Turn Signal Control / Cancel Unit 1979 GS1000

[Anonymous]

Hi, brand new to the forum, but my bike has been posted in the gallery for a couple of years. It was the 79 basket case that I redid. I have since named it Total Recall, which is accurate. Todays Question . . .Does any one know how to by pass the auto cancel box on the turn signal circuit. I have read of others by passing it, but not sure if anyone has explained how to do it. My lefts work, but no rights . . . switch is good and so are the lights and flasher. That leaves just one culprit I think. The rights have worked for about 35 minutes in 247 riding hours or so! Any insight is greatly appreciated!

[Guy]

You can simply unplug the self cancelling unit and the indicators should work manually. If they still don't work on both sides, then the problem most likely lies with the switch.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

You can simply unplug the self cancelling unit and the indicators should work manually. If they still don't work on both sides, then the problem most likely lies with the switch.

The signals will not work, even manually, with the signal unit removed. It's part of the circuit.
Total recall, there is a way to re-wire the bike, but I don't have that info. Do a search? I know you need a switch from a 750 and some re-wiring to do. I believe "squaredancerlynn" posted the fix awhile back?
In my experience, signal failure is almost always the unit. It's too fragile to vibration I think.
As for the flasher, the two wire flasher used on the 78/79 1000 doesn't know left or right. When you have a flasher problem, both sides quit. Not just one side.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The 78-79 system is unique. Just disconnecting it? it will still not work.
The 4 prong plug You need to connect the Left F&R together & the Right F&R together It will now work sort of. You will have to hold the switch in the desired position for it to flash.
To do more you need to get a turnsignal switch/ light switch from some thing like a GS750 that has a detent position for the switch rewire it to fit your bike if necessary & I relocated the flasher in series with the orange wire to the turn signal switch

[Guy]

I got rid of the self cancelling unit off both my bikes by simply unplugging it. I didn't realise the '79 was different.

[rodcwer]

I removed mine and installed a flasher that you use in a car, it's hard to expalin because I did it last year but it wasn't difficult to do.

[rodcwer]

I'll check out my wiring and fill you in tommorrow

[Anonymous]

Success!

Thank you to all of you for your help! Especially SqDanceLynn. Very helpful.
As of now I have turn signals! I will look for an earlier model switch, but for now, the bike is legal again. I bought this piece of $%^&* for $100, and it is now (after a couple of grand) a pretty fine looking work in progress. I am sure I'll have more and more questions! But thanks again!

[SqDancerLynn1]

Here's one that you should be able to make work http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...548559990&rd=1

[Anonymous]

This is interesting because my manual says my old GS has self cancelling signals but neither the Clymer manual nor the owners tells me where the unit is located. I say this because over the years I have done some pretty extensive rewiring of the whole bike, I know where the flasher is but no where have I ever found any self cancelling device. The flasher unit sits above the starter solenoid and looks original to me. I mention all this because my signals have never self cancelled.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

This is interesting because my manual says my old GS has self cancelling signals but neither the Clymer manual nor the owners tells me where the unit is located. I say this because over the years I have done some pretty extensive rewiring of the whole bike, I know where the flasher is but no where have I ever found any self cancelling device. The flasher unit sits above the starter solenoid and looks original to me. I mention all this because my signals have never self cancelled.

If your "L" has the unit in the same place as the "E", it's behind the right side cover, rubber strapped to the battery case. Black, and about the size of a cig' pack.

[Anonymous]

I have such an item below the battery case available from the right side, black plastic and like you said the size of a pack of cigs. Interesting. When I get home I will pull it out and check it. Thanks!

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I have such an item below the battery case available from the right side, black plastic and like you said the size of a pack of cigs. Interesting. When I get home I will pull it out and check it. Thanks!

Also, the wire bundle coming out of it splits to 2 gang connectors. One has 6 wires, the other has 4. These connectors will be close by the battery area.
If your signals are still working, but not self-cancelling, the 2 wires for the speed/distance sensor may be disconnected. I forget their colors, but I think one is black with a blue tracer. They run together in their own wire jacket, from the speedo to inside the headlight housing. Easy to tell what they are.
Over the years, I've heard that these units are fragile and some people believe that disconnecting the speed/distance sensor wires may help the unit last longer. I don't know. I've been through two of them, the original and a used one I bought. I have another new one on the bike now. I "foam mounted" this one. I also believe they don't like vibration. I never liked the self-cancelling feature, so I disconnected the sensor wires too. I like the signals to go on and off when I want them to. Not this 9 second/500 ft stuff.
Hopefully yours will continue to work. They retail at the Suzuki dealer for $350 8O . The cheapest I ever found them was a parts website for $260. I got a better deal, though still expensive, on some NOS units a while back. Of course, there's the re-wire option too.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Keith for the valuable info. Seems to me it would have been much simpler to develop a simple timer that once activated would shut off the circuit after say 10-15 sec. Anyway this may be the source of my dilemma why sometimes the signals just quit working all together until the bike is shut down and restarted. Thought that one was going to drive me crazy...

[Anonymous]

I've had problems with my self-cancelling also. They'll work fine for the first 10-15 minutes or so, then, depending on ambient temps, become erratic and finally go completely dead. The warmer the ambient the faster they fail. Obviously heat-related, but there isn't enough slack in the harness to move the box away from it's location. Anyone else have this temperature-related effect?