I have the FSM and FPM and am trying to replace a newer style brake light switch with the period correct one that bolts to the back of the primary case cover.

the FSM wiring diagram for XLH shows a 4 post switch and I have a newer 3 post switch; labelled: "B" "B1" and "L".

on the diagram, it shows Green wire coming from the tail light to the switch post #4 (all alone there on #4)

my question is, what other post can I attach it to? it seems like all the other posts cause smoke to rise from my regulator to ignition switch post #1 wire when connected and turned on; but only when turned on

the 2 wires from the tail light switch (Red) go to tail light and to coil; the coil connects to another red wire that goes to ignition switch post #2 (in my case B1)(along with the headlamp wires).

"B" on the switch has the Red wire that goes to the Regulator B+ connection which then goes to the Battery +.

any ideas as to where the green wire from the tail lamp should connect to on a 3 post versus a 4 post given the '66 diagram?

thanks

 

I am looking in 99484-69, FSM for 59 to 69, page 5B-42 - wire diagram for XLH 1965-66. The brake light switch has a red wire goin in from the ignition coil and the ignition key switch, and going out to the tail lamp. The tail lamp also receives a green wire from the ignition key switch.
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OK now i see; you are talking about the ignition key switch.
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The wire to the stop light switch just has to be one that has power whenever the ignition switch is on. Either B1 or L should work.

B should be hot [12 volts] even with the ignition key turned off and removed, so it should not be used for anything other than 12 volts in from the battery. I expect that B1 is hot at the first key position and both B1 and L are hot at the second key click. You could test these with your multimeter.

I would hook up so that the headlite comes on only at the second key click [L] so that it is not draining power while you are starting the engine.

In the FSM diagram the headlite is getting power from the #3 terminal, the brake lite from the #4, and the tail light #2,

There are no circuit breakers [as in fuses, not the ignition circuit breaker] in there? A serious fire hazzard!

The ignition circuit breaker and any other electrics needed to keep the engine running should be separate from the lights circuits so that the engine does not shut down when there is a short circuit in a lights circuit.

 

thanks for the reply.

I have tried both B1 and L and get the same result; smoke coming from the red wire that goes to the coil from the ignition switch when turned on to either the first or second

I am going out to the garage to switch the headlight wires from B1 to L and just leave the brake light switch on B1 by itself and see if that changes anything.

I figure the headlight wires from #2 in the FSM ignition switch could join #3 speedo wire

will report back in 20 minutes or so

I rewired the bike 2 years ago and have had no problems since then; until now as I try to put the last remaining item back to stock! argh

the alternative is to find a hen's tooth of a 4 post switch

 

sorry to leave you all hanging! I know I said I would be back in 20 minutes, but the wife came home and I had to go get the daughter from ballet.

anyway, it was not where the ignition switch hooked up to after all. I kept thinking it should be simpler than that since all I had done was remove the old brake light switch and was installing the older '66 style switch and followed the wiring diagram to a "T"

on a hunch, I removed the switch from the rear of the primary cover and took a close look at it; turns out that in tightening the connections, the plastic insulator disk revolved slightly and the connection screw and housing was coming in to contact with the metal tabs that hold it all together; thus electrifying the entire harness once the key was turned on!

now i just have to cut small pieces of shrink tubing to covers the ends of the wires where the cloth and plastic insulation was receding due to overheating and I am done

thanks for letting me think this through aloud - you know what I mean.

 

I had to go get the daughter from ballet




he said ballet on an IronHead Forum!!!

 

He should have lied, and said picking her up from kickboxing.

 

hahahahaha

ya, that's better.

hahahahaha

 

yes, BUT I did say DAUGHTER, not SON like one of the fathers there

and I know they say it makes for better hockey players; so when my daughter is in the NHL, who will be laughing then?

 

Ownership of old IronHeads takes a different breed of individual. Welcome to the club.

 

Ya. So why is it we are all a glutten for punishment? You'd think we'd learn.......