Cooked Headlamp Harness

[creggur]

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What was that about where some were saying that only the headlamp bulb plugs were the problem, and that the rest of the headlight sub-harness was more than adequate?

The more this problem keeps rearing its troublesome little head the more I believe Jim Davis at Eastern Beaver was entirely accurate and correct in his assertion that the entire headlamp harness - that's plugs, wiring, insulation, etc. et al - from where it plugs into the main harness all the way to the headlamp bulbs, high-beam solenoid shutter triggers, and marker lamp sockets, is all very much *on-the-edge* for the current it handles...

And that the base of the problem *STARTS* with the small plug - and tiny connector pins inside that plug - where the headlamp sub-harness plugs into the main wiring harness. Yes, the entire sub-harness is subject, but the problem starts at that plug.

Just my two centavos... OMMV.

Dallara





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But we'll probably never get a fix from Yamaha if few people ever take the bike to the dealer for repair. Warranty claims are the only means for them to track problems, and if we fix it ourselves Yamaha simply won't bother.

 

[Dallara]

But we'll probably never get a fix from Yamaha if few people ever take the bike to the dealer for repair. Warranty claims are the only means for them to track problems, and if we fix it ourselves Yamaha simply won't bother.

Just for the record, Creggur...

I took my bike to the dealer when my harness cooked off. Dealer contacted Yamaha. Warranty claim was filed. I spoke to more than one Yamaha "Customer Representatives" on the phone, at length, and multiple pictures were sent to Yamaha detailing and illustrating the issue. All of my contacts with Yamaha were well documented by myself and my dealer, and everything is filed away...

*AND* I started a thread here that's had over 16.500 views and over 400 replies...

I'm trying to do what I can!

Dallara




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[jajpko]

In my opinion the real problem is the head light harness, and not the eyelid solenoids. If you remove the headlights from the circuit, the others are quite happy. When mine got hot and burned the headlight connectors the others showed no signs of over heating.

But the entire harness does need to be replace with better connectors and heavier gauge wire. ymmv

 

[creggur]

Just for the record, Creggur...

I took my bike to the dealer when my harness cooked off. Dealer contacted Yamaha. Warranty claim was filed. I spoke to more than one Yamaha "Customer Representatives" on the phone, at length, and multiple pictures were sent to Yamaha detailing and illustrating the issue. All of my contacts with Yamaha were well documented by myself and my dealer, and everything is filed away...

*AND* I started a thread here that's had over 16.500 views and over 400 replies...

I'm trying to do what I can!

Dallara




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I know, Dallara - my statement was more for those who may not know how the system works... If/when mine cooks off I will do the same (except the whole thread starting thing because that would be redundant) ::025::

 

[mcbrien]

Yamaha requested my dealer to send back the bad parts . Dealer says
they only do that when there working on a fix. He says I guess I'll
be putting a nother one one when the recall goes out

 

[sail2xxs]

Thanks Chris. I long ago turned that rubber boot around to face the direction I thought it should, open end to the rear of the bike. It's a little work to get the wires out one by one and back in, but not impossible by any means. It does have a small drain hole in the closed end of the boot, but I left that alone.

I'll peek at those connectors next time I'm in there. I've got some ceramic H7 connectors, but have been putting off doing anything with them since I haven't had any issues as yet at 34k.

I didn't turn the rubber boot around like you did, but it was totally taped closed, which probably had a similar effect. When the replacement harness comes in, we might tinker with things a bit to further reduce the amount of water intrusion - I think I may spend a little more time in the rain than you do!!

Chris

 

[EricV]

I think I may spend a little more time in the rain than you do.


Chris

I think you're right, but I do get out some.;-)

 

[3putt]

I'm impressed that EricV turned that big boot around! I just looked at it and thought, hmmm, that thing is facing the wrong way ain't it? In the same tone as Jeff Foxworthy talking about his uncle putting MALE on the mailbox.

 

[Tremor38]

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What was that about where some were saying that only the headlamp bulb plugs were the problem, and that the rest of the headlight sub-harness was more than adequate?

The more this problem keeps rearing its troublesome little head the more I believe Jim Davis at Eastern Beaver was entirely accurate and correct in his assertion that the entire headlamp harness - that's plugs, wiring, insulation, etc. et al - from where it plugs into the main harness all the way to the headlamp bulbs, high-beam solenoid shutter triggers, and marker lamp sockets, is all very much *on-the-edge* for the current it handles...

And that the base of the problem *STARTS* with the small plug - and tiny connector pins inside that plug - where the headlamp sub-harness plugs into the main wiring harness. Yes, the entire sub-harness is subject, but the problem starts at that plug.

Just my two centavos... OMMV.

Dallara





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The wires appear to be on the ragged edge, size wise, for sure. That said, the points of failure so far have been at the connectors or from heat conducted from the connectors to the wires. Same principle as holding a soldering iron to a wire for an extended time. Whether it be the connection at the bulbs or from mosture intrusion progressing to corrosion at the connector at the other end, Yamaha needs to examine the connector issue very closely. And once they've come up with a solution for that, beefing up the wiring wouldn't hurt either. 8)

 

[pqsqac]

This is slightly OT but headlight related, do you guys notice your headlight beams bouncing at night while riding up to road signs? Are they rubber mounted for off road shock absorption or do I have an issue?

 

[nwrider]

Apparently, Yamaha didn't learn from their mistake with the FJR's electrical grounds. They finally issued a recall after many failures. So, I'm a bit dismayed to hear of the problems with the Tenere -- I just recently bought mine and will be checking to make sure I don't have similar issues.

 

[sail2xxs]

I think you're right, but I do get out some.;-)

I know. Actually, from reading your posts, you get out a fair bit! Wish I had the time (and that my life was predictable enough) to do rallies!! The closest I get is an IBA ride every now and then.... speaking of which, they just cashed my check for the SS1k/BB1500 I did in May.... only took me until August to submit the paperwork!

Chris

 

[EricV]

I know. Actually, from reading your posts, you get out a fair bit! Wish I had the time (and that my life was predictable enough) to do rallies!! The closest I get is an IBA ride every now and then.... speaking of which, they just cashed my check for the SS1k/BB1500 I did in May.... only took me until August to submit the paperwork!

Chris

Congrats on the cert(s). Always a nice feeling when you see they cashed the check.

Back to the wiring, it's sort of an odd issue. Certainly not a active problem for 100% of the bikes out there, but it remains to be seen if it's one of those issues that will happen eventually, for most or all bikes. At 34k, I'm sort of waiting for the thing to fail. But I have some ceramic connectors and have been considering making up a second harness from scratch so that if it does fail, I can simply replace it and submit the cooked one to Yamaha for replacement/examination.

Along those lines, I supposed I would be better in planning to replace the main connector from the sub harness to the main as well. That means a bit more research for me. It would be nice if Eastern Beaver simply sold a replacement harness with a beefier main connector too.

 

[Dallara]

Congrats on the cert(s). Always a nice feeling when you see they cashed the check.

Back to the wiring, it's sort of an odd issue. Certainly not a active problem for 100% of the bikes out there, but it remains to be seen if it's one of those issues that will happen eventually, for most or all bikes. At 34k, I'm sort of waiting for the thing to fail. But I have some ceramic connectors and have been considering making up a second harness from scratch so that if it does fail, I can simply replace it and submit the cooked one to Yamaha for replacement/examination.

Along those lines, I supposed I would be better in planning to replace the main connector from the sub harness to the main as well. That means a bit more research for me. It would be nice if Eastern Beaver simply sold a replacement harness with a beefier main connector too.

In posted reply # 111 in this thread I posted some pictures of the various plugs Jim Davis from Eastern Beaver recommended in our e-mail correspondence as candidates for the ones to replace the plug/connector between the headlamp sub harness and the main wiring harness.

Just FYI...

Dallara



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[ErnsTT]

Okay you may help your friendly dealer to some cash in his attick, but in fact it doesn't have to cost any mony to cure this problem.

And for all people don't think you'll go look when flickering strats strik pre-emptively with you swiss army file
Make the connector look like this and its fixed no costs involved, don't forget the vaseline though, thats essential corrosion preventing agent spray them and your wiringlooms stand decades of saltsprayed Winters.

Or just ditch the plastic cover keeping the connectors from making sufficient contact, and just pinch the brass "B"'s a little after removing the allready manifested corrosional debris, so its a sound electrical fixture.
Actually there no need to cut wires or insulating without any plastic or crimpingtube, the cramepd connectors can shed their warmth more easy, but beware of changing lamps with the contact on though... >

The mentioned other connectors getting buggy after these bulb connectors have been fried in the first place is just logical, on the moment the lamp goes intermittendly on-off it causes spikes of current toasting the connectors downstream, just take your gardenhose, and fold it while spraying yur garden, if the connector at the fawcet isn't sturdy it will just pop off on the spike you induce by verry suddenly stop the flow of water... Electrons are flowing through the wires (not) quite like watermolecules.

Very often it blows small wattage lamps when a ground terminal of your exosed backlight holder of the original XT500 corrodes away, kept me searching quite a while in 1979, why my rear lights kept popping within a month...

So strike pre-emptively with a file to prevent upstream broiling...


P.S. if you live near the sea, de salty Ocean Eleven spray is as agressive btw.

 

[mcbrien]

I thought you were right until my spade connectors also fried while
waiting for new harness .

 

[snuffcityrider]

Okay you may help your friendly dealer to some cash in his attick, but in fact it doesn't have to cost any mony to cure this problem.

And for all people don't think you'll go look when flickering strats strik pre-emptively with you swiss army file
Make the connector look like this and its fixed no costs involved, don't forget the vaseline though, thats essential corrosion preventing agent spray them and your wiringlooms stand decades of saltsprayed Winters.

Or just ditch the plastic cover keeping the connectors from making sufficient contact, and just pinch the brass "B"'s a little after removing the allready manifested corrosional debris, so its a sound electrical fixture.
Actually there no need to cut wires or insulating without any plastic or crimpingtube, the cramepd connectors can shed their warmth more easy, but beware of changing lamps with the contact on though... >

The mentioned other connectors getting buggy after these bulb connectors have been fried in the first place is just logical, on the moment the lamp goes intermittendly on-off it causes spikes of current toasting the connectors downstream, just take your gardenhose, and fold it while spraying yur garden, if the connector at the fawcet isn't sturdy it will just pop off on the spike you induce by verry suddenly stop the flow of water... Electrons are flowing through the wires (not) quite like watermolecules.

Very often it blows small wattage lamps when a ground terminal of your exosed backlight holder of the original XT500 corrodes away, kept me searching quite a while in 1979, why my rear lights kept popping within a month...

So strike pre-emptively with a file to prevent upstream broiling...


P.S. if you live near the sea, de salty Ocean Eleven spray is as agressive btw.

Are you filing down the plastic ridge between the "B's"? It's hard to tell from the picture. Thanks.

 

[Combo]

I did the same mod and filed away the extra insulation on the connectors down to the prongs and installed grease to the connections. About year now without a problem. Before I did this I would run the bike for a while without the caps and fee the connectors for heat and one side was way more hot than the other.
After the mod both are normal. I have checked from time to time since when I think about it and both are normal temp.

I do feel this is only a connection thing over a under sized wire thing, otherwise our wiring would toast by the time we got it home from the dealer.

 

[ErnsTT]

I do feel this is only a connection thing over a under sized wire thing, otherwise our wiring would toast by the time we got it home from the dealer.

Exactly, ive been running Rally lamps on the same gauge (100+60W)

 

[ErnsTT]

I thought you were right until my spade connectors also fried while
waiting for new harness .

As described one should remove also any corrosion from the first frying process, and beware only Iron lead and mercury have a reddish oxide, lots of other metals have a whitish oxide verry which is hard to see, notably alumimium zink nickeletc, a thin layer of it works as an corrosion inhibitor of the base metal, but when it hets "cooked" it will become a nasty resistor, and as you know a resistor translates electrical energy into warmth (infrared radiation)...

It is really important to first get rid of any oxidisation, and beware the Brass Spades lying around in a shop for ages can also have a nice layer of buildup on them, an ever so slight greenish misting, which can grow to vertdegris in damp and a bit salty enviroment...
Toget rid of corrosion which is hard to see dont use emery paper or so, then the little galvanic layer protects the layer of baemetal from corroding full scale, so use a little contactcleaner, but beware not to forget to apply vaseline or ather coating on the now completely unshielded top layer, because contact cleaner works like clearasil zit production is increased...
Call me over protective, but all my connectors in my dirty old connector letterbak are soaked into vaseline before i put them in their waitingchamber