KawasakiTrax Community
Site News => Discussion & Help => Topic started by: bryan_damone on January 24, 2022, 11:28:46 AM
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Over the weekend the 1978 440 invader had the complete lighting circuit stop functioning. Process of losing the light was somewhat intermittent in that the headlight flickered on and off for about 20 seconds before completely going out. All lights (head, tail, brake, gauges) and tach have stopped. Bulbs are not blown. First check will be the resistance on the lighting coil. After that, does anyone else have experience what to trace through next.
Thanks.
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Check continuity on your engine connector. I have had multiple experiences with the pins in the connector not making contact - once just this past week. A bad connection in the engine connector sounds consistent with the experience of flickering. My sense is that if the lighting coils died it would have been a sharp stop or a gradual decline - as opposed to a bad voltage regulator which would probably have the bulbs glow bright then die.
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Thanks Mark. So the bullet connectors just become too loose to maintain good contact in the plug? I did put dielectric grease on all plugs this past summer. Maybe my good intentions caused the problem. I will have a look at the connectors.
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Thanks Mark. So the bullet connectors just become too loose to maintain good contact in the plug? I did put dielectric grease on all plugs this past summer. Maybe my good intentions caused the problem. I will have a look at the connectors.
I don't know if they wiggle out, but I do know that after 40+ years the plastic is not as "plastic" as it was when it started. I have trouble with some of the pins staying in their place when I push the plugs together. The jury is still out in my mind on dielectric grease. On things that can oxidize/rust I can see the value. For most of these older style connections my sense is that they are better dry.
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Yes these connectors are old and I have changed out more than a couple. I do use the die electric grease on some connections but it depends on what kind of environment they live in.