Progress...with problems.

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copperhead

Member
I've got my bike now running and moving(79 ct70). Still need to tweak the clutch adjustment. I re-installed rear signals temporarily just to see in everything electrical was working. Here's what I've got and don't got. :confused:Everything checked while bike running. No headlight(sealed beam)..pulled it. No continuity...assume blown. No neutral light or speedo light. signals stay on when switched..don't blink. Center yellow/orange light stays on with signals. Brake light comes on with lever or footbrake applied, but no constant light when running. Thoughts/remedies? Thanks.
 
cjpayne

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
Blinkers not blinking "usually" means a bad ground. Other causes I would look into is a weak battery and/or bad relay. The headlight being blown is probably from being run with no battery or weak battery. It acts as a voltage regulator in these. The high beam indicator will blow too. The speedo illumination bulb is on that too(I'm pretty sure). The neutral indicator might be a burnt bulb and/or wire problem.
 
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copperhead

Member
Thanks. Battery is new. I'll check the ground again...and the relay. I noticed before that it looked like it was buggered with. Can the the bulbs for the speedo be sourced locally?
 
MountainMini

MountainMini

Active Member
Just for kicks and giggles I thought I'd share these. When I tore down my bike this was the battery in it! Think it's original? I do. Think that's a July 1982 date stamp? My bike is a 1983 Canadian model. I bought a new one. That one went to the recycler. It was trash.

My speedo wedge bulb and my hi-beam indicator bulb were blown too. It didn't come with a headlight. Those bulbs are expensive for such a little part!
image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
 
cjpayne

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
copperhead said:
Thanks. Battery is new. I'll check the ground again...and the relay. I noticed before that it looked like it was buggered with. Can the the bulbs for the speedo be sourced locally?
Click to expand...
I just get mine from honda. There's actually some place that sells LED's for pinball machines that fit these. Cant remember who, but a few guys here do.
 
saskct70s

saskct70s

Member
Just wondering if you solved your signal problem and if you know of a way to test the blinker relay? Mine are not blinking either with a new battery and the ground seems good. i have several relays but wondering how to test them....
 
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copperhead

Member
saskct70s said:
Just wondering if you solved your signal problem and if you know of a way to test the blinker relay? Mine are not blinking either with a new battery and the ground seems good. i have several relays but wondering how to test them....
Click to expand...

Not yet. Since I had to order a new headlamp and other bulbs, I just ordered a new electronic relay too. But like I said, mine was definitely messed with. I'm sure someone here will be able to tell you how to test one. FWIW, on the DRatv web site they claim the electronic ones use less power than the points ones(the kind I have), and help with signal operation at idle.
 
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69ST

Well-Known Member
The original relay uses a bimetal strip. It relies on a specific amount of current draw to deliver the proper flash rate. Voltage, bulb wattage and even ambient air temp can all affect how quickly the bimetal strip heats & cools...thereby opening & closing the circuit.

For most, testing is simple but cumbersome. The circuit has to be fed normal (~6-9Vdc power), which isn't always easy with the engine not running. From there, all bulbs must be in the circuit, to provide the actual load "seen" when the signals are activated while riding. Rigging this up, with test leads is awkward. Temporarily adding one extra bulb to the circuit should increase the flash rate...dramatically.

FYI, these old style relays didn't work all that wonderfully 45 years ago. It's not uncommon to have a situation where the signals flash slowly, or not all all, until the bike has been running long enough to "top off" the battery charge and heat the relay itself. There's a fair amount of heat flowing up through the frame.
 
cjpayne

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
FWIW. Few years ago, I remember some guy had an old Ford pickup(1940's) and had converted all the bulbs to LED's. He quickly discovered the LED's wouldn't draw enough current to flash the blinkers.
 
saskct70s

saskct70s

Member
ok so the relays are heat sensitive and simply wont test properly when just connected to battery. also i have only the front signal setup and perhaps the lesser load wont trigger the relay. i was gonna order one of dr atvs new electronic relays and see if they might work with only two signal lights. ill post my results thanks for all the info!
 
6

69ST

Well-Known Member
saskct70s said:
ok so the relays are heat sensitive and simply wont test properly when just connected to battery. also i have only the front signal setup and perhaps the lesser load wont trigger the relay. i was gonna order one of dr atvs new electronic relays and see if they might work with only two signal lights. ill post my results thanks for all the info!
Click to expand...

If there's even one bad bulb filament, the relay absolutely will not operate due to insufficient load.
 
saskct70s

saskct70s

Member
well i wonder if i used a higher wattage bulb in a two signal setup if that might help ? these two i have are brand new from dr and look and test ok. is there any aftermarket rear signal setups that resemble stock? from my research they seem to have used a bar type set up that bolted onto the tail of the bike but ive never seen one.
 
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allenp42

Well-Known Member
Another tip. Please make sure the lamps are connected to the "L" terminal and the 6vdc supply is connected to the "B" terminal on the flasher. Both the OEM flasher and aftermarket electronic flashers can be flaky, as in lights come on but don't flash or a really long flash.

It should flash with a couple of 1129 (17W) bulbs connected. Lower wattage....no flash. Haven't tried higher wattage because the OEM Flasher is pricey.
 
C

copperhead

Member
Update...installed news speedo bulbs, headlight, and flasher relay. All but one light(except front signals which aren't installed) now work. Rear taillight is out, I checked it previously hooked direct to battery and had both brake and running light working.. Will have to check bulb again. I guess electronic relay doing its job, Have solid, steady blinking even at idle. I'm going to pick up some aftermarket signals and mirrors next.

Still don't think I've got the clutch adjust thing down, or I might have a clutch/transmission problem. Bike clunks into gear and when shifting isn't very smooth or skips altogether.. My poor shifting technique may be compounding the problem..dunno.
 
C

copperhead

Member
cjpayne said:
Try the adjusting procedure I described in this thread.
https://lilhonda.com/index.php?thre...pinner-screen-cleaning-on-74-k3-3speed.19143/

Are you "burping" the throttle properly when going to the next gear when accelerating?
Click to expand...

Yes on the "burp"...I've tried adjusting the clutch using your procedure....but it seems every time I do, the adjustment point changes.
Sometimes when I go to kickstart the bike, the lever will just slip, the next time it seems like the clutch is locked up and the lever is very difficult to push. Every time I first put the bike in gear , I get a "clunk" and then a forward surge, I've got the throttle set low enough, where after the initial surge forward, I can hold the bike back without brake pressure. Maybe I didn't correctly reinstall the clutch parts I removed to clean the spinner?
 
kirrbby

kirrbby

Well-Known Member
Did you have the bike leaned way over on the left side when you cleaned the spinner?
Did you remove the gearshift lever before you leaned it over.
A common mistake is leaning the bike over to where the GS lever hits the floor, and is pushed up...out of position.
That causes you to misalign the little arm under the clutch cover when you reassemble. That will cause you grief until you go back in to fix it.
 
C

copperhead

Member
Yes, I did lean it over. I didn't remove the gearshift lever. I believe I actually made the mistake you mentioned and it shifted out of neutral the first time I removed the cover. Bike wouldn't shift at all and the kick start lever didn't function correctly. I took it apart again(and saw the arm was totally out of position.) Got the bike in neutral, realigned arm and tried to carefully replace the cover. I guess I can't positively say I got it right the second time either. Maybe the third time will be the charm. Going to order some new seals for shifter and kickstart before I pull it apart again. Any way to to test the clutch itself is operating properly while I'm in there..again?.
 
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