Zx10RE8F lights head lights not working...

[Jimhas7]

Found out last night that I'm having trouble with the lights as follows.

Side lights come on ok (2, one either side) headlight (low beam) not working, high beam not working and pass button will not trigger high beam flash. Added to that the side lights don't work in park on ignition switch. Park lights are the same lamps as the side lights strangely

I have checked the obvious, fuse, lamps are ok, volts go in to relay box ( need to double check that...!) ok so it's all pointing to the headlight relay in the relay box.

I have tested the current flow in the relays through the diodes and none are giving strange readings and all seems fine, trouble is  I'm testing with a 9volt volt meter and the volts flow correctly in one direction using this method however the manual says use a 12volt battery and test for impedance.

Any one enlighten me how to do this cause it's not clear in the manual. Page 650 to 656 I think in electrical system (16/57) am going to take it to work. And see if I can test properly but all things are pointing at the relay.

Any one got any experience with this problem that can help.

Either that or any one near Heathrow willing to let me plug their relay box in to see if it fixes it before I go buy one 

Found on the Corby Kawasaki parts fiche - Part code 270020007 RELAY-ASSY £67.30 + vat hence why I'd like to be sure before buying!

[Maddog]

Ive no idea on how to help you but i had a problem with a relay before and it turned out to be furring on the relay pins.....a quick scrape and clean and it worked again

Have you checked that the bike is charging ok?

[Jimhas7]

Ive no idea on how to help you but i had a problem with a relay before and it turned out to be furring on the relay pins.....a quick scrape and clean and it worked again

Have you checked that the bike is charging ok?

No furring visible all terminals in good condition.

The charging, something else to eliminate I guess but difficult to see why just the head lights are affected, side lights rear lights, indicators etc. all work fine but use a different part of the circuit and relay it looks like.

[ash]

Invest in some electrical contact cleaning spray from maplins and use it on all the loom connectors. This has dug me out of problems like this before.

[Carbon_ZX6R]

I had this on the 999 once turned out to be a break in the wire

[Jimhas7]

Cheers guys.

Had the break in a wire before... On an older bike I used to have. Ended up cutting the loom apart to find it and make a new joint.

Hope that's not the case here!

[Carbon_ZX6R]

Well cost wise could be alot worse if it isn't

[Martin#30]

I had this on my 1400GTR recently. For reasons I do not truly understand, the bike has individual headlight and main beam relays under the fuel tank, but they are fed in turn by a multiple relay box under the seat. On my bike, the under seat relay box had been fried by a failing voltage regulator.

The workshop manual for my bike described how to test the relay box, which was very simple in practice, but you needed to know all the relay pin locations accurately. What you are testing is that the switched side of each relay goes from open (infinite resistance) to closed (effectively no resistance) when you energise each relay using 12V across the magnet.

You really need the wiring diagram, and a multimeter unless you fancy taking a punt on a new relay box. Please do note my comment about charging voltage though, I would hate for you to replace the relay box then blow the new one fairly shortly after.

Martin.

[Jimhas7]

I had this on my 1400GTR recently. For reasons I do not truly understand, the bike has individual headlight and main beam relays under the fuel tank, but they are fed in turn by a multiple relay box under the seat. On my bike, the under seat relay box had been fried by a failing voltage regulator.

The workshop manual for my bike described how to test the relay box, which was very simple in practice, but you needed to know all the relay pin locations accurately. What you are testing is that the switched side of each relay goes from open (infinite resistance) to closed (effectively no resistance) when you energise each relay using 12V across the magnet.

You really need the wiring diagram, and a multimeter unless you fancy taking a punt on a new relay box. Please do note my comment about charging voltage though, I would hate for you to replace the relay box then blow the new one fairly shortly after.

Martin.

Cheers Martin.

Tested the relay box today and it's 100% working properly.

Using the wiring diagrams I have worked out my next plans of elimination.

Check bulbs with 12v to ensur I am not overlooking a simple fact it could be the two bulbs.

This is unlikely the case as the parking lights don't work (city lights in the manual) in park mode. This points me to the ignition switch to eliminate first, then il head for the rectifier/regulator to see if it is putting out the correct voltage.

Other than that I will read up further to see if there are any more relays under the tank to consider, but the wiring diagram doesn't show any tbh.

Will keep everyone posted as it may (when eventually solved!!) help some one else one day with a similar problem.

On the plus side everything else works fine just no lo/hi beam or parking light 

Oh... And this may take a while as trying to fit it round work and family stuff... 

[Carbon_ZX6R]

I did think you was a prat and it was just a bulb until you mentioned the parking light, its such a pain when you have to fault find like this

[Jimhas7]

I did think you was a prat and it was just a bulb until you mentioned the parking light, its such a pain when you have to fault find like this

Don't beat about the bush just tell me it as it is I can take it 

[Carbon_ZX6R]

I did think you was a prat and it was just a bulb until you mentioned the parking light, its such a pain when you have to fault find like this

Don't beat about the bush just tell me it as it is I can take it 

I would have done if I hadn't noticed the side light 

[Jimhas7]

I did think you was a prat and it was just a bulb until you mentioned the parking light, its such a pain when you have to fault find like this

Don't beat about the bush just tell me it as it is I can take it 

I would have done if I hadn't noticed the side light 

Did I mention I'd already (continuity tester) tested the lamps 

Have made a 12volt test rig so will be able to put 12volts on em and make sure they actually illuminate, continuity doesn't always tell the truth... 

[Jimhas7]

Well had a tinker this evening, cleaned up a few connector blocks and hey presto all working again, happy days 


Time for some 

[Carbon_ZX6R]

had a funny feeling it might do