Gremlins in the electrics - Again

Once more the electrics on my K3 are playing up.

Any suggestions as to a cheap solution greatfully received.

The symptoms
1. Turn the ignition on and start the engine; the following lights come on and stay on
a. Neutral light - (this is OK and goes off when put in gear)
b. Both indicator warning lights
c. Main beam warning light
d. All four indicators (not flashing)

2. The headlights do not come on - they should on a K3
The main beam does not come on either when the switch is operated

3. The horn works OK

4. If the indicators are switched on the indicators go dim and then brighter

I have opened up the switch gear, - no visable fault

There are no visable breaks in the wires between the switch and the place where it disapears into the frame.

Can anyone offer a better diagnosis and/ or a low cost solution?

Thanks in avance

Chris

What ever you do - don't go out in the rain. If you get them wet they'll just multiply.











Sorry. I'm not helping am I?

I don't mean to sound condecending but I presume you have checked the fuses?

[Spanner Man]

Morning all.
It could possibly be corrosion on the terminals of the plug from the left hand switch, you'll have to get to the plug and give it a good clean. Use contact cleaner, a pin, & compressed air if available on the 'female' connector The 'male' pins in the other half of the plug connector can be GENTLY scraped with a minature file & rinsed in contact cleaner.

Or the problem could be connected with the instrument panel, or the wiring leading up to it.
Suzuki have a habit of using single wires running up to the instruments for power or earth which then split into 2,3 or even 4 to feed warning lights etc.
They join these wires with hideous metal tags which ofter aren't insulated properly.....Any water that gets into the wiring loom can cause circuits to link, sometimes leading to the symptoms you describe.
I've not come across this problem on an SV, but on Honda VFR800's & CBR6's I've seen it a few times, it's usually water damage to the printed circuit board on the back of the instruments themselves. Replacement of the board is the only way out I'm afraid.
Without a multimeter these sorts of problems can be very hard to diagnose.

Cheers.

P.S. When using contact cleaner it's essential to make sure it has totally evaporated before switching a circuit on, it can cause circuits to link blowing a fuse at least. & being very flammable can ignite with nasty consequences....Back when I had hair & teeth I managed to blow the flasher relay of my GT500 to bits for that very reason! (that was in 1979 & I reckon the bits are still going up)

Originally Posted by Spanner Man

Morning all.

Suzuki have a habit of using single wires running up to the instruments for power or earth which then split into 2,3 or even 4 to feed warning lights etc.
They join these wires with hideous metal tags which ofter aren't insulated properly.....Any water that gets into the wiring loom can cause circuits to link, sometimes leading to the symptoms you describe.

Exactly what happened to me last week mate, manky black electrical tape ahoy, no heatshrink, nothing.

Happens on my GPZ too. my mainbeam warning light comes on and my headlights go off.traced back to a bad connection in the loom going to the headlight. cleaning the plugs as spanner man describes sorts it usually. hope its that and not something more sinister.

Thanks for the replies.

Spanner Man - thats what I call a response - thank you!

Looks like tomorrow will be spent fiddling about with wires and plugs and contact cleaner.

Just as well it will be hissing down just like the last few weekends.

WOT - somebody said the sun will be out - just my luck!

Just off down to maintenance to nick some contact cleaner before I go home.

Have a good holiday all.

Got home tonight and had a poke about among the spaghetti.

The problem was, as it usually is, of my own making.
For a while I ran some over rated bulbs, they have since ben replaced with Phillips Extream Power bulbs.

One of the pins on the headlight plug had overheated at some time and melted through the plastic.

It seems that in one of the light summer showers/ torrential downpours we hve had recently water got into the plug and casued the problems described

Fortunatly I had a spare headlight loom (in amongst the old tat left over from my little prang) a quick swap over and all is well.

Thanks for your help chaps.

And for the technical advice rearding Gremlins K

I can go play in the sunshine tomorrow.

[Spanner Man]

Morning all.

I'm glad you got it sorted Seedy, electrics are a bloody pain at times.
As Bluewolf has found with those blasted tags, the loom isn't really protected well, so it's worth making sure that the ends of the loom are watertight. I have found that good old silicone sealer works pretty well, & when it's dried a couple of turns of self vulcanising tape finishes it off nicely.

Cheers.