Indicators not flashing

[Tigadee]

Hi guys. My Suzuki's left rear indicator burned out last night.

Went to Super Cheap Auto just now to get a pair of replacement bulbs and then discovered the right rear bulb burned out some time earlier today too. Just as well they come in pairs.

Put in two new bulbs and now all indicators are working, BUT none are flashing when indicating right or left turn. They just stay constantly on until turned off to stop indicating.

What's wrong now?

[nathanwhite]

Staying on usually means one bulb is blown. Something along the lines of not enough resistance.

[Tigadee]

All bulbs are working... Two new 10W ones in the back, in fact. They light up but don't flash.

[neels]

Are they supposed to be 10W bulbs, and were the ones that came out 10W?

[Tigadee]

Are they supposed to be 10W bulbs, and were the ones that came out 10W?

The ones that came out were 10W so I replaced them with 10W - were working well before, so I didn't think there'd be any reason to get any different.

[neels]

The ones that came out were 10W so I replaced them with 10W - were working well before, so I didn't think there'd be any reason to get any different.
That's one thing off the list then.

Was the bike running when you checked them? I think the indicators on my old kawasaki didn't flash when I first tried them, until I started the bike and got the battery voltage up a bit.

[Tigadee]

Was the bike running when you checked them? I think the indicators on my old kawasaki didn't flash when I first tried them, until I started the bike and got the battery voltage up a bit.

Unfortunately yes and they still didn't flash, even after the bike was running for 10 mins... :(

[Akzle]

is this the GSX?

i'm now having a similar problem. (and so converting to LED).
something with the model eh.

new relay about 20$ at supercheap FWIW. (or 5$ off ebay, apparently)

there is a way to test the old relay, depends on 2 pin, 3 pin, 4 pin five pin. google it.

[Laava]

Ten bucks to a knob of goat shit, you have a bad earth somewhere.

[nodrog]

make sure the relay is full of fluid.

[Tigadee]

make sure the relay is full of fluid.

I topped that up already, thanks... :bleh:

Laava - I'll check...

[FJRider]

Ten bucks to a knob of goat shit, you have a bad earth somewhere.

What he said ... a symptom of not getting a good earth. Is it one or two wires to each indicator ... ???

[Tigadee]

What he said ... a symptom of not getting a good earth. Is it one or two wires to each indicator ... ???

It's two wires... I'll have a root around and see if I can find the fault.

[FJRider]

It's two wires... I'll have a root around and see if I can find the fault.


Two wires means it earths in the loom. As part of the main circuit. You can shortcut the earth line at each indicator to the chassis. Connectors often get corroded with age. Checking and cleaning them is a pain. They will still be "connected" ... but not connecting the circuit.

Have beer on hand ... it slows you down, but who cares ... :2thumbsup

[Tigadee]

273475
Mmmmmm, beer!

[Akzle]

you're selling it?!

[Tigadee]

OK, I went and bought 21W bulbs as the manual says the indicator bulb wattage should be 21W/23W. There were no 23W bulbs so I bought the 21W ones.

Guess what? They work now! The rear indicators aren't factory ones and used 10W bulbs, which worked fine till two nights ago. I bought new 10W ones to replace them but they didn't work [same as the ones that burnt out but somehow no longer work! Go figure...:blink: ].

New problem: The 21W bulbs are too big to fit into the aftermarket rear indicators... :facepalm: *sigh* Now I have to go find smaller 21W bulbs, if there are any...

[neels]

New problem: The 21W bulbs are too big to fit into the aftermarket rear indicators... :facepalm: *sigh* Now I have to go find smaller 21W bulbs, if there are any...
Good luck, I tried to find some for my DRZ after I smashed off the stupid extra indicators mounted on the hand guards :weird: and the flashing went silly, it still is so if you find some let me know where you got them.

Strange that it worked before and doesn't work now though, was my original thought that the bulbs should be 21W and that was the problem, guess all 10W bulbs aren't created equal.

Electronic flasher unit or resistors to keep it happy with the lower wattage?

[Tigadee]

Electronic flasher unit or resistors to keep it happy with the lower wattage?

I thought that works for LEDs only? Although I can see in principle how that'd work...

May be worth a try if unsuccessful in locating smaller 21W bulbs...

[neels]

I thought that works for LEDs only? Although I can see in principle how that'd work...

May be worth a try if unsuccessful in locating smaller 21W bulbs...
Not enough current draw = not enough heating of the bi-metallic strip in the flasher, whether it be lower wattage bulbs or leds, electronic ones don't care and resistors turn the extra current into heat to keep the flasher unit happy.

I'd like to find some small 21W bulbs, the flasher on the drz is part of another box so not easily replaced, and the resistor thing is a bit ugly.

[Tigadee]

Will let you know if I'm successful... :yes: