Topic: '80 CB650 signal light flasher location ???

[Alberta Mike]

First post for me here on the SOHC/4 forum for me.  Actually, am finding stuff out for a friend who just picked up a 1980 CB650 that he is working on.  The problem right now is that the signal lights are not working properly, the first thing that we are trying to do is to locate the signal light flasher (although we suspect the issue might have something to do with needing a 3rd wire for grounding for the front signal/running lights.

Can anyone tell me where exactly the flasher is located?  We have looked pretty much everywhere and cannot find it for some strange reason.  A photo might help as well if possible.

Any comments on the 3rd wire for grounding necessity also welcomed.  I might return to this later on.

Thanks, Mike

[michaelkash5]

Third wire isn't for grounding. It's the "hot" wire for the running light.  The flasher relay is located under the side cover.  I think it's near the starter solinoid, but it's been a while since I replaced mine. 
You didn't mention how the lights are broken.  If they are just lighting up solid instead of blinking when you turn the switch then you need to replace your relay with an electronic unit.  If it's doing something else then take another look at your wiring.

[Alberta Mike]

I see on this diagram where the "third wire" which I refer to is a ground which should be hooked to a green ground inside the headlight housing.  See the info in the diagram's bottom left corner.   

http://circuitswiring.com/circuit-diagrams/14/2010/12/Honda-CB65080-82-Wiring-Diagram.jpg

All of the wire colors in this diagram match up to the 650 we are working on.  The running lights work when hooked up as seen in the diagram, the signal lights do not.  When you click the signal to L or R, the running light on that side goes out but the signal lights do not work at all (full on or flashing).  In my limited experience, I have seen numerous signal light glitches that appear if one little thing is messed up including sometimes a single bulb. 

[michaelkash5]

Try this diagram. It's from the 1980 service manual.
It's been true to my 1981 so far.

http://cosky1.tripod.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://cosky1.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/page16-0-wiring-diagram.jpg&target=tlx_new

once you find the flasher relay, jumper it out. that will let you know if it's a relay problem.
As far as the ground goes, I mounted the signals to my headlight ears. Then I tied the grounds into the washers on the inside of the headlight bucket and also tied them into the ground bullet connectors in the bucket.

If you havn't seen one before, here is what the flasher relay looks like:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/291171564524?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true
it's easy to miss.

[Alberta Mike]

Hi again Michael ............. OK, other than the UK "extra lights", the wiring diagram makes sense and the colors are what we have here.  I see they use the indicator term for the signal, and the position term for the running lights.  Got the photo of the flasher as well (which they call the indicator relay). 

It's obvious from all from all of this that our flasher is totally missing, it's just not there ...... along with the rubber holder or mount which keeps it in place.  That would explain the signal lights not working obviously.

Did you notice the third wire which appears to be the ground .... it hooks up to green ground wires which are found throughout the bike.  Maybe a wire is a better way to ground something rather than depend on the chassis connection at various points, I'm not sure.

[michaelkash5]

Yeah, i'm not sure what you are asking about the ground. Are you asking where to ground the turn signal?
Do you have a picture or link to the light you bought? How is the aftermarket light wired now?

[Alberta Mike]

I suspect the tin light bulb holder (socket) could be grounded through a ground wire or via metal parts being bolted together. The front lights are  aftermarket items from an aftermarket fairing that we took off.  These front signal/running lights look very much like the stock Honda ones but the mounting stem is different.  There are only two wires leaving each one (no ground wire but the bulb holder is grounded to the light housing which in turn is grounded to the frame through attachment).  One of those wires contacts the low intensity filament (running lights) and the other contacts the high intensity filament (signals). The two wires from each of these light units are black but they are color coded to match Honda hookup with small colored bands shrunken on each wire (orange, orange/white on the one side and then light blue, light blue/white for the other).  I suspect the fairing manufacturer uses the same setup for whatever bike you ordered the fairing for, they would just use different colored bands to match whatever bike was being used, eg Suzuki or Yamaha etc which would likely have different colored wires for the front signal running lights.  Sorry, no photo but they are wired to match the Honda colored wires inside the headlight chamber and their corresponding black wires (with colored collars) on the old fairing lights.  Once we get a flasher and hook it up, I suspect we will get this working.  We have just noticed some wires hanging loose back by the battery area inside the left side cover and these look like they are the ones that should be hooked up to the flasher (like the one you sent me the photo of).

[michaelkash5]

Great!