Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Iron Barrel => Topic started by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 04:42:53 pm
Title: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 04:42:53 pm
Stupid question first. I have a 1996 RE Bullet 500 ARMY, where is the turn signal or trafficator flasher located?
Second any advice on installing front ones? Mine only has em in the rear...
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: AzCal Retred on March 18, 2021, 05:17:15 pm
Welcome to "The Hoard of the Archaic"!
Do you have the Snidal Bullet manual?
Do you know about Hitchcocks? Comprehensive parts supply and Forum host! https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/
H's has online downloadable manuals also. https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/Workshop-Manuals-To-Download
The actual flasher unit tends to be either in the left hand toolbox or under the saddle, depends who was in there last.
The front turn signals ( trafficators ) use brackets attached by the front fork pinch bolts and steadied by the fork stop casting. https://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/partsbook-pages/2021 ( 801164 & 801165 )
Most orders take 3 - 6 days from England. Pick out other necessary bits & save on postage.
Hope this helps - ACR -
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 05:28:03 pm
Ya i would thought itin the left side tool bx(a fuse, and the brake light switch are...) but nope notin either, an all I can see under the seat(following the wires from the fender) is the rectifier (long aluminum colored finned box) so i am completely lost... lol mine never had brackets nor wiring for front signals, making brackets are easy enuff, but gotta find the flasher an replace(rears never worked from new) an then split off those an run wire for the fronts...
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 05:41:52 pm
And I have had since new, and have never touched the flasher. I can tell from pics of the part that it has a bracket and screws on somewhere, but where i cant find for life of me.
Only palce i havent looked an will now that i think of it is inside the housing the taillight is mounted to.... i will report back.
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: Bilgemaster on March 18, 2021, 06:28:34 pm
For your hunt perhaps it could help you to know that it might resemble the one shown below from the Hitchcocks Catalog:
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 06:38:17 pm
Thanks yeah i have seen the pictures of it, have had since new, 408 miles is all, an rear signals(all it has)have never worked. Getting the bike ready for some more use and it needs all 4 blinkers working... jist had lunch, headed out to shop to look behind the taillight housing, but more i think of it not sure why it would be in there... but there is not one anywhere else from the switch, headlighlight bucket, under seat around battery area.
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: AzCal Retred on March 18, 2021, 06:41:26 pm
Do the rear blinkers blink? Maybe you could locate it by sound, engine off of course!! ;)
If they are on solid, no blinking, maybe they are wired straight through; on/off...?
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 07:55:40 pm
O.K. opened up the tailight housing, no flasher but found all the wires to taillights unplugged, with a test light i did find the hot left and right lead(circled in picture) so with that can make rears no function(still have ZERO clue where flasher is...)
What will be best way to wire front turn signals? (Splice of the rears an run wire all the way to the front, or is there leads in the headlight bucket that would be better to tap into?)
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 07:58:39 pm
Sorry typing with my phone, but now having found the rear hot leads(and they do blink when swith is activated right or left) i can make the rears work as they should
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 08:02:46 pm
So next will be to wire for front indicators, will it be best to splice off the rear leads running wires to the front, or are there leads up front that would be better to tap into?
Still would like to find the flasher... its here... somewhere(the rear hot leads blink lol) but man where? I have NO CLUE!
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 08:11:04 pm
Headlight housing
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: AzCal Retred on March 18, 2021, 09:18:21 pm
The "power" to the turn signal assemblies will be black/white to the left turn signal and black/green to the right. Black is used for (-)/Ground return. The left & right circuits will come from the handlebar switch into the "Casquette". I think "bullet" connectors plug in there for the front & rear circuits. Follow the switch wires to the casquette.
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 18, 2021, 11:01:50 pm
Sounds great! Those colors match what I found in the rear, i will locate those leads up front an go from there, thank you! Will post when completed
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 02:28:31 am
OK... wired turn signals, to include the fronts by plugging into the existing 4 way bullet connectors for the leaft an right. Well... PROBLEM the connections all test lighted fine, plugged in fronts, no problems, plug in rears, an start having issues, 3 outa the four would work, than 2, 1... then none. My Ammeter... sets dead center and does not deflect as I kick thru TDC, an there is now no spark.... What did I do!?
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: AzCal Retred on March 20, 2021, 03:42:35 am
Are you using a multi-meter? You also mentioned that you found disconnected wires in the tail light - this may indicate "others" had trouble before.
Find & test main fuse. Unplug whatever you did in the casquette.
Time for pictures - what do the new front signals look like. How are they wired? I didn't see any in original picture.
Where is the flasher unit? Hunt it down, it's got to be in the underseat area.
The battery drives the spark coil. Flat battery means no spark. Main fuse blown means no spark.
The casquette wiring can be a tough location to see colors well. Use lots of light and good "super see-ers".
VERIFY what you think you know before charging ahead.
Start with casquette wiring as you found it.
With key ON, kick thru slowly using compression release, ammeter swings left when points close. Turn Kill switch OFF, should cut power to coil, ammeter should go to center. Now you can't burn points.
With Key ON, put turn signal to Right side blinkers. Rear right blinker should work as it did originally.
Put VOM meter between the Gn/Bk & Bk wires in casquette, should cycle between 0 to 12V. Key OFF. Plug in right front blinker. Key ON, see what you get. should blink slower IF it's a mechanical turn signal relay, maybe same speed if electronic.
If all goes well, try the left blinker wires.
Did you download the free Hitchcocks manual yet? Do you have a Snidal's manual? What are you using for wiring diagrams?
Electrickery responds to methodical troubleshooting. Bullet wiring is not Japanese grade. Add back one piece at a time.
Let us know what you find. - ACR -
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 05:10:54 am
Oh and found the flasher... looked nothing like all the pictures. But still have no spark, and Ammeter doesnt cycle as i kick thru TDC.... have continuity from coil to hot side of points, switch set to run, battery almost 13v. Fuse in left tool box good, what did I do or smoke??? Key on lights an horn function.... i am lost!
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 05:17:08 am
No one b4 yesterday was in the tail light bucket, I have owned since new an it has 408 miles is all... so either the dealer did that, or the person who built it. I did remove everythin I did turn signal wise, I will go thru those procedures you laid out first thing in the morning. Thank you
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 05:47:13 am
I do have the free .pdf service manual, and the wiring diagrams in that are what I have. Still unsure what it is... good battery(even tried another to be sure), good fuse, continuity at coil an points, ammeter just sits dead flat in the middle, and no spark.... coils rarely go, but why would it this one die sitting, nonrunning... complete loss, been going connection by connection making sure each are solidly connected... nothing. Doe the 2 voktage repulator rectifiers cause problems? I musta somehow torched something....
also to answer another question you had, the rear turn signal are what came on the bike(never had fronts) their just a 2 wire, with matching color coded wires. The fronts i was was adding were the same.
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: ddavidv on March 20, 2021, 11:15:21 am
I'll add this FWIW...maybe helpful but probably not. My bastardized 2007 came to me with no turn signals. None. Because 'bobber'. ::) I found the leads for the rears just hacked off and taped. Easy fix. I have never been able to locate leads for the front. Inexplicably, my trafficators in the casquette function as the front signals. They are, of course, pretty useless at this task, but I don't bother with inspections so they are 'good enough'.
Point being, maybe yours is wired the same way for some reason.
I've also found the RE flashers to be wholly unreliable and finnicky. I currently have a regular automotive round '552' style flasher on mine tucked in the tool box. Having the correct (and identical) amp bulbs L&R will also fix erratic blinking.
I had some problems with mine not working and found the rear harness shorting on the underside of the mud guard.
That's all I've got.
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 01:45:54 pm
Thank you, the front lil marker lights are just wired as they should be. Thing is once I identified right and left turn signal leads wired lights into em things went south. Right side blinkers were nice an bright, left were not, then the left quit all together, then the right, then the ammeter quit an i lost spark. I removed everything turn signal, checking wiggling every connection in the headlight, I then checked fuse, good, battery great, the lead from the points to coil good... still no spark, still a dead ammeter.
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 02:08:07 pm
So today, I will be going thru the ignition circuit with a test light an try and identify where spark is being lost. As the manual says starting at open points.
How do you remove the key switch and Ammeter to more easily check those terminals?
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 03:49:45 pm
To quote Borat, "Great success!" Found my break in the circuits. As per page 151 starting at the open points going to the coils neg an pos terminals, upto the ignition switch I found hidden a disconnected blade terminal on the orange/white wire, reconnected, an ammeter deflects, has spark, an started second kick.
Seems like someone would clean up if they produceda hi quality complete replacement wire harness...
Either way gunna replace the sketchy 3 prong enfield flasher with a new one from my local Napa, but may just forget about blinkers an use my hands... if pulled over bout it... "never came with any...."
Thank you everyone! I knew it had to be something I had my clumsy hands in... (headlight bucket) when all else fails go back to keep it simple stupid.
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 03:50:47 pm
The culprit
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: AzCal Retred on March 20, 2021, 04:24:58 pm
Well Done! Your 1996 machine should be the earlier DC headlight version. Here's some info I scavenged: 1) Color Export WD - maybe shows Magura switches, but has DC headlight. 2) A hand made sketch of my DC headlamp bike's wiring with the newer Minda switches adapted. It's set up in "Elementary" form, power (+) to (-) & flowing "downhill". You can modify it with Microsoft Paint to match your Magura switches after you ring them out.
Use both skeptically until you prove the circuits. Enfield in India seems to modify on the fly. An elementary is easy to use in troubleshooting after you know it's correct.
Another replacement to consider is the headlight bulb connector, a bakelite 3-prong unit vs. the wad of spade connectors.
Good Hunting - ACR -
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: variable81 on March 20, 2021, 04:30:32 pm
Great thank you! Yes I agree the 3 floppy spades kinda stink lol. Thanks again everyone for the help!
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: michaelcdsmith57@gmail.co on April 03, 2021, 04:49:37 am
Hi i have 2015 500 classic bullet does any one know were the flasher unit is located
Title: Re: 1996 Bullet 500 Army Turn Signal questions
Post by: ddavidv on April 03, 2021, 01:18:06 pm
Hi i have 2015 500 classic bullet does any one know were the flasher unit is located
Wrong forum, my friend. You need to post here: https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php?board=19.0 (https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php?board=19.0)