Grounding Issue, Relays or a Short?

[guzzidog11]

I need to tap into the Guzzi knowledge well again.

 

Yesterday, I rode my 2001 v11 sport to work in the early morning dark. I noticed my tachometer light wasn't working initially but would come for a second or two if I accelerated hard. My speedometer light and all other electricals appeared to be working fine the whole time. I also noticed my headlight would become slightly brighter when the tachometer light came on. After about five minutes of riding the tach light would not light up at all (even under hard acceleration). I recently have done some work under the gas tank, so my first thought was a loose ground wire. I checked the wiring under the tank and it appears okay. My tach is a replacement tachometer that I installed about two years ago, so I think it is still grounded okay. I still have my original Siemens relays, so I ordered a set of new relays last night just in case that is the problem. I checked the fuses and all are okay.

 

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there something else I should check? Could a bad relay cause this? Any thoughts and/or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

John

[Murray]

I would expect the relay to cause several other issues than just a instrument light. Radical thought for the day but its most likely the globe in the instrument. Might be worth cheching the connections tot he headlight and its grounding path while you are at it.

[Dan M]

I think your first idea of a ground is probably a good one Zdog. Power or ground, seems weird that the speedo light is not affected. I agree with Murray that other stuff should be out at the same time if a relay is at fault. Get a volt meter and check for a voltage drop on both the power side and the ground side of the tach light circuit when the problem is occurring to narrow it down.

[orangeokie]

Know the rules!

 

I need to tap into the Guzzi knowledge well again.

 

. . . Has anyone else had this problem? Is there something else I should check? Could a bad relay cause this? Any thoughts and/or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

John