Turn Signals

Can someone tell what to look for and what may to be done if this is a common problem. My bike is a 78KZ1000A , my second KZ1000, the first was a 78LTD that needed lots of work and had to part with it, but it was doing the same thing as this bike. When you use the left OR right turn signals,the other signal flickers as well,which is really noticeable at night. Thanks for any help or comments.

s1239.photobucket.com/home/mcxi

Turn signal troubleshooting can at times be a hair pulling situation. When I do mine, I first check the grounds(black wire with yellow stripe) and then move on to the sockets/bulbs.

Have a fresh set of replacement bulbs on hand as sometimes the filiment will break on the dual element bulbs causing strange actions.

The front turn signal/runing light bulbs will be #1157(the same type used in the rear tail light/brake light).

The rear turn signals use the #1156 single element bulb.

Corrosion in the socket can be a cause of flickering bulbs just like a dirty turn signal switch(mounted on the left handlebar switch pod).

thanks Mfolks for the information will be checking those out.

I keep my light bulb sockets,switches & connectors working by using a small spritz of "De-Oxit" electrical contact cleaner/preservative.

It's available at Radio Shack Stores in the U.S. and any other electronic supply place. www.deoxit.com is their website.I believe a two pack goes for $15 but it will last a long time.

Why WD-40 Should Not Be Used On Motorcycle Electrical Items.

For many years, I was proponent of the use of WD-40 on fuse clips, fuses, switches and connectors. After hearing of other peoples experience with intermittent and sporadic activity, I shrugged it off as maybe they did something wrong in the application of the product.

It wasn’t until the time I rode my 1982 GPz1100 B2 model to down town San Diego that I encountered the problems others had gone through.

After concluding my business downtown, I walked to where my bike was parked, turned the key to unlock the forks, and prepared to start the engine. The key was in the “On” position, yet I had no lights in the dash panel, the fuel pump was not running(I have FI), and the horn and tail light were not working.

Stumped as to why nothing electrical was happening, I remember my earlier conversations about how WD-40 will over time become a non-conductor(more like an insulator). I had some pieces of 400 and 600 grit sandpaper in my tool kit and with them was able to scratch away the coating from the WD-40 on the fuses and clips.

After removing the insulating film, the bike started and ran like it should. Since that time, I’ve told people about the problem with WD-40. If you must use a contact cleaner, I recommend getting some “De-oxit” from Radio Shack Stores or any good electronic supply store. www.deoxit.com is their website.

MFolks wrote:

I keep my light bulb sockets,switches & connectors working by using a small spritz of "De-Oxit" electrical contact cleaner/preservative...

Does that product prevent corrosion, such when as using dielectric grease or a socket grease?

Something additionally that I do is to coat the inside of the turn signal body w battery grease (metal turn signals of course, not plastic ones). One of mine was showing a lot of corrosion, so I cleaned it up at greased it. It's very humid here for most of the year.

It will remove corrosion from switch and electrical contacts, not sure what level of corrosion you're mentioning.

JMKZHI wrote:

Does that product prevent corrosion, such when as using dielectric grease or a socket grease?

I.e., after cleaning up the contacts, does it prevent corrosion or deter oxidation?
Such as what dielectric grease does? To ensure that the contacts remain good.

With the dual element bulbs, when they flash like yours are it is almost always due to a lack of ground.

gd4now wrote:

With the dual element bulbs, when they flash like yours are it is almost always due to a lack of ground.

2X what gd4now said. The harness flexes with every turn of the bars and the ground wire often gives up where the connector is solidly fixed at the mounting bolt.

Bill

There is a great post on this issue on kz650.info by poster Z650Spirit I quote him below

"I know this issue can be somehow mysterious if didn't experience it before, but in fact is very simple and happens only if you have as in this case running lights along with turn in the same lamp (double filament bulbs).

In a double filament bulb both filaments share the same ground, with independent positives for each filament.
If the ground for the bulb ground is missing then it will ground through the other signals in the circuit when they are not energized. In other words the faulty signal will ground through the other bulbs from the positive lead.
When the -working fine- signals receive power, then they will light up, and the faulty one will turn off as it will have positive from both sides; one positive from the running light lead, and another positive from the turn signal lead, and no ground; and no way to ground through the other lamps until they turn off.
Of course, and grounding not directly but through the filament of another lamp/s, the lacking ground signal will emit a faint light, and will be turn off and on opposite in time with the other/s.

Hope this helps and not increase the confussion about the subject"

Random thought here, do you have a hazard switch?

Didn't know this until my boneheaded self figured it out but on mine if you hit the hazard button the lights dont come on at all.

Then you hit a blinker and both of them come on as your hazard lights.

Flip the hazard switch off and they work as normal turn signals.

Hopefully your problem is that easy to solve, but if it's really a wiring issue then good luck!