TOPIC:

If it's a four pin relay you can buy one at AZ or like places. I'm using two. One for my ignition and one for my duel horns. They're fairly cheap. You can make up some pig tails to connect it.
Steve
Correction; one more for my new HID headlight.

Is this bike one of those that does not turn the headlight on until after you have hit the starter switch and turned the bike over?

I was wondering that myself.

I bought the bike this way with this headlight issue, so I haven't seen the headlight operate in its normal way.

For example, the manual will tell me if the bike has a "Reserve LIghting Unit" and if it has one, I suspect it's like Kawasaki Vulcans, they do not turn on the headlight until after the engine is running.

For this bike, I just don't have any background info.

I'd try swapping the diodes. and make sure the headlight bulb is good.

From the ZX750 junction box diagram one diode appears to be for the HL relay & the other is for the St. relay.

Headlight bulb is new.

I got the Clymer manual.

It has a 1984 Zn1100 model-specific wiring diagram.

And despite the bike's fuse/relay panel having those three silver-colored 'barrel'-looking relays -- one labeled LIGHTS, one labeled MAIN, and one labeled START -- the dang wiring diagram only shows one relay, the "Starter relay switch."

I'm going to have to partially disassemble the electricals and physically trace out the wires myself. F_ckenaye.

Finally got time today to work on the lighting issue and the relay that was making an audible buzz and was vibrating.

I think I figured out why the wiring diagram doesn't show the "LIGHTS', 'MAIN' and 'START' relays. These silver barrel-shaped relays plug into the 'junction box' as it is labeled in the wiring diagram. Here again is a photo of this 'junction box' -- I've previously been calling it the 'fuse and relay panel' - the wiring diagram is calling it a 'junction box'. I discovered that by looking at the wire colors plugged in to the back side of the panel, then tried to match the number and color of wires to the wiring diagram, and found that this fuse and relay panel is called the 'junction box':




Well notice all the fuses. Those fuses are *not* on the wiring diagram either.

I'm guessing that Kawasaki just considers the fuses and the three silver relays as part of the 'junction box' component and that's why the relays and the fuses are not shown on the wiring diagram, which is here:



FIRST, this is how I solved the mysterious 'audible buzzing' and vibrating 'LIGHTS' relay I have mentioned earlier in this thread.

I found a bad connection to the "Turn signal control unit" (left side of the wiring diagram). I unplugged that compromised, dilapidated connector. THE FREAKING TURN SIGNALS STILL WORK FINE. And so do the 'HAZARD' flashers. So that little f_cker is out of there.
I covered the connector to keep it clean and dry. I'm stumped as to what the "Turn signal control unit does" since it has no obvious effect on the turn signals or Hazard flashers. Maybe this bike came with 'self-canceling turn signals' ? Not sure.
By unplugging the bad connector to that turn signal unit, it must have removed a short in the circuit somewhere because NONE of the relays make any audible "bzzzzz' sound, nor do they vibrate any more.


THE HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING ISSUE

Here's what my multimeter told me this afternoon:

1) the "R/L" (Red and bLue) wire provides power from the junction box to the reserve lighting unit
2) and that wire does not show voltage until *after* you push the start button
3) that means that "LIGHTS" relay (on the junction box) does not switch on until AFTER the 'MAIN' silver relay is triggered by pushing the start button
4) in other words, this model is set up to NOT TURN LIGHTS ON until after the start button is pushed (I have noticed that the Kaw VN-750 Vulcan model does the same thing).

So I started the bike and found that the 12vdc *is getting to the Reserve Lighting Unit.*

Notice that the Reserve Lighting unit (left side of diagram) then pipes power down to the Dimmer switch (HI beam/Low beam switch on the left side of the handlebar. And that switch then pipes voltage to the headlight (at least when the RLU module is working).

So there is NO VOLTAGE AT ALL coming out of that Reserve Lighting Unit (RLU). It gets input voltage FINE. But never supplies power out to the Hi/Low Beam dimmer switch on the left handlebar.

I verified that the RLU's ground wire (black/yellow) is providing a good ground.

The only other wires coming out of the RLU are:
- "Lg/R" (light green/red) -- no voltage ever
- "L/Y" (bLue and Yellow) -- no voltage ever
- "L/O" (bLue and Orange) -- nada, nothing
- "R/B" (red and black) -- never any voltage

Power comes IN fine to the RLU on the R/L red/blue wire after pushing the start button. And the ground to the RLU is good. But it never spits out any voltage to the Hi/Low Beam dimmer switch.

It also explains why the "Hi Beam" lamp on the dashboard never lights up -- that lamp is powered by the RLU.
And it explains why the headlight socket never has any power.

So I do not want to replace the RLU. I want to bypass it.

Anyone see a way to do that? I need to get power to the hi/lo beam switch on the handlebar and to the 'Hi Beam" lamp on the dashboard when the high beam is on.

I made progress on the 'no headlight' issue.

Since the Kaw 1100 LTD model of 1984-85 (called the Zn1100 LTD by Kawasaki) doesn't have a lot of coverage anywhere in terms of electrical issues --I figured I'd try helping the next person with this issue by explaining what happened.

Here again is the wiring diagram for the 1984-85 Ltd 1100:


I mentioned earlier in this thread that the 'Reserve Lighting Device' (left side of the diagram in the middle) was probably the issue, since the RLU supplies 12vdc to the headlight.

So I bought a near-new Reserve Lighting Unit ("RLU") and plugged it in today.

Still no headlight.

Getting pissed, I took a short length of 12 gauge insulated single-strand copper wire and bared the two ends of it (removed the insulation from both ends of this short piece of wire).

I clipped one side of this little wire to the "+" positive lead of my voltmeter.

I then shoved the other end of the little wire right into that connector you see in the wiring diagram (on the immediate right of the RLU unit) -- I shoved it into the "R/L" pin location. ("R/L" is a red/blue wire at the connector).

I then started the bike. As soon as the engine fired, the "LIGHTS" relay on the Junction Box (see above in this thread where I discuss the Junction Box and the "LIGHTS" relay) -- as soon as the engine fired, that "LIGHTS" relay closed and sent 12vdc onto that "R/L" pin on the connector. My little wire "probe" thus showed, okay, so far so good, the RLU connector's *right side* is getting voltage to turn the headlight on right after the engine starts.

Okay, then I did the exact same thing -- but this time I stuck my 'probe wire' on the OTHER SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR into the "L" wire (blue wire) connector pin slot.

Basically I wanted to answer the question "Okay I know I see 12vdc when the bike starts up, on the right side of this connector, at the R/L wire -- is that 12vdc MAKING IT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR, to the "L" wire?"

And the answer was, "No. Even though 12vdc is seen on the "R/L" wire, that 12vdc does NOT make it across the connector to the corresponding "L" wire on the left side of that connector.

That means -- that the Reserve Lighting Unit was not seeing the 12vdc it needed to route to the headlight. It may also mean I didn't need to buy that near-new RLU unit. It may mean my original RLU unit is fine.

So I then stripped more insulation off of my probe wire and jammed it as deep as I could from the "R/L" wire, across the connector, to the "L" wire, to FORCE THOSE TWO WIRES to make contact.

Voila, the headlight came on.

The little fooking CONNECTOR was the problem.

I had done a 'visual' on that dam connector, both sides of it, and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

But there is something wrong with it. The "R/L" wire is not making contact with the "L" wire across the connector.

So I don't want to replace the harness.

But I *do* want to replace that 6-pin connector.

Any ideas on this?

Yes. Here are some places that sell various motorcycle connectors. You may find an exact replacement at one of them. Ed

www.hvccycle.com/electrical-connectors.html
www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Product...tors/connectors.html
www.cycleterminal.com/motorcycle-connectors.html

Dang, that is a blessing, thank you. I was trying to avoid using generic auto parts store connectors and pins -- the selections are fantastic.

CycleTerminal is where I got the terminal pins & connectors. The stock pins are the open barrel type, so you'll need an open barrel crimper to do proper crimps. I already had a HF ratcheting crimper but the dies were wrong, so I got the correct die set from aircraft tool supply on amazon.com. cycleterminal has crimpers & a nice terminal pin removal tool set (white handles). a generic wire stripper/crimper doesn't crimp correctly. mash crimps are an embarrassment.

Z1Enterprises.com is another place to get connectors n stuff & a good selection of colored wire.

I looked at Z1E, seems they have dropped some of their connectors. I knew I should have ordered some 3 years ago.
Steve