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Indicator / Turning Signal Issue Gen 6


PlentyMech

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Hi, I've recently bought a much loved Gen 6 VFR800 here down under in Sydney and am over the moon with it bar tow little issues. When I indicate it's really odd, some of the time it works as normal other times it either does nothing or flashes for a moment and I have to do it twice and/or hold the indicator out to the left or right to see it start. The seller warned me of this and said he'd had the switch all apart and cleaned. I've checked and cleaned all the bulbs and contacts. Oddly when the bike is sitting still the problem seems almost non existent. I thought it was speed or rev related at one stage which didn't make much sense but I couldn't get that theory proved. I've STW and seen a few similar cases and mostly its switch or bulb related but does anyone think this is relay related and if so if the only way to test it is buy buying a new relay?

 

Whilst I'm here as this is my first Gen 6, I have another oddity in that when the bike is cold (its winter here at the moment but not *that cold (15C / 60F) when I start it idles at just over 2K until it warms up a bit then drops to about 1.5K (is this the wax unit at work?) anyway, when its idling at the 2K mark, if I engage first the revs jump up to 4K when sitting still with the clutch pulled in or out when on the road which is a tad concerning. It happens only a few times and then returns to normal in that it rises as few 100 when engaging first.

Any ideas what I should be looking for with this issue?

 

Thanks all for any advice.

 

PM

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi PM. Welcome to the forum, a well cared for 6gen is a great bike. You may have to post a pic or two of your ride.

 

Blinkers.

I wouldn't trust what the previous owner had said. I would try a squirt WD-40 or similar into the switch, give it a good exercise and see how you go. I would also do a continuity check of the three wires of the switch back to the 9P Black connector as you may also have a mechanical issue as you state not riding the problem seems almost non existent. Blinker don't receive any speed or rpm inputs.

You can also unplug the Flasher Unit and place a jumper wire between the Black/Brown and Gray wires. Activating the blinker switch will just turn either the Left or Right lights fully ON, handy for fault finding the wiring and switch as well as isolating a potential intermittent Flasher Unit.

 

Idle Issue.

Your warm engine Idle RPM should settle to 1200rpm, adjust this if it's not. Yes cold fast idle is done by the Wax Unit.

The increase in rpm is Honda's launch assist when releasing the clutch. This happens at the point of the clutch micro switch de-activation when releasing the clutch. 

This increase in RPM should not happen when clutch is just pulled in, only when releasing. Check your Clutch Switch operation by trying an in gear start with Sidestand UP and clutch pulled in, can you start your bike in this situation?

 

This effect is far greater with a cold engine and once fully warmed the effect should drop back to around 250rpm increase as the clutch is released.

 

You can download the Service Manual from this site if you don't already have one.

Cheers.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Grum,

 

Sorry for the delay in replying. Re the blinkers, you were 100% right and thank you immensely for suggesting I forget what I was told by the PO. I hit the switch with copious amounts of WD-40 and its perfect now. I just didn't before as the previous owner said they'd done this and more.

 

On the idle issue, I cannot start it in gear with the clutch pulled in and sidestand up so hmm. I'll test and clean the switches tomorrow but I don't think this is the issue at hand. The launch assist works as should do, it's when the bike is cold the issue occurs. The issue is that it raises the revs 2000rpm, not 250 when cold and put into first. This goes away relatively quickly once warmed. After this, it seems the expected 250rpm raise happens as expected.

 

 

 

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25 minutes ago, PlentyMech said:

 I cannot start it in gear with the clutch pulled in and sidestand up so hmm.

Important issue here. Does the bike crank over in this situation? OR it cranks but does NOT start?

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Hey all, I too recently picked up an '03, and not only had issues with the blinkers, but the starter switch, and High/Low beam as well. I don't think my bike was all that loved though in it's previous life, but that's all changed now! I took apart all the pods/switches on both sides, and did nothing more than a thorough treatment with WD-40, wiped out the excess, put it all back together ... all issues resolved! My starter switch was kinda funny, as the thing was running super hot when I first took it home( only half full of coolant has that effect!), so I was killing the motor when riding around town. I wouldn't even have to push the start button ... as soon as I moved the rocker from off to on, the starter was firing it right up!! Again ... so far, I've used a entire gallon of WD-40 in cleaning and refurbishing things!! Love that stuff!!

 

BTW ... welcome ... I'm fairly new here myself, browsed off and on ... but now I am officially in!!

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Important issue here. Does the bike crank over in this situation? OR it cranks but does NOT start?

Nothing happens bar the lights switch off whilst the starter button is pressed.


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13 hours ago, PlentyMech said:


Nothing happens bar the lights switch off whilst the starter button is pressed.


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OK, you have an issue with the Clutch Switch or its wiring. Check the switch with a meter across the switch contacts on ohms range, you should zero ohms as the switch makes, as you pull in the clutch, you should also hear an audible click as this happens.

This is probably effecting the launch assist issues you're having because the moment you put your bike in gear the system is seeing your clutch lever is released and increases the rpm. Where normally the increase would occur just as the clutch switch opens as you release the clutch lever at around the friction zone, making it less noticeable. So sort out the Clutch Switch issues first then see how the bike performs.

The lights switching OFF as you press the Starter Switch is normal.

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Bang on the money once again. The bike has trick aftermarket levers and the clutch one isn’t touching the clutch switch. I’ve built it up with some expoxy and currently waiting for it to harden to see if it does the trick.


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18 minutes ago, PlentyMech said:

Bang on the money once again. The bike has trick aftermarket levers and the clutch one isn’t touching the clutch switch. I’ve built it up with some expoxy and currently waiting for it to harden to see if it does the trick.


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Good luck with the epoxy, it's important that the switch de-activates on clutch release just as the clutch starts to take up in the friction zone.

Lets know how you get on and if it has a positive effect on your increase rpm in gear issue.

Cheers.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The clutch epoxy trick worked fine, and I've not had a repeat of the revs reaching 4K when placed in first and maybe its phycological, but I do feel pulling away is a tiny bit smoother now.  Thanks Grum for all your advice and hope it helps anyone else searching for the same issues.

 

I have one last little niggle that I'll probably post details of in a new post but since you're batting a 100% success rate I may as well mention it now.  When I start the bike from cold, it idles as normal for about 2-3 minutes then just as its starting to get bit warm I hear a rattling sound in and around the engine that’s not there before. Hard to describe but a bit like a slack chain sort of noise, not really loud but noticeable. It goes away when I pull the clutch in and returns when the clutch is let out (this is all whilst sitting still). The noise stops once the engine is fully warmed up.

 

I can't remember if it had the noise when I bought it, but this may not be related but my son (the little git) dropped the bike on its RHS when trying to move it whilst we were away. I have foam tiles in the garage so lucky the fairing is OK (but a bit pushed in looking at the clearance between the tank and fairing compared to the other side, lost the mirror as expected and the foot peg and brake pedal are pointing up a little more than the other side. As said, unlikely this is related but I think I've only noticed the sound since then but again, I’ve not had it long so can’t be 100% but if I was pushed to say, I think its started since then.

 

I know noise issues are notoriously difficult to troubleshoot over the web so I'm not expecting much but you never know, it may be a common thing.

 

Thanks again

 

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Sounds like what you're describing is the typical noise of ageing clutch components. Nothing much to worry about provided its operation is normal, no slippage etc. My 8gen possibly has a similar sound, it just sounds a little quieter with the clutch pulled in, however it's operation is completely normal.

 

CCT noise is not relative to the clutch either in or out, and appears to be most noticeable when the engine is well warmed up. At idle a definite loud tap tap noise can be heard up high around the cylinder head area, and not too difficult to tell by the noise wether it's the front or rear CCT that's playing up.

 

Glad your clutch switch epoxy mod worked, keep an eye on it, I just wouldn't trust it long term. 

 

Sad news about the bike fallover, as they say, sh@t happens! Sounds like it's easily repairable though.

Cheers.

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3 hours ago, PlentyMech said:

Grum, have PMd you the sounds to see what you think?

 

Cheers

Warm engine sound file does sound like a CCT. Can you blip the throttle, does it disappear momentarily then come back? Listen carefully at the top of each front and rear cylinder head area, is it more noticeable up at the heads and can you identify wether it's more noticeable at the front or rear cylinders?

 

Warm.m4a

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  • 2 months later...
On 8/11/2020 at 9:11 AM, PlentyMech said:

Hi Grum,

 

Sorry for the delay in replying. Re the blinkers, you were 100% right and thank you immensely for suggesting I forget what I was told by the PO. I hit the switch with copious amounts of WD-40 and its perfect now. I just didn't before as the previous owner said they'd done this and more.

 

 

 

Similarly mine did this and I too got the WD-40 out!  That only helped for a few days though.

 

Then out came the ACF-50 and that has well an truly done the trick.  I’m running in ALL weathers and now in sub 5 degree Celsius conditions and it’s holding up well.

 

👍

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3 hours ago, davethefish said:

Similarly mine did this and I too got the WD-40 out!  That only helped for a few days though.

 

Then out came the ACF-50 and that has well an truly done the trick.  I’m running in ALL weathers and now in sub 5 degree Celsius conditions and it’s holding up well.

 

👍

Thanks for the heads up on ACF-50, haven't heard of this product before. Sounds like a great product where corrosion may effect electrical contact in hard to get at areas where you may not be able to apply something like Ox-Gard.

I find CRC 2-26 is also very good as an electrical lubricant/water displacer/metal protection etc.

 

There is good reason to believe that if a switch is old and requires a spray of whatever to get it functioning, then it's most likely worth replacing the switch before too long.

Cheers.

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