No lights

[zonk39]

Got the bike started. Took the headlamp unit out to check ignition wirin. Hooked it all back up. Now the lights and horn don't work. Checked fuses they are ok. Anyone have any ideas. 1980 400 Special. Tx alot have a great day!

 

[xschris]

Check all the connections that you moved and the ones that you did not touch, sounds like a wire is off.

 

[zonk39]

Check all the connections that you moved and the ones that you did not touch, sounds like a wire is off.

Just out of curiosity, would the headlight affect everything? I had unplugged th headlight to look in bucket. I know it only comes on when the bike is running. Tx alot, have a great day!

 

[XSLeo]

It sounds like you inadvertently unhooked a ground inside the headlight bucket. On the horn power goes to the horn, then to the button where the button grounds to toot thye horn. The horn grounds to the switch housing, the housing has a ground wire that goes down into the headlight bucket and plugs into the harness ground. The headlight plugs into the same ground.
Check it out.
Leo

 

[zonk39]

Tx for the response. I noticed on my wiring diagram that the black wire to the headlight seems to run to all of the lights up front. The only light that works is the taillight. Is that wire a ground from the headlight? Sorry to sound stupid.

 

[XSLeo]

All electricity has to travel in a circle, that's where the term circuit comes from. The electricity has to have a source, the wires to connect it to a switch, from the switch to the device. From the device back to the source.
So all devices need a ground.
Leo.

 

[markjs]

One possible simple thing to look at; I don't know if the SOHC has the same dimmer switch but you can get mine to be in between bright and dim and it will kill the lights. Kind of freaky when you accidentally do it at night on a dark road with no streetlamps.