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What's wrong with my turn signal switch?

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by firebox40dash5, Apr 4, 2011.

  1. firebox40dash5

    firebox40dash5 Member

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    When I got my bike, the turn signal switch had an odd trait- every time the ignition was turned on, the left blinkers would only work if the right blinkers were used first. It only affects the first time, until the ignition is turned off again, and it doesn't matter if I cancel the right blinkers first or not, I just have to flip the switch right first.

    It got better over the last month or so, but the left signal was still sorta sketchy. I had to make sure I flipped the switch all the way left, and sometimes had to hold it for a second to make it work. So today I disassembled the left control and cleaned up some, and applied dielectric grease. I got it back together, and now the original problem is back as bad or worse than it was. Doesn't matter how long or how hard I hold the switch to the left the first time, I have to turn on the right blinkers first. Is there something I missed and should pay more attention to?
     
  2. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    Which XJ are you working on?

    You should take the switch apart and clean it first. It has many years of crud builb-up in there.
     
  3. firebox40dash5

    firebox40dash5 Member

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    Oops, I meant to add it to my sig, then the site crashed!

    It's an 85 XJ700.

    By cleaning, you mean taking the parts out of the housing? Because I cleaned what I could with the switch still in the housing, it looked a little too complicated to make me want to disassemble the switch.
     
  4. Metal_Bob

    Metal_Bob Active Member

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    Try some electrical contact spray cleaner at a bare minimum.

    If the handlebars under the control assembly is rusty sand it a little.
    Sand the metal contacts that touch the handle bars on the control assembly as well. You may have a bad ground.

    Do you have the original fuse panel? Spray clean that as well, check all fuses and upgrade to a modern one when you get a chance. (Take a peek at my electrical diy post in signature).
     
  5. firebox40dash5

    firebox40dash5 Member

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    I'm not sure about the ground, but I don't think this control grounds through the bar. There's a plastic insert on the bottom half that covers the bar. And the bar isn't rusty, anyway. The fuse box is original, but the XJ700 uses blade fuses and a decent fuse box (under the 'dash').

    I know where to look for constant or intermittent electrical problems. But the fact that it only happens the first time I use the switch after turning the ignition key on confuses me. It works fine, as long as I turn the right blinkers on first.
     
  6. BillB

    BillB Active Member

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    try reseating your bulbs in the signals
     

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