The Hodaka Club Forum

From what I remember I should run the bike with the headlamp switch on the position that runs the headlamp only with the engine running. It seems when I do this, all my lights work well, except the turn signals are weak. It seems they come and go in their brightness. Is this coming from the battery or the lighting coil? I was thinking this because all my other lights work fine (tail light too), just the signals dont.

Do you mean that you see variations in brightness when sitting idling and the turn signal is turned on? If so, I think that may be normal. The magneto lighting coil output is not real high at idle . . . so having yet another bulb turning on and off may cause brightness variations on the head and tail light.

If that is not what you are seeing, the FIRST suspect is ALWAYS the connectors. Loose, corroded, damaged connectors are a VERY common cause of electrical problems.

Ed

Amamda
The switch should be left in the AC position for normal use. When you turn it to the DC position, all of lights on the Wombat are turned on when the main switch is on the day position whether the engine is running or not. That puts a large load on the battery. Leave it in the AC position and use the main switch in the second spot to use your headlights. Also check your contacts like Ed said and also your flasher maybe going bad. My wombats turn signals work a little slow at idle but not bad. There are flashers on Ebay I sell listed under Hodaka flasher.
Thanks
MTRob

Bullfrog wrote:Do you mean that you see variations in brightness when sitting idling and the turn signal is turned on? If so, I think that may be normal. The magneto lighting coil output is not real high at idle . . . so having yet another bulb turning on and off may cause brightness variations on the head and tail light.

If that is not what you are seeing, the FIRST suspect is ALWAYS the connectors. Loose, corroded, damaged connectors are a VERY common cause of electrical problems.

Ed

On my 250SL the turn signals flash at a nearly strobe-like rate when the revs are up. Naturally they flash at a slow to normal rate at idle. When the brake light is on the signals stay lit, but don't flash at all.

The brightness seems to stay constant, however, the main symptom is the tempo of the flash. Battery is good. Is the problem likely with the flasher, or rectifier?

Sounds to me like the voltage regulator isn't regulating voltage.

Ed

Bullfrog wrote:Sounds to me like the voltage regulator isn't regulating voltage.

Ed

Thanks Ed, I was hoping somebody would say it was the rectifier - because I already have a spare one of those sitting around on standby.

Anyway,can the regulator be opened up to mess with the contacts, or is it a sealed black-box throwaway part?

Solid state, black box.

Ed

If you have a extra flasher laying around try that. Could be an easy fix.
MTRob

Flashing again now - with brake light on at idle.

The flasher relay terminals were pretty oxidized, so I shined them up with a point file and used some dielectric grease. I thought that I had cleaned every little on this bike when I rebuilt it, but it looks like I missed this bit. I guess there was just enough resistance to stall the flasher out.