Brights on, bike idling, turn signal won't flash

[beardedmonkey]

Very strange. When the bike is running and...

Brights on, bike's moving, turn signal on: blinkers flash

Brights off, bike's moving, turn signal on: blinkers flash

Brights off, bike's stopped, turn signal on: blinkers flash

Brights on, bike's stopped, turn signal on: 1/2 the time the blinker is lit up but won't flash

WTF?! If I rev it the blinkers will flash once. If I hit the brakes, it'll flash once. Sometimes they do flash, but sometimes they don't. The minute I get moving they'll flash. Ideas? Am I not generating enough power at idle? I try raising the idle by revving it but that seems not to have an effect (beyond a single off/on flash).

Also, both turn signals are not running lights, i.e.: they are both off until I turn the signal, then it'll flash off-on-off. Is this normal? Any way to reverse this, i.e.: have them both on (for safety)?

Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions...

[sedelen]

Would it be too much trouble ask what bike this is?

[chuck hahn]

The turn signals are single element sockets and bulbs and they are only intended to flash and not be "running lights". I had a Honda Shadow that had the same setup. What I did was buy a cheap trailer light package from the auto parts store and scavage the sockets and bulbs and transplanted them in to the signal housings. Then i ran a jumpr wire from the brake light wire ( or any other switched hot wire for that matter ) and this powered the running light element. The regular flasher wiring powered the signal side of the socket.

[beardedmonkey]

Would it be too much trouble ask what bike this is?

Oh right It's a 78 GS750.

[chuck hahn]

Maybe you have the wrong wattage bulbs or mixed up wattages in the sockets. The flasher unit is designed to work on something like 23 total wattage use. The service manual at Bikecliffs website will tell you what bulbs are supposed to be in there..and all 4 should be the same.

[rustybronco]

Best guesses are, the flasher is weak and wont operate at that low of a voltage, or there is a voltage drop in the turn signal wiring.

[sedelen]

The turn signals are single element sockets and bulbs and they are only intended to flash and not be "running lights".

Not true for the front turn turn signals of the '82 GS1100E, I have running lights and turn signals. Whoopie!

[Steel Toed Tank]

When I first got my 82 GS750T a few weeks ago, the right turn signal would light the rear up solid and do nothing to the front.
If I revved it up or shook the front end a little the front would come on and both front and rear lights would start flashing.
I tracked it down to a corroded contact and broken plastic insulation washer behind the the front bulb.
I cleaned the contact and cut a new plastic washer out of a plastic salsa container, cleaned the rust off the little spring behind the plastic washer and out of the signal housing and they work great now.
Best of all it cost me nothing!

Hope this helps.


Tank

[beardedmonkey]

UPDATE: it's definitely just when it's idling; when I rev it up to about 2 grand it starts flashing again. Weird thing is, it's not like it's idling low. Actually I've got it idling high -- I've got another problem where I've gotta have the idle up at 1500 in neutral because the minute I shift into first the thing drops down to 1000, and if it's cold and I'm not keeping an eye on it, it drops lower and the oil light starts flickering. Definitely something having to do with how much power everything is drawing because it only does it with the brights on. I've got pretty bright brights, so maybe PO put halogens in there? Definitely a brighter high beam than on the last 2 CBs I've owned from the same era.

[beardedmonkey]

When I first got my 82 GS750T a few weeks ago, the right turn signal would light the rear up solid and do nothing to the front.
If I revved it up or shook the front end a little the front would come on and both front and rear lights would start flashing.
I tracked it down to a corroded contact and broken plastic insulation washer behind the the front bulb.
I cleaned the contact and cut a new plastic washer out of a plastic salsa container, cleaned the rust off the little spring behind the plastic washer and out of the signal housing and they work great now.
Best of all it cost me nothing!

Hope this helps.


Tank

Appreciate it but I don't think that's it -- like I said, it starts flashing when I bring it up to 2000. Weird, right?

[robertbarr]

Am I not generating enough power at idle? I try raising the idle by revving it but that seems not to have an effect (beyond a single off/on flash).


Sorry if I'm asking dumb questions...

That's probably a good guess. If it's not the only cause, it's a likely one. But why guess? With a bike this old, you're going to need a meter. That's what I'd be shopping for first of all. Then, connect it across the battery & see what your starting point looks like. Also check between the battery '+' and the various fusebox contacts to see how much voltage you're dropping in your harness.

You can clean up the connections to the signals so they draw the proper current to get the flasher unit element hot enough to blink. Don't forget to clean up the bulb contacts.

I'm assuming it does this equally for both directions? That's a little peculiar, since it would require the same inadequate current flow on each path. Not all that likely.

[beardedmonkey]

Thanks!

That's probably a good guess. If it's not the only cause, it's a likely one. But why guess? With a bike this old, you're going to need a meter. That's what I'd be shopping for first of all. Then, connect it across the battery & see what your starting point looks like. Also check between the battery '+' and the various fusebox contacts to see how much voltage you're dropping in your harness.

Lemme see if my friend has one...

You can clean up the connections to the signals so they draw the proper current to get the flasher unit element hot enough to blink. Don't forget to clean up the bulb contacts.

Cool. Do that for all of them or just the ones that are dropping?

I'm assuming it does this equally for both directions? That's a little peculiar, since it would require the same inadequate current flow on each path. Not all that likely.

Hmmm... lemme check on that. Out for another ride just as soon as the laundry is done

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Clean and test your charging system. Make sure the battery is properly maintained and charged. This is the way the blinkers act when the battery is low. The battery is usually low because the charging system is not working properly.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[chuck hahn]

Steve..my single element bulb reply was specifically aimed at the 78 750 he has.

[beardedmonkey]

Hi,

Clean and test your charging system. Make sure the battery is properly maintained and charged. This is the way the blinkers act when the battery is low. The battery is usually low because the charging system is not working properly.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

No, no, no, thank you sir!

So newest update: yep, solid turn signals regardless of which one is on. I've also noticed the accessories (lights) all seem to drop the idle just a hair. Would this partly account for the disparity between my neutral and in-gear idle speeds? If so, would cleaning and testing the charging system clear up some of my problem?

You all are the best.