flickering headlights popping fuses what to check? - Yamaha YFZ450 Forum : YFZ450, YFZ450R, YFZ450X Forums

VegasF6 · 01-15-2011, 09:15 PM

Hi all, the quick story is I keep popping fuses every few minutes, my headlights cut on and off and I hear a "crackling" noise from up front when they do.

Longer version of story is quad is new to me. Took it out for long ride, had a pretty gnarly roll over wreck but still had to ride it in approx 10 miles. During that time electrical system was fine.

Got it home, washed it up, and other than moving it around the yard, hadn't used it. Everything was fine.

Finally ready to take it out for another trip. Wired in an LED whip off the tail light circuit. I was pretty carefull splicing into it, and used good quality crimp connectors with heat shrink ends. Total draw from whip is ~.4 - .5 amps so about 6 watts or so. Got to dunes, one day of riding and everything was still find, when suddenly second day fuse popped. Replaced, got 30 feet and popped again. Begged a new one (after a horrific hike in the sand) unplugged my whip, turned off all lighting, wiggled the wires that I spliced into and limped it to camp. Popped another fuse just as pulling in.

Today, pulled the seat, air box, and coolant reservoir, removed my wiring and put tail light circuit back to normal. Popped 2 fuses. During nearly all this time the headlights were off and I didn't notice the crackling noise from up front (though it may have been, I don't know) but on the last fuse I turned on the lights and thats when I noticed to arcing sound.

So... what to check? Battery seems fine, haven't checked voltages at the charging system. Appears to be a voltage regulator up front right side, or is that the CDI?

**husker525** · 01-15-2011, 11:53 PM

Trace all the lighting system wiring. It sounds like you have a bare wire grounding out against metal. Maybe the rollover had something to do with it.

VegasF6 · 01-16-2011, 01:01 AM

Right thanks. I will check that as best I can in the morning. Keep in mind though, it happens with the lights on or off. Doesn't that make it unlikely to be at the headlights?

VegasF6 · 01-17-2011, 09:19 PM

Finally got an hour to myself. I found the horn dangling around by its wires. The zip tie the stealer installed it with had broken. Can't tell yet if this is/was the problem, but its a good start.

To do a more permanent fix I really should pull the front plastics off. Doesn't look too hard, is it? Do I just leave the headlights installed and they come off with the plastics?

**husker525** · 01-17-2011, 09:23 PM

Horn??? You must have the limited limited special edition YFZ with a horn mod...LOL

4 bolts pull the front nose cone off. 2 bolts pull off the headlights for each side.

VegasF6 · 01-17-2011, 09:42 PM

Sweet (on the front end)
I have the Montanna permanent registration street legal version, hence the horn. Only, the license plate broke off in the roll over I mentioned and the previous owner won't get me a replacement from Montanna DMV for 8 bucks.

VegasF6 · 12-24-2011, 07:10 PM

Well this thread is awfully stale now, but FYI I installed a twin horn system on some custom made brackets and tied it into a handlebar mounted kill switch (on it's own fuse this time). It's been amazingly useful, and popular too :) When I ride with people who haven't seen it yet and blow the horn at them in the middle of the desert, you should see their faces , hah.

McNeese18 · 01-26-2012, 07:36 PM

my fuses keep blowing every time i turn it off. i can push it off and it will run fine and idal fine in nuetral but when i cut it off the fuse blows and it want even roll over!! any ideas?

VegasF6 · 01-26-2012, 07:48 PM

Well did you check the horn???

01-15-2011, 09:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
VegasF6 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 17	flickering headlights popping fuses what to check? Hi all, the quick story is I keep popping fuses every few minutes, my headlights cut on and off and I hear a "crackling" noise from up front when they do. Longer version of story is quad is new to me. Took it out for long ride, had a pretty gnarly roll over wreck but still had to ride it in approx 10 miles. During that time electrical system was fine. Got it home, washed it up, and other than moving it around the yard, hadn't used it. Everything was fine. Finally ready to take it out for another trip. Wired in an LED whip off the tail light circuit. I was pretty carefull splicing into it, and used good quality crimp connectors with heat shrink ends. Total draw from whip is ~.4 - .5 amps so about 6 watts or so. Got to dunes, one day of riding and everything was still find, when suddenly second day fuse popped. Replaced, got 30 feet and popped again. Begged a new one (after a horrific hike in the sand) unplugged my whip, turned off all lighting, wiggled the wires that I spliced into and limped it to camp. Popped another fuse just as pulling in. Today, pulled the seat, air box, and coolant reservoir, removed my wiring and put tail light circuit back to normal. Popped 2 fuses. During nearly all this time the headlights were off and I didn't notice the crackling noise from up front (though it may have been, I don't know) but on the last fuse I turned on the lights and thats when I noticed to arcing sound. So... what to check? Battery seems fine, haven't checked voltages at the charging system. Appears to be a voltage regulator up front right side, or is that the CDI?

01-15-2011, 11:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
husker525 Police Patrol Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Parker, Colorado Posts: 3,119	Trace all the lighting system wiring. It sounds like you have a bare wire grounding out against metal. Maybe the rollover had something to do with it. __________________ TEAM TRIGGER RACING (Now sponsored by AMSOIL, Vickery Motorsports, MotoXNutrition,DZ Graphics, Engine Ice, DeRisi Racing, Team Ape, Cosworth Pistons, Hiper, Lonestar Racing. Terse 07 Race engine 2007 Blue YFZ: Venom 14:1 piston, Cam Mod, Jardine RT4 Exhaust, 175 main, 45 pilot, 04 needle 3rd clip/ 3 t Become a fan of Team Trigger Racing on Facebook!!!

01-17-2011, 09:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
husker525 Police Patrol Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Parker, Colorado Posts: 3,119	Horn??? You must have the limited limited special edition YFZ with a horn mod...LOL 4 bolts pull the front nose cone off. 2 bolts pull off the headlights for each side. __________________ TEAM TRIGGER RACING (Now sponsored by AMSOIL, Vickery Motorsports, MotoXNutrition,DZ Graphics, Engine Ice, DeRisi Racing, Team Ape, Cosworth Pistons, Hiper, Lonestar Racing. Terse 07 Race engine 2007 Blue YFZ: Venom 14:1 piston, Cam Mod, Jardine RT4 Exhaust, 175 main, 45 pilot, 04 needle 3rd clip/ 3 t Become a fan of Team Trigger Racing on Facebook!!!

01-16-2011, 01:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
VegasF6 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 17	Right thanks. I will check that as best I can in the morning. Keep in mind though, it happens with the lights on or off. Doesn't that make it unlikely to be at the headlights?

01-17-2011, 09:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
VegasF6 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 17	Finally got an hour to myself. I found the horn dangling around by its wires. The zip tie the stealer installed it with had broken. Can't tell yet if this is/was the problem, but its a good start. To do a more permanent fix I really should pull the front plastics off. Doesn't look too hard, is it? Do I just leave the headlights installed and they come off with the plastics?

01-17-2011, 09:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
VegasF6 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 17	Sweet (on the front end) I have the Montanna permanent registration street legal version, hence the horn. Only, the license plate broke off in the roll over I mentioned and the previous owner won't get me a replacement from Montanna DMV for 8 bucks.

12-24-2011, 07:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
VegasF6 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 17	Well this thread is awfully stale now, but FYI I installed a twin horn system on some custom made brackets and tied it into a handlebar mounted kill switch (on it's own fuse this time). It's been amazingly useful, and popular too :) When I ride with people who haven't seen it yet and blow the horn at them in the middle of the desert, you should see their faces , hah.

01-26-2012, 07:36 PM	#8 (permalink)
McNeese18 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: columbia, Ms Posts: 1	my fuses keep blowing every time i turn it off. i can push it off and it will run fine and idal fine in nuetral but when i cut it off the fuse blows and it want even roll over!! any ideas?

01-26-2012, 07:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
VegasF6 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 17	Well did you check the horn???

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