Motorcycle Repair: Magna turn signal problem, v45 magna, hanging drywall

Question
Hi,
I just bought a 1982 v45 magna about a month ago.I am having trouble with sporadic turn signals. My problem is that I never know when they will work or not. Sometimes when you just turn the ignition on without starting the bike they work fine and sometimes they don't.They work sometimes when I get the bike moving. They'll be fine for 15 mintues of riding and then they'll go out for 5 mins.When they don't work the light supposed to be flashing goes dark, and the blinker doesn't make the ticking noise.People told me it could be a fuze but it works sometimes.I have also been told it might be corrosion but i haven't found any.I'm not positive yet but I think the bikes temperature might have something to do with it but they don't always work when hot either.
thanks allot
John D

Answer
Hi John,

The likely cause of the problem with the turn signals is a loose electrical connection, corrosion, direct or open short, defective bulb or bulb socket, switch contacts, or other component in the circuit.

You'll have to locate the source of the problem one wire at a time. I would check continuity of each related wire and check each connector until the source is located. It's a time consuming task though relatively easy compared to hanging drywall for example. :)

Use dielectric grease on all electrical connectors after cleaning them to a new like shiny appearance. Connections must be clean and tightly connected to ensure proper conductivity and low resistance.

Respectfully,
Mark Shively