[Jb87]

I also lost headlight after mod, 85 vn700, did solid black to yellow red

 

[calebj]

Can you post a picture of how you did the wiring mod, JB87?

 

[Jb87]

Got her all back together now, but I did as mentioned earlier, put black together with yellow red and put into the yellow red spot in junction box, all working now

 

[Spockster]

Got her all back together now, but I did as mentioned earlier, put black together with yellow red and put into the yellow red spot in junction box, all working now

That wasn't the Two-Wire mod. ... if that's not a typo in the quote and I read it right.

 

[Jb87]

No, the mod would be putting the two wires together, this worked for cutting out the clutch sensor and neutral starting, but cut out my headlight. It was mentioned earlier in this post that someone spliced the two together and ran them into the junction box where the yellow red wire was. This allows me to start in gear clutch out, but still have a headlight

 

[Thorn]

No, the mod would be putting the two wires together, this worked for cutting out the clutch sensor and neutral starting, but cut out my headlight. It was mentioned earlier in this post that someone spliced the two together and ran them into the junction box where the yellow red wire was. This allows me to start in gear clutch out, but still have a headlight

Just checked the schematic, and Jb87 is absolutely right. On a stock bike, splicing black and yellow/red together without reconnecting to pin 13 of the junction box robs the headlight relay of it's path to neutral for the primary/coil. Doing the blue wire mod (bypassing the headlight relay, thus removing pin 13 from the headlight circuitry) would be an alternative to reconnecting to pin 13.

 

[Spockster]

No, the mod would be putting the two wires together, this worked for cutting out the clutch sensor and neutral starting, but cut out my headlight. It was mentioned earlier in this post that someone spliced the two together and ran them into the junction box where the yellow red wire was. This allows me to start in gear clutch out, but still have a headlight

Just checked the schematic, and Jb87 is absolutely right. On a stock bike, splicing black and yellow/red together without reconnecting to pin 13 of the junction box robs the headlight relay of it's path to neutral for the primary/coil. Doing the blue wire mod (bypassing the headlight relay, thus removing pin 13 from the headlight circuitry) would be an alternative to reconnecting to pin 13.

I either missed that info previously or had forgotten it. Thought we were still trying to find why the headlight quit for some trying the mod.

Good to know, as long as I can remember it. Which will probably be about this long [-]

 

[Thorn]

Just for the record, here's the original "reconnect to pin 13" post

Ok so I did this mod on my 95 vulcan because I am teaching my wife to ride and I could not have it not start on her at a corner if it stalled. My wiring is ALL stock there have been no wiring mods.I cut the wires but did it a little way back from the plug (Maybe an inch) I twisted the 2 wires together and it worked.
BUT
My head light like the other fella reported did not work. So I did the simplest thing I could think of I Hooked the wires back up the way they were 1 at a time to see what would happen.
Black with red stripe hooked up = still no head light
Yellow with red stripe hooked back up = Head light

So decided to see what would happen if I just spliced the black with red stripe wire into the yellow with red stripe wire with the yellow and red striped wire still plugged in to the harness and connected to itself.
Here is the result
My neutral safety switch is bypassed the bike will try to start in gear if button is pushed and I have a head light.

So trusting myself I have soldered the connection and sealed it up.
The pig tail from the black with red stripe wire I just sealed up and left.
Hoping this helps someone else or if I am way off base let me know I know nothing about the wiring of these bikes I just kind of thought it out.

Good work, Jb87 digging that back up.

Spockster, can that be added to the 1st post so the next batch of modders have all the info they need? Your memory sure looks impressive compared to mine.

 

[Spockster]

Don't recall seeing that post until now.

Yes, I'll put that into the notes of the first post. Maybe it should be condensed with the pertinent info? Just trying to keep it clear and concise so people won't skip important info.

I also need to dig up the pics from another thread showing the colors/pin locations on older harnesses. I know Doc posted one, and Caleb or you, Thorn?

Help me out here... Can we make the statement, ... if you have those certain colors and an earlier year bike, you need to apply the mod with pin #13 as outlined by plee911 in that post? Or are there more variables than that?

Glad you have confidence in my memory Thorn, that makes one. I appreciate all you guys helping out on this.

 

[Thorn]

If the junction box is unchanged across all years (which it seems to be), then when modding a stock harness, pin 13 must always be attached to the early years' black or later years' black/red wire in order for the headlight to work. The color of the wire looks to be the only change there.

The only major divergence would be the non-US version which doesn't use the headlight relay at all, so pin 13 could be disconnected as part of the mod.

I'm guessing that those who DIDN'T have headlight issues when doing the two wire mod had already bypassed the headlight relay. Is there any evidence to the contrary? If so I'll try to dig deeper.

I would think that just mentioning that the wire could be black or black/red would be enough without trying to find two wiring diagrams. There are no other similar wires on that connector, so it should be fairly obvious to follow.

 

[Spockster]

I'm guessing that those who DIDN'T have headlight issues when doing the two wire mod had already bypassed the headlight relay. Is there any evidence to the contrary? If so I'll try to dig deeper.

.

I thought the results were mixed, but those with no headlight problems also had later model bikes. Have not gone back to review.

Mine already had the headlight bypass in place when I did the two-wire mod.

 

[Thorn]

I thought the results were mixed, but those with no headlight problems also had later model bikes. Have not gone back to review.

Mine already had the headlight bypass in place when I did the two-wire mod.

You could just pop the blue wire back over to pin 8 on your bike and see if you lose your headlight... >

 

[Spockster]

You could just pop the blue wire back over to pin 8 on your bike and see if you lose your headlight... >

I could, if I was able

Actually tried to do that when I had it apart last month. It fought me, I surrendered and moved on.

Will do that when I can get back in there.

 

[michiganteddybear]

I guess I should mention that my 2-wire mod kept both wires in original spots, but ran a jumper in between. maybe that might be added to the description.

 

[plee911]

Glad to see i helped evena little

Had been away from the forum for a bit but glad to see my work around has helped some on here. Like I said before I just tried what worked and got the result I wanted. I was lucky but glad to see it has helped

 

[Christian Hansen]

Do you have a photo of this?
Do I splice the two wires together, and then still put the jumpers on the pins?

 

[Spockster]

Do you have a photo of this?
Do I splice the two wires together, and then still put the jumpers on the pins?

Remove/cut the wires from the plug, then splice them together, off the plug. Insulate loose ends at the plug, but don't connect together.

mtb has done his by just putting a jumper between the wires, while on the plug, and it works. However, I think it could be best to take the start circuit in the junction box out of operation by taking the wires off the plug. This may be what corrects the charging problem (brownouts - no charge).

Here's a pic, but don't go by the pin location. I stuck the stubs back in the wrong holes.

 

[Thorn]

Do you have a photo of this?
Do I splice the two wires together, and then still put the jumpers on the pins?

Do not jump the pins after cutting the wires.

BUT if you cut the yellow/red wire you will also have to do the blue-wire mod in order to get your headlight to work.

If your headlight works after cutting WITHOUT doing the blue-wire mod, please let us know.

============

Just for kicks, the alternative would be to cut the black wire, cap the stub and splice the long end to the yellow/red without cutting or removing the yellow/red from the connector. This would eliminate the need for the blue-wire mod.

 

[Vulcan Rules]

Worked out great on my VN750, starts much faster, runs better, and by far better charging. No longer have to trickle charge the battery since its now fully charged after short rides. Big difference!! Thanks Guys!!

 

[Spockster]

Worked out great on my VN750, starts much faster, runs better, and by far better charging. No longer have to trickle charge the battery since its now fully charged after short rides. Big difference!! Thanks Guys!!

That's great! Thanks for the feedback.