Centauro Headlight problem

[Guest arbik]

Greetings all,

 

So I have a strange problem with my Centauro, and since it shares most of the electrical parts with the V11s, I figured, I'd ask here.

Before I delve in there and start trouble shooting, I'm looking to see if anyone has had this problem, so I'm fishing for the easy answer.

 

Yesterday, I got on the bike to go for a spin, and noticed, the headlight isnt coming on. The marker light in the headlight is on, but no high or low beam.

When I push the Hi/Low beam button, it doesnt do anything, but also, the high beam indicator is stuck ON, so no matter where the button is, it shows that the Hi-Beam is ON, but of course, no light what so ever up front.

So I come back, park and didnt get to tend to it. This AM, got on the bike, started it, and I have lights; Both low and high beam; and the switch and indicator work as they should.

I rode to work and parked. On the way back, same gremlin. No light, indicator stuck on high beam, and the switch does nothing.

 

I wiggled some wires around the head light/switch, but to no avail.

 

Does this ring any bells?

 

FYI, I have a wire running from the battery to the voltage regulator, so I dont think its a grounding issue.

 

thanks,

 

-arbi

[GuzziMoto]

Don't know anything about the Centauro's except that I think they're way cool. On V11's they use micro relays to turn on and off all the major components like F.I., lights, etc. When a relay sticks(as they are prone to do) that circuit does not work. It is common to upgrade to a higher quality relay. Having said that, someting tells me older bikes like the Centauro do not use the same set up. But I could be wrong.

[raz]

Centauros, Daytonas and 1100 Sports are very similar to the V11 except they use another ECU. Same crappy Siemens relays. Same bad groundings

[docc]

Yes, I would be most suspicious of the relays. Do a search for OMRON relays.

 

A link to a picture of the Centauro would allay all our suspicions that you are trolling here with a BMW GS or even a FIAT.

 

The Centauro is, in fact, very similar to the early (pre-Aprilia) V11 of 1999-2001. I wonder if Carl Allison has a wiring schematic for your Centauro?

[dlaing]

I wonder if Carl Allison has a wiring schematic for your Centauro?

http://home.pacbell.net/guzzi007/schematic...96_Centauro.gif

Looking at the diagram, if the lights go out again, see if the horn is working. If it works than look at the switch and connections near headlight.

If horn does not work, look to relays, especially the starter relay that appears to have the same lousy design of running the lighting current through the weaker contact of the starter relay.

Pyro Dan or Ryland3210's Motratech can provide relays.

[Guest arbik]

Sweet!

Hopefully, I'll have a little time tonight, to put this puppy to bed.

I got home too late last night to work on the beast.

 

Thanks for the info guys.

 

-arbi

[Guest arbik]

So I finally got a couple of hours today, to work in the garage, and one of the things that needed tending, was the headlight on the Centauro.

 

I found the problem.

 

The first thing I found:

That reflector inside the headlight has two legs. One of the legs, had broken free and was moving around inside. I'm guessing, somehow it made contact with the reflector and one of the pins, perhaps.

 

I took out the whole reflector completely.

 

The second thing I found:

The connector for the headlight. The plastic around the ground lug was melted pretty well. I checked for continuity from the black wire (gnd) to the battery negative, and it was about an ohm, which is pretty good. I think the connector was just loose and kept sparking as it made contact on and off. I tweeked the connector to tighten the fit.

 

I put the whole thing back together, and it works like a charm.

 

However, I think I need the following things to make things right:

Headlight connector with the 3 tab receptacles

and a headlight H4 housing.

 

So the moral of the story is, that small reflector inside the headlight housing is flimsy and can break, and make sure your headlight connectors are nice and tight.

 

Thanks everyone for the inputs, it definitely gave me some things to check, and added to my knowledge base of what else can go wrong with these things.

 

Cheers!!

 

-arbi

[Murray]

Before people run off and replace all relays beacause thats what the probelm was on the 2001's so obiously that isthe problem on all the older bikes. Pull the relays clean the contacts and reseat them. Fixes odd similar issues on my 1100 sport the problem isn't so much the relays but the weather sealing of the contacts.