QuestionI have a 82 GL1100 in rapid city SD. The bike has 42000 original miles. Today the left turn indicator light started to flicker after about 75 miles it came on solid I also started to hear some sort of gear spinning sound from the front as the speedo began to jump iradically. Is this all related or just two different issues that came to light at one time? Is the turn indicator an actuall trouble indicator.
AnswerIt sounds like two completely different issues to me. There is no connection between the speedometer and the turn signals.
Noise &/or an eratically moving needle is a fairly common problem with 26 year old speedometers. Sometimes you can fix it by lubricating the speedometer cable and applying light oil to the part of the speedo where the cable connects. Sometimes removing the inner cable and grinding 1/8" off of the end that goes into the speedo can fix it (but I'm not entirely sure whether it's shortening the cable or cleaning & lubricating it when you put it back together that helps).
Sometimes even disassembling the speedometer, cleaning everything and relubricating it won't fix it and you have to replace the offending instrument. Both the speedo & the tach on my winter machine squeal loudly and jump around when it is damp or the temps drop below -15c (5f). I have bought a set from a different Honda that are in much better condition and will build a new dash with them before it goes back on the road in the fall.
You didn't say whether your turn signals still work or what the right one was doing while the left was flickering. If this doesn't help you can add that info and I will give it another try.
Firstly, do know that the front signals are also running lights? You might be surprised at how many people don't. They have the same dual filament type 1157 bulbs that are used in the tail/brake light. The lower power filaments are on normally and the when you switch a turn signal on the low filament in that bulb is turned off and the high power filament flashes.
Is it possible that the running light filament wasn't lit but has started working now? If so, the left signal will flash when you turn it on.
If that isn't what's going on and the right signal isn't affected, the problem must be in the turn signal switch or the wiring between it and the left signals.
In any case, I would recommend cleaning all of the contacts in the turn signal circuit, front & rear, left & right, including the ground connections and the bulb sockets with contact cleaner and examining the bulbs closely (check them with an ohm meter or continuity checker if possible). It might not solve your problem but it won't take long and could prevent other problems in the future.
If you don't already have contact cleaner in your shop you should get some. Contact cleaner is your friend. It will fix more electrical problems than your buddy who is really into wiring. ;-{)
Note: You need to get real contact cleaner. WD40 is a fine product and has many uses, but it is not real contact cleaner. It leaves a sticky residue that will attract dust and you will have dirty contacts again before you know it.
You can usually clean your switches without taking anything apart. If you look at the bottoms of your switch clusters you will see that there are small holes, just the right size to accept the straw from the contact cleaner and located so that it will spray right onto the contacts.
Just spray the contact cleaner into the hole and work the switch or button vigorously several times, then turn on the key & try it. You might need to repeat the process several times before it works properly.
If you can't get it working after 3 or 4 tries you will need to take it apart.
If you find broken parts you will need to make a trip to the wreckers.
If there is just too much dirt & hardened grease in there for the contact cleaner to wash out you will need to clean it manually. Use an old toothbrush & more contact cleaner.
DO NOT use sandpaper - particles of the grit will become imbedded into the contact's surface and cause all kinds of problems.
If a contact is pitted you can dress it with a POINTS FILE. DO NOT use a regular file. POINTS FILES are designed for dressing ignition points and have the their teeth cut at the proper angle &c so that they will leave a very smooth surface.
There should be a schematic in your shop manual. If you don't have a shop manual you should get one - your bike is an antique and you will have a hard time finding a shop that will work on it. The sad fact is that a lot of the mechanics working now are too young to remember bikes this old and aren't interested in learning about them so that they can do a proper job. This means that you will have to do most of your own work, and working on a bike without a good shop manual is just not worth the headaches. (My bikes are from the same era - that's why I fix them myself.)
I recommend that you get two manuals - a Factory Shop Manual and a Haynes or Clymer. That way when you don't understand the explanation in one you will probably figure it out when you have read the other too. You can download a manual and a colour schematic for your 'Wing from http://goldwing.soylentgeek.com/
The colour schematic should help you figure out which wires you need to look at.
