left turn blinks, but right turn signal is constant

[Guest]

This is the original problem that prompted me to go through the electrical system on my 1981 GS 400.

• I have inspected, cleaned and greased every connection and replaced the suspect ones.

• All bulbs were replaced.

• New stator

Everything feels great and the electrical system seems to have more 'strength', but what else can I check/replace to get the signal working properly?

Thanks

[chuck hahn]

the dealer once told me that the turn signal relay can only handle so much draw and if the bulbs are too big of a draw the relay will act funny.. there is an imprinted data on the relay telling you how much that is..Maybe you just need some different impendence in the bulbs. I cant properly explauin it maybe, but someone else can fill in the jest if what i am saying in better terminology..

[hampshirehog]

I bet it's a bad earth somewhere. Run a wire from the mounting nut to the battery negative and see what happens.

[GabrielGoes]

bad contact somewhere go over/look at every wire near the headlight housing unit.
edit: it could be anywhere those turn signal wires meet

[tom203]

This is probably redundant but.... the right turn signal pair is not drawing enough current to activate the flasher. Assuming the bulbs are all the same, it must be in a either a poor ground connection or in the sockets themselves. remove the lens and wiggle bulbs while flasher is on.

[trippivot]

too LITTLE draw makes the signals act funny-- like not blinking until you rev the engine then it starts blinking.

Too much draw makes the signals flash on and off crazy fast.

assuming you have really hit every connection, the flasher unit is good, all grounds are good


I'd do this test. put a third bulb into the circuit on the right side just to see what it does.

1 more question did you take the handlebar switch housing apart and clean the connections in there with a pencil eraser like a slow slot car and the track pick ups.

[Jagir]

no, i did not clean out the switch like i should have. One test I did do that i had forgot to mention is I plugged in another switch assembly and had the same results. this leads me to believe that it is not the switch. Also, I did bang up one of those signal lights, so I replaced it (and both rear ones) sometime back before the problem started.

It sounds like too little draw. Before I went through the electrical system, it would actually start flashing at around 4000 rpm. Now it does it around 5-6000 rpm.

I have yet to do any of the above mentioned tests (because the weather has been great and my hand signals still work fine), but thanks to all of those who responded. I will get to it and post my findings.

It sounds like i should focus on the right side blinkers since that is where the problem seems to be?