old rubber was practically welded in place. Now an old bulb is loose inside the back of the tach.

And I can't see why the speedo light(s) are in completely different holders - white plastic, not black rubber. I'm pretty ****ed that I even opened it up - if I tow or somehow ride it to the shop, they have no responsibility. I'm the one who messed it up. Could be the better part of $1000 now.

 

[dorkburger]

Unfourtanately its been about 15 years since parting ways with my 1100, and I dont recall how I accessed the gear indicator bulb.....sorry

 

[Baatfam]

Rob...
I've got an old, broken 140mph speedo that I would give you for the price of postage...
Let me know