Electrical issues...help!

[trichard310]

I have a 81 cb650c and the electrical was doing some weird stuff. To make a long story short, I found an exposed/cut wire in the headlight housing that was shorting out on the housing and causing spark. Its a red wire coming from the connector for the ignition. Along with the exposed red wire, their is also a black wire exposed/cut. Coved the wires up but the damage was done. Now, I don't know how to trouble shoot the problem. Everything is getting power, seems to be grounded good.

Front:
no head light (was working originally until spark in housing during removal)
no running lights (illuminate solid when blinker switch on)
no blinkers (illuminate solid when blinker switch on)
no cluster lights (except turn indicators, turn off when blinker switched on)
tach/speed DO illuminate
horn works

Rear:
no brake light (tail light works, just not the brake)
no blinkers (stay on all the time, except when the blinker switch is on, then they turn off on the side I use)

[Folsoml]

Have you checked the fuses? The blinker will usually act like this when the circuit is not complete. Check for a blown bulb or dirty connection some where.

[trichard310]

All fuses are good. Head light bulb blew when the red wire sparked. All other bulbs are good. All connections cleaned when I removed the harness from the bike. Everything "looks" good.

[my79650]

You pulled the frame wire harness right? What about checking the upper sets going to handlebar switches and to the key side of the ignition. Sounds like a PO did something or the wire in the bucket got pinched then over time with the turning of the handlebars it pulled it apart enough to let it ground out.
Do you have a copy of the wire diagram? would help to trace the red wire. Just throwing ideas out for you.

[trichard310]

Here's the culprit. I took the bike down to frame and sandblaster/painted everything. Every connection on the bike has be checked, and re checked. Ill go over the diagram, but it looks real confusing to me. I don't know what else is left, short of cutting open the harness.

[Folsoml]

Here's the culprit. I took the bike down to frame and sandblaster/painted everything. Every connection on the bike has be checked, and re checked. Ill go over the diagram, but it looks real confusing to me. I don't know what else is left, short of cutting open the harness.

Did all this start after you painted? Check where your ground wires connect to the frame. Make sure they are all getting good contact. Check the ground wire inside the headlight bucket.

[trichard310]

Here's the culprit. I took the bike down to frame and sandblaster/painted everything. Every connection on the bike has be checked, and re checked. Ill go over the diagram, but it looks real confusing to me. I don't know what else is left, short of cutting open the harness.

Did all this start after you painted? Check where your ground wires connect to the frame. Make sure they are all getting good contact. Check the ground wire inside the headlight bucket.

Yes, after painting. I checked the frame grounds and they seem good. I don't remember seeing a ground in the head light bucket????

[Folsoml]

I don't remember seeing a ground in the head light bucket????

We may be on to something here. There is a green wire with a female end on it that should attach to a male connector that is on the inside of the headlight bucket.

[trichard310]

Well okay then. These are the only wires that don't seem to go to anything, besides the mistery red and black wires on the ignition connection. Any chance you have a photo or could elaborate further. Everything worked on the bike before, and Im 100% sure I didn't loose anything?!?!? Thanks for the replies, really appreciate it.

[Folsoml]

Your picture is too small for me to see, but you should have two greens, a brown, and a black left over after everything is plugged in. It looks like you have an extra green. Another thread suggested that the green ground wire should attach to one of the bolts mounting the bucket.

[trichard310]

Man, I thought u had it but, its a no go. Hooked up the extra green wire and nothing.

[Folsoml]

The red and black wires that were cut, did you get them reconnected?

[trichard310]

I have no clue where they go. They are coming from the back of the connection from the key ignition harness. The red wire is obviously hot. They are both cut clean, like they never went anywhere.

[Folsoml]

What other wires do you have coming out of that plug? Are there also red and black wires that go somewhere, and the cut ones are just extra?

[trichard310]

Yes. I goes like this

Top: Black -Red - Brown
Bottom: Brown-none- Brown/white

Red/black spares are in the connection coming from the ignition switch(key) on the top, connected to those red/black wires. I replaced the head light bulb and it works fine. also, tinkered around the ignition switch (key hole) and now everything in the cluster is working. Still no running/blinkers in the front and the rear has nothing now.