'81 R100T Fuse ???'s

[awshucks]

well, half way home. Have brake/tail lights now, loose relay under tank was that culprit.

found there are no fuses in the turn signals, now I need to find turn signal relay or flasher unit to check it.

once I got brake lights working, I checked all the turn signal bulbs to make sure they are good.

I'm wondering if turn signal indicator bulb would shut down the whole system if blown?

page 782 help came in handy, thanks again. I'm even less an electrician than a mechanic. Can still recall battles w/ Lucas elecs on older Triumphs. old joke, lucas made fridges too which is why the Brits drink warm beer, lol.

 

[AnnapolisAirhead]

And "mov-a-fuse" solutions are indeed solutions looking for a problem.

Kent, I think BMW moved the fuses into the fairing dash of RT and RS bike, at least that's what I've seen the two small cutouts just above the key used for.

I've had many, many old Mercedes (W123, 124, 126, 210) and so long as the fuse box seal is ok, those fuses last much longer than 10 years. The damned strip fuse for the blower which is outside the fuse box tends to get hairline cracks though, causing intermittent functioning of things.

 

[AnnapolisAirhead]

Awshucks, can you take a picture of inside your headlight bucket? That might help.

As you are facing the headlight bucket, there is a black, plastic box on the left. that's the turn signal relay. The silver smaller metal one to the right is the headlight relay. The only other place that relays exist that I am aware of is along the frame backbone to the left, under the tank. It'd be a good idea to clean up those connections anyway.

 

[awshucks]

Bucket:

Flasher, left is what's on the bike, right is replacement I just got a few minutes ago. The one on the bike says for LED's[have none on bike] but parts guy says the new one will work. No change w/ it plugged in.

The schematic in clymers shows brown ground on left, yellow/black in middle, and yellow/green on rt side. Mine is wired yellow/black on rt side and yellow/green in middle. W/ a test light, my socket for flasher is hot on rt side w/ key on, I assume middle is output of flasher unit?

I have only found one fuse behind the mass of wiring and kinda quit looking as everything fused works ok. Can't see any fuses in turn signal system, so apparently I've been chasing a ghost there. Airport mechanic buddy is coming out after work.

 

[AnnapolisAirhead]

Hmm, not sure about that Matchbox/green relay and its wiring. That may be complicating things since we are reading a stock wiring diagram. Same goes for the non-OEM flasher relay. It may work, but typically LED bulbs require higher resistance than incandescent.

As far as fuses go, there are only 2 fuses that come on the bike, as noted. They aren't real convenient nor easy to see with all the wiring, further complicated when modifications have been done.

I can see your turn signal stalk. Are there two wires going to each? One brown (ground) and one blue w/red stripe for the left, blue w/black stripe for the right. It may be that your turn signals get ground from the turn signal stalk...so you may want to remove the lens and check that before making any more wiring/relay changes. It could be as simple as that--a grounding issue. If there is only a single wire running into each turn signal, then you need to make sure there is a small brown wire inside the turn signal housing or that the bulb is grounded to the stalk or the turn signal backing.

If you have a brown at the turn signals, have you tried a test light? clip it to one of the fins on a cylinder, then to the blue wire at the turn signal--with the ignition on (no need to start the bike) and the turn signal switched on. To test the ground, you can clip to the brown wire, then touch the positive terminal with the test light. If it light, it ain't a grounding issue.

 

[awshucks]

Got two wires to each stalk, a brown ground and wrong colored hot, lol. am off to check your idea before bud gets here.

 

[awshucks]

The grounds are good and the flasher is working fine. Figured out I could get a test light on the blades if I didn't push it all the way together. According to the schematic, the hot wire from it [blinking w/ test light] goes to turn signal switch.

Took that assy off the mount on handlebar but can't figure out how the inside cover comes off to get at the wire connections to switches. Know better than to force it.

Any ideas there? I could barely see a green/yellow wire which is the blinking one on flasher, stuck it w/ test light and nada, so may have a bad wire to the turn signal switch.

 

[Bill Burke]

I'm confused, which is normal. What is it that still isn't working right?

 

[awshucks]

no turn signals, recent affliction. At first, it was that problem and no brake lights, but solved that one. bike just got painted and the relay probably got nudged w/ tank removal.

thanks for your interest.

 

[monsondm]

2 fuses in headlight.

The 2 fuses in the headlight power two areas. One has green on one side and green/black on the other. That one is a fuse for all that is switched on when you turn the key. I.E. turn signals, brake lights. The other is grey and grey black. It is for the headlight and parking. Unless someone has moved them, they are under the mass of wires in the photo, in the back of the headlight shell. You should be able to move he wires to see them. Monsond

 

[lkchris]

Kent, I think BMW moved the fuses into the fairing dash of RT and RS bike, at least that's what I've seen the two small cutouts just above the key used for.

It's an aftermarket solution or shadetree solution--BMW didn't do it.

 

[lkchris]

The other is grey and grey black. It is for the headlight and parking.

Gray means park lights (including tail and instruments) only. There is no fuse for the headlight.

 

[Bill Burke]

Remove the 8 amp fuse in the bucket (or both of them if you find the second), examine it carefully. Clean the ends if corroded. Re-install it if looks perfect. Put a new fuse in if it doesn't look perfect. Test turn signals. Report back if desired.

 

[awshucks]

Problem solved. The culprit was a broken wire between flasher and turn signal switch. Toss up between real obvious and real frustrating.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Bill Burke]

Good work.