This past week I've been commuting and it has been 14 degrees F on my dash temp gauge.
When I activate my turn signal in that cold, nothing happens, and if I wait, then the turn signal will start flashing normally.
Also, if I hold the turn signal switch all the way to one side, the turn signal immediately works.
Is there something going on that would cause the delay? Sometimes a good 5-10 seconds can pass from the time when I activate the switch and let go, to the time when the turn signal begins flashing. It doesn't seem like an electrical issue because all signal lights work, and there is no delay if I hold the switch.
When it's warmer, the problem goes away. Never rode in these kinds of temperatures before so maybe the bike has always had this issue?
I would suspect thicker grease in the mechanism blocking the current. Or the thicker grease is just blocking the mechanism, not allowing for proper contact between parts.
If it bothered me, I would open up the handle, clean it with a degreaser (WD40?) and a toothbrush and re-grease using either less grease or a lighter one. Electrical gurus can confirm if I'm right or completely out there...
C
The indicator relay works by heat, so if its really, really cold you will experience a delay as you have described. A little sliver of metal heats up, it then flips out and allows contact so the bulb lights, then it cools half a second later and breaks contact, then repeats until you cancel the indicator. So all those heat cycles over time does wear the little bugger out.
My relay went kaput on my bike just recently, and being a tight-arse I did not want to pay the $60 that Honda Australia wanted for an OEM one, I opted for one from fleabay for $10. It too suffers from a delay if its cold.
Do a search, there have been a couple of threads about this (on 5th gens). No cure that I have read though and I have pulled my switch apart and cleaned it. From what I've read, it is always the right one. The left works as normal.
It seems I spelled it wrongly, sorry for that, English is not my first language :biggrin:
No worries, your English is way better than any other language for me...just wanting to know if it was a specific product you were talking about.
Plus, in case you haven't noticed, our own people over here, in a single generation, are not going to be able to write and speak their own language with any measure of correct grammar or spelling.
You could also use some electrical-contact-cleaning spray. However, I find these products far to expensive for what they claim to do.
And they are supposed to leave a film behind that protects the contacts.
It's my own personal experience that they don't work, they clean for a while and then it gets dirty all over.
When I was a youngster I had a model-train (Fleischmann) that had copper tracks.
I needed to clean the tracks more then the train would work, until I used Kerosene, as the stuff leaves a film too that lasts pretty well.
So I "sprayed" the turn-switch with enough of the stuff that it would dissolve all dirt and oil-like stuff....that was 3 months ago.
The temps where at that time 10~14C, today it's -3C and the turn-signal is still going strong like brand new.
Sadly, I did buy a new relay first....but it was just as bad as the fitted one.
I would suggest you take the switch off so you can see the internals of the switch, then take an injection-syringe (without a needle) and "spray" the switch full off it.
Then let it dry for a few hours, then test it, you should be good to go .... if you don't forget to mount it again....it rides a bit weird if you forget that last part :laughing6-hehe:
i recently started a thread about this same thing. i have not yet gotten up the courage to take apart the switch, but i have learned a few tricks for living with it. it seems that the more it is used the better it works (when its having a problem with delay due to cold), so i "exercise" both sides a few times before heading out. then i always try to turn them on as far ahead of time as possible, if i can do so without the danger of confusing other drivers. and finally, again when it is safe, sometimes i will just turn them on until they start flashing and then turn them off again, and this seems to make them come on more quickly when i need them soon after that.
but yes, i think the real solution is to clean the switch. im just afraid i will break something or lose some small parts.
It's just 2~3 screws to take the switch off the bar....you do not have to take it further apart.
I'm in the home right now, too cold to go outside and check.
But it's just that, it will split in halve and you can inject enough kerosene in it, then shake it out and leave it to dry for some time.
Mount the switch again and be happy.
You do not have to take the entire switch apart to a point that you need skills to assemble it again.
And no, I doubt you break anything if you are careful.
If you are really in doubt.....use and injection-needle and push it in the switch and inject enough fluid....but make sure it drains before you do anything.
This stuff can ignite!! That is why you should take it apart, to be sure all fluid is out of the switch before starting.
End of thread · 11 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 4 Jan 2014