Instrument Cluster issues

[BradFZ6]

Hey friends,

So I bought my FZ6 a few months back and it has just started this fun little thing of when I gas the bike 8,000+ RPM's the instrument cluster turns off (Not the back light just the info [MPH, tach, clock... everything) runs through the diagnostic (All lights turn on as it does when you first flip the electric switch). This is very annoying. I am trying to figure out if anyone else has ever had this issue? Is it a simple plug in the back needs a better connection? something internal within the unit is damaged and loose and i need to replace the whole unit? Any insight would be appreciated. I am going to take off all the plastics to get to the cluster soon.

 

[Motogiro]

The first thing that comes to mind is vibration. This may be a connection either in the harness plug, on the internal printed circuit board or even the ECU plug.

The second thing that comes to mind is over voltage. Can you get a digital volt meter and see what voltage you see at 8000 plus RPM?
Unfortunately intermittent problems like this can be hard to trace and you would need an oscilloscope to see some fast anomaly that may effect and trigger a self check. Happy hunting!

 

[chunkygoat]

I had this same issue not even 3 weeks ago. It ended up being that I had lifted the tank and it had put extra tension on the terminals. I have my custom LED kit wired straight to my battery terminals. The connections on the battery, the + specifically had rattled itself loose and the tension from the tank resting on my LED wires may have been a contributing factor as well.

Check your connections at the battery and torque them babies down. I've heard the killswitch has failed for numerous people which could simulate an intermittent open - this could cause the exact same effect depicted in the attached video.

That is where I would start. Connections at the battery and killswitch.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7tRPYC6cJ8"]Fz6 tach issues - YouTube[/ame]

 

[FinalImpact]

You might wonder through this - not letter for letter the same story but it sure seems closely related....

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-technical/49455-engine-trouble-warning-light-after-8000-rpm.html

- Lift the tank
- Disconnect the battery
- verify all connections in sight by actually taking them apart.
- If its faired start with the connector on the bottom left of fairing.
- Remove the connector at the cluster and inspect it for, corrosion, pushed out pins, burns, broken wires, not fully seated.
- At the ECU repeat the connector removal and inspection.


Fairing connector left side...

ECU is in the middle with all the wires. Also notice inside that boot is a group too.

Let us know what you find....

 

[BradFZ6]

So far not the battery connections. I did loft the tank and tighten them down. I noticed that the issues didn't happen as frequent... However tonight as I was heading down the road 2nd gear at 11,000 rpms it did it very quickly... Screen when blank (still backlit) went through the diagnostic and resumed. Weird thing to add... Sometimes the clock resets... Sometimes it doesn't. Don't know what that means. Going to check the connections tomorrow.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

When you lose the clock, your losing power for a slightly longer period of time (just like un-hooking the battery).

When it fails/acts up, is the engine running normally, ie, no misfiring, rough running, etc? Just the gauges?

A long shot, but if all the above pans out, its possible you could have an intermediate short inside the battery that's cutting in and out with the vibrations. A load test may reveal it..

I suppose if you jumped a known GOOD, 12 volt battery (jumper vehicle NOT RUNNING) to your battery, crank up your bike and give it a rev to 8k a couple of times. IF your battery is faulty, the jumper battery should keep your gauges working with no faults. *If it makes no difference, refer back to the above posts, there's a bad connection somewhere/broken wire, etc.


Good luck

 

[Motogiro]

Coming out of the instrument cluster is a red wire with a green tracer. This is non switched, constant voltage from the battery. I suspect this is where there is an intermittent loss of voltage. Check the pin on the plug that the cluster plugs into. It is a 6 pin plug. It may be a red wire with green dots.

 

[BradFZ6]

Thanks Gents. I will look into all of those things. I know when I lose the clock I am losing power for a longer time. The engine runs just FINE and Dandy while this is occurring. It is, from what I can see, JUST the gauges... not even the backlight on the INstrument Cluster. ALSO... While the Cluster is out the neutral light as well as the hIgh Beam indicator light all work fine. My guess is lose connection... the battery having a short in it is new news to me... I will check that as well. Any idea how to get to the wires behind the instrument cluster? I have taken off the wind screen and looked for other screws Etc and havent found how to do it. I haven't spent a lot of time investigating and digging into it yet... any tips to getting to the cluster wires? thanks Gents... You have been WAY more help than you know. :thumbup:

 

[FinalImpact]

Remove the inner panels with the allen cap screws.
Unplug the two connectors on the left as shown below (LS).
Remove the nuts from the Fairing Stay mount (12mm from the RS). Turn bars to left for access.
Remove the two long bolts while holding the fairing in one hand.
Take 10 minutes tops and its sitting on your work surface as shown above.

It really very easy its just bulky in nature.

Now you can remove the cluster from attached to this cross brace. Should be good to go. You do have an ohm meter yey? If not get one.

 

[BradFZ6]

Thanks friend. I will get right on that!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

If your getting power to the dash lights, etc, disregard the battery test. It would have lost power to everything, an engine misfire, etc...

As Cliff mentioned, its going to be an issue with the single wire going to that circuit.

Its been years since I've had the nose off Randy, isn't the cluster accessable after just removing the inner black fairing?

Also, as I re-call, that gauge harness should be visable once the inner fairing is off and plugs into the main harness (at least on my 07) on the inner left side of the main fairing. They'll be some plastic clips holding the cluster wiring harness. I don't re-call it going into the frame(its been about 4 years)

IMHO, I would pull that inner fairing and the cluster harness should be visable as well as the connector. I'd start with checking the connector, and gently manipulating the harness with the ignition on watching the tach. As bad as yours is, it shouldn't be hard to find. Going this route, should make finding the bad spot pretty easy without any meters, etc (I'm electrically challenged-NO COMMENTS EITHER Gents..)

The below pic shows, next to the tank, are the white multi connectors you should probably start looking at(the one that goes up to the cluster).



Randy, note the condition of the header before cleaning,

 

[BradFZ6]

Thats really helpful. Thanks for the pics and information. I will keep you guys posted.

 

[BradFZ6]

New update. The cluster went off and was off for a couple of hours. I drive the bike fairly conservatively... rarely peaking 9,000 rpms. I gassed the bike pretty well and the cluster came back on. SO NOW... gassing the bike past 8,000 rpms turned it on. I took off the inner black fairing covers and saw the two connectors. those freaking suck trying to get a part. I couldnt. The wires looked ok. Any info on what i have to do to get the connectors unplugged from one another? (I cant believe how stupid that sounds).

I didnt get the fairing off all the way. Once I clean up the connectors, and plug them in again I will see if the problem persists. Any thought on what to clean the connector with? Can I use Alcohol Wipes? ( I used to use that to clean my old NES system!)

Thanks gents. The investigation continues.

 

[Motogiro]

New update. The cluster went off and was off for a couple of hours. I drive the bike fairly conservatively... rarely peaking 9,000 rpms. I gassed the bike pretty well and the cluster came back on. SO NOW... gassing the bike past 8,000 rpms turned it on. I took off the inner black fairing covers and saw the two connectors. those freaking suck trying to get a part. I couldnt. The wires looked ok. Any info on what i have to do to get the connectors unplugged from one another? (I cant believe how stupid that sounds).

I didnt get the fairing off all the way. Once I clean up the connectors, and plug them in again I will see if the problem persists. Any thought on what to clean the connector with? Can I use Alcohol Wipes? ( I used to use that to clean my old NES system!)

Thanks gents. The investigation continues.

Some plug connectors have a release and sometimes they're just plain hard to get apart. Have to pull n wiggle. As far as cleaning, it depends on the condition of the pins in the connector.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

New update. The cluster went off and was off for a couple of hours. I drive the bike fairly conservatively... rarely peaking 9,000 rpms. I gassed the bike pretty well and the cluster came back on. SO NOW... gassing the bike past 8,000 rpms turned it on. I took off the inner black fairing covers and saw the two connectors. those freaking suck trying to get a part. I couldnt. The wires looked ok. Any info on what i have to do to get the connectors unplugged from one another? (I cant believe how stupid that sounds).

I didnt get the fairing off all the way. Once I clean up the connectors, and plug them in again I will see if the problem persists. Any thought on what to clean the connector with? Can I use Alcohol Wipes? ( I used to use that to clean my old NES system!)

Thanks gents. The investigation continues.

I would follow that line down to the main harness (inside the left fairing) and release/check that lower connector there first before messing with the cluster (only because its more accesable and likely to pick up moisture). Once the lower is released and checked, you can put the assembly on a bench for further testing.

As Cliff mentioned, some clips there's a tab to push in, some, you pull out slightly to release. You shouldn't have to use much force, gently tugging with the release pushed or pulled will release it.

There's a tab on ONE SIDE (look at all 4 sides of the connector) that, as I re-call, pulls AWAY SLIGHTLY and allows the plug to come apart. A very small screwdriver, separating the locking tab, maybe a 1/16" should be plenty to release it.

They do make electrical contact cleaner but I've found it to be very aggresive on plastic and could soften the connectors up(IMO, I wouldn't use it).

If its not an internally broken wire, loose plug in connector, there's likely just some corrosion / green in the connectorassembly.

With a fine screwdriver, GENTLY SCRAPE the corrosion off. A blow with an air compressor (if available ) helps. If not, a shot or two of liquid wrench or such will clean out any crap.

Re-assembling WITH DI-LECTRIC GREASE (if its a connector) is about mandatory to keep further cossion from developing.



As a side note, on my old FJR, I had some driveability issues intermediatly. The issue was a similar (slightly larger) connector under the tank that turned green with water intrusion. Once cleaned out, grease applied, ran like a champ..

 

[Digital Man]

Hi just wondered if you got this sorted i have a similar problem

 

[BradFZ6]

Just thought I would give an update. I have taken connectors apart, cleaned them well. Looked through the tracer wire from the cluster and couldnt find anything. The bike has been in storage for the past couple of months. Today, I threw the battery on to take it for a spin... Weird but the bike started up fine, engine runs really well. However now just at Idle the Instrument cluster goes out. I dont even have to gas the bike at all. So it seems the issue is progressively getting worse. Just a question, has anyone ever heard of the Cluster ITSELF internally having a faulty wire? A wire that has lost its connection to the Board? Possible purchase of a new cluster all together? Looking forward to the season kicking back up here soon.

 

[FinalImpact]

I suspect you and another member are in the same boat. That is, the gauge cluster circuit board has corrosion on it and none of his digital or analog meters read. Just the LEDs light. Take a look and jump down to removing the cluster and opening it. Perhaps something is growing inside of yours also. http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-electrical/52041-07-fz6-cluster-not-working.html
Do observe static safety comments listed in this post. Just an option to help weed out what is at fault. Otherwise, follow the steps in that thread and see if you find anything.

Glad you reported back in the same thread.