Headlight Help!!

[Garrett Hileman]

Hello!

Bike is a 1980 xs400 special


Root of the situation is my headlamp is out. Was out riding all day, headlamp was working just fine. Went riding some more and then noticed the headlamp was out all of a sudden... any ideas? It was working, then all of a sudden it wasn't.. By looking very closely at the light it doesn't look to be blown. Getting nothing when I flip the high/ low beam button. Also the blue high beam light doesn't turn on on the tachometer when I try the high beams.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[BBS360]

Headlight fuse good?
Headlight fuse holder good?
Throw a multimeter across both.

 

[Garrett Hileman]

all fuses and holders look good.

You thinking a multimeter across the fuses? From other posts I've read could be a relay. But what would make it go all of a sudden? It was working fine.

 

[BBS360]

They're getting old. Could die suddenly.

There is a diode inside the wiring harness that is known to blow up.
The one on my 82 was shattered when I got it.
Without the diode the headlight relay won't work.
The diode is held in a clear section of the wiring harness.
If it's intact it'll be a blue/white sphere with a wire out each end.
Photo here:
http://www.xs400.com/threads/need-h...-not-charging-fried-a-wire.15420/#post-158552

 

[Garrett Hileman]

I will definitely take a look tomorrow and let you know what I come up with.

Thanks !