/6 turn indicator on dim all the time? what the heck? help please!

So I fired up the old slash 6 today.
The turn signal indicator light is stuck on dim with the turn signal switch in the off position. Neither left nor right.

I do know the with a burned bulb, it won't flash but stays steady when you select the burned out side.

But this is different. Its on dim with only the key on. Then flashes bright normally with the selection of a turn.

Has anyone seen this happen?
Help will be greatly appreciated.
Battery is in good condition, and its charging fine and the gen light is extinguishing with revs, and illuminating upon key on selection.

Help please! Could a back light have instrument light slipped loose or something?
It did seem like the instrument light comes on in The parking position and in The headlight position. my turn indicator stays on dim in Every position. Instrument light is off I. The day position though, so it couldn't be that bulb....hmmmm

1. Sounds like the relay is working correctly and sending the "flashing" power to the indicator bulb (black/white wire from the relay to the bulb); but I wonder if the relay might continue to send a "weak" power conncetion to the bulb? Do you have another relay that you can use for testing purposes? (I have an extra.)
2. Take apart your instrument cluster and check/clean all the connections, bulbs, and circuits. It could be that the indicator bulb is getting "weak" power connection from another bulb's circuit.

Here is a schematic of the instrument cluster --- http://www.p-thomas.com/shared/BMW/74 R90 Pod.pdf .

Check your black/white wire from the relay to the instrument cluster. Could it be that it is getting postitive power from somewhere? Check/clean the wiring harness pin connectors at the instrument pod. I have another link to a wiring harness schematic. Send it later.

I think it's a bad relay, or possibly some crossed wiring. Could be a problem with the bulb holder in the instrument cluster.



Be very careful with the tiny parts, do not over tighten the tiny screws, most of these parts are not available.

Probably a bad connection, a cross-connection or a bad ground somewhere in the turn signal wiring. Grab a schematic and start tracing.

--Bill

I agree with, Bill....Probably a bad or dirty ground.
Good luck.
​

schematic --- http://www.p-thomas.com/shared/BMW/74 R90 Wiring.pdf

How does a "bad or dirty ground" cause a light to turn ON? Could it be that cross-connection giving positive (+) power to the bulb is causing the bulb to turn ON? The turn signal circuits are fairly straightforward (for a BMW); study the wiring diagrams and decipher the problem.

It's called a "ghost or phantom light". Other lights or devices try find a ground by discharging "backwards" through a bulb with the good ground.

--Bill

I have no idea conceptually how a bulb accidentally turns on!
I'm already stumped.
There has to be a voltage leak into that circuit somewhere!
Maybe the switch, had the headlight dimming side apart before, that was a MESS!

I did have to crank longer than usual since cell it was so cold today.
I wonder if I could have overheated the inside of the switch itself with current,
Or I was pressing the starter button too hard and smeared a connector somehow?

I'll keep you guys posted when I find it. I was just wondering if this had happened to anyone else.
I do have another relay from a g/s but its 7years newer. I'll have to see if they're the same.

Thanks
Jason

Oh no. Ghost light and phantom light both sound super hard to track down.
Only a Sasquatch light would be harder to find!!

Just the name alone implies great difficulty. I have to find something else grounding I to my tmake rnlightbulb.

I know it seems odd, but before you chase wires all over the bike looking for a bad connection, clean and check (using an ohm meter) your grounds. Grounds are the often ignored item that contributes exactly 50% to each and every electrical connection on your bike. You can also check if it's the relay by installing a 3-prong standard relay in it's place. Wiring it in is easy. Look under the 'tips and tricks' section for the schematic. Good luck!

If your bike is a 74, the front indicators did not have ground wires, worth adding if your bike lacks these.

Generally time spent cleaning up all the connections on an airhead is time well spent, especially the thick red wires at the starter relay. 50% of all airhead electrical problems are due to corrosion on these connectors

Hive you replaced the under the tank MC with a handlebar one recently?

Trick question! The 60/6 has cable brake. No. I haven't messed with it recently, its been 10 years since I replaced those handle bar switches.

Thick red starter relay wires cleaned. All starter relay connections cleaned. They were pretty cursty!
Cleaned the indicator relay connections. Clean as can be.

Assuming you still have the dim glow issue, allow me to suggest that pretty much everyone above is correct: poor connection to ground/power.

Now that you've burnished the starter relay reds (good idea), I'd do the following if it were my /6:

1. Clean the tip ends of the two 8 amp fuses in the headlamp bucket, the fuse holders, and reinstall the fuses; and
2. Remove the big black plug from the instrument cluster. Slightly pinch females #1 (power to signal indicator), 7 (ground) and 12 (instrument lights) in the plug to make them just slightly oval, improving the connections. Reinstall the plug.

Test and report back.

Still looking huh?

I have a different theory or source for your problem. The problem is the Yellow indicator for turn signals glows when the bike is running. The theories so far all invole the bulb for the turn signal being the source for this light energy, Photons. What if the Photons are coming from someplace else? And BTW, I'm being serious.

There is a gasket, piece of foam rubber, that isolates the individual bulb sockets from each other. It is #15 in the picture;



It is part #62 11 1 356 669. It was still available last time I looked and was never expensive, like 3 or 4 dollars.

My theory is the light is bleeding thru a tear or other deformity of the gasket from the instrument dial face lights or some other source. It has been known to happen. But is probably not as common as the bad wiring theories already covered.

BTW, I forget which model/year motorcycle you have. I'm not sure but think this part may be in all Airheads except /5. But you might check part # if you are looking at this for a different year than my bike, 1975.

Charlie-
I think Helena Blavatsky was into the photon leakage theory too. Google her sometime.

I'm giving up on smart women. I always get this type. I think they think I'm smart but then when they find out I'm just another jerk like all the rest of the guys they know they leave me. No more smart women. Only real dummies from now on.