Electrical issues, need diagrams!!!!

[80GS750]

ok, all of a sudden my headlights, guage lights (speedo and tach) and tail light quit working. tail light still works with brakes. when connecting the voltmeter to check for +12 on the fuse, (neg on ground an pos on the LEFT side of fuse) the lights work! i checked fuse and it checked good. so i get home, put in another fuse and it worked! so i figured bad fuse.

after those lights went out, 10 minutes later, i lose my fuel gauge, gear indicator, neutral and high beam indicators, and brake lights....

with a good fuse in there, they still dont work. where do all of these things come together? i think i have a bad ground, but have no clue where to look. i checked most of the connectors under the seat, and behind the headlight. no luck.

i need a diagram so i can see what could be causing this!

1980 gs750E

[chef1366]

There should be a grond in front of the battery box. Also sand both ends of the ground from the battery to the crancase with fine grade sandpaper and use dielectric grease on the connections. Are all the bullet connections tight? I'd sand those also and use the dielectric grease on those too.
Also spray some WD-40 into your ignition switch.

[txironhead]

Know a good priest? Sounds like an exorcism is in order......

Seriously, though, it sounds like a ground issue, or a short in your headlight bucket.

[80GS750]

im gonna go poke around right now!!!! just when everything was working good.

[80GS750]

ok, im at a loss here. i put 2 new fuses in the top holders. everything worked! all lights came on, and it started up. then i put the headlight back in, and no power anywhere!!! so i figured thats where my short was... i took it back out and messed with all the wires, no change. took both fuses out, put them back in and i got the lights to work! then while they were on i went up and messed with the headlight bucket... made no difference. now i have no power anywhere on the bike...
things i checked:
battery ground is good
power to bottom 3 fuses good
headlight switch works
checked headlight bucket connectors and all connectors around battery.

could it be the ignition switch? how do i check it? i have good access to all the wires on the back of it.. if anyone can let me know what wire does what and what color it is i should be able to figure it out.. there are only like 4 wires on it.

i think thats my problem, i sprayed carb cleaner in it to maybe clean some of the crap out, then chased it with wd40 and compressed air. still no change... its like it wants to work whenever it feels like it...

[txironhead]

That priest is sounding better and better......

Could it be your headlight switch? I've heard of some people having problems with the on/off switch, whether they're functional or not. Other than that, it could be your ignition switch......

[80GS750]

i checked the headlight switch, its good... when i can get the lights to work, it will toggle the lights on and off no problem....

what feeds power to the ignition switch? it seems as if it goes like this:
battery-ignition switch-fuses for lights- lights

i think either the ignition switch does not work correctly or its power source is intermittant...

if anyone has the diagrams for the power to the ignition switch that would help immensly.. so i can see where the junctions are and grounds are to start troubleshooting...

sorry about the spelling and typo's im typing fast...

[80GS750]

the ignition switch does not feel loose or sloppy at all.... it actually feels pretty tight and i can feel each click. how many positions does the switch have? on - off and if you push it down it has one position before on and one after off.... does that sound right?

[ron bayless]

my gs 1000L did the exact samer thing. I was riding it,stopped for gas, then nothing.I wiggled the fuses around and it would start, then after a moment would die but all lights went off again.Then one time it started and only ran on 2 cylinders.Then i messed with the fuses again and it started.I have ridden about 200 miles since then and no problem.I think Chef's idea of cleaning all the fuse contacts and dielectric gease could well be the answer.Like I said i got all the corrosion or so i thought several times before i must have actually accomplished it.

[80GS750]

i did clean the fuse holder pretty good, and its making good contact with the fuses.... i am pretty sure i have an intermittant connection between the ignition switch and battery, or the switch is faulty... i just need the diagrams now to see what wires exactly to prod around and see if i can test the ignition switch itself

[80GS750]

well after taking the fuse block off and apart, and dremeling the holders, she runs! everything works, for now. ill see how long it lasts!