1984 Honda ascot vt500 will not stay running

SOURCE: Need owners manual and tool kit for 1984 Honda Ascot VT 500

hi m8,, try these guyz 4 a manual,, downloadable ones,, www.repairmanual.com

SOURCE: Need owners manual and tool kit for 1984 Honda Ascot VT 500

Hi, cant help with the tool kit but i think you can get the manual from here...http://www.manualz.info/Manuals_pdf/

SOURCE: I have a 1984 honda VT500 c, it doesnt hold a

FULLY CHARGE THE BATTERY 13.2VOLTS THEN START THE BIKE USE A VOLT METER TO CHECK THE VOLTAGE AT THE + AND - TERMINALS ON THE BATTERY IT SHOULD READ BETWEEN 13.3-15.5 VOLTS AT 2000 RPMS AND UP IF ITS NOT CHECK WIRING HARNESS IF ALL IS WELL THERE ITS MOST LIKELY REGULATOR /RECTIFIER

Testimonial: " "

Marvin

• 85242 Answers
• Posted on Apr 08, 2010

SOURCE: what is the recommende engine oil? vt500 ascot

the best all around oil for this bike is any major brand 10W40W

SOURCE: tail light indicator remains on, 1984 honda shadow

I believe that Alex is talking about the "idiot light" labeled "Tail light" on the dash of his 84 Shadow. When this idiot light is lit, it is supposed to mean the tail light has burned out. My 85 VT700 has a problem where that idiot light fades on and off even though the tail light is working fine. If I apply the brakes (an brake light comes on), that idiot light goes out.

I have not solved the problem, but I did investigate this about 2 years ago. The Idiot light is connected to a small rubber encased box about 2 by 2 by 2 inches located under the tank, near the air filter on the right side. Several wires come out of that box. One wire provides power to the tail light. Another wire goes to the idiot light. My memory is fuzzy, but there probably is a ground and/or a battery lead coming out of the box as well.

I believe the circuit is measuring the current going to the tail light. If the current is too low (implying the bulb is burned out), then it connects the wire to the idiot light to ground or battery+. The circuit is falsely detecting low current.

Several things might fix this:
1) Change the bulb to one that draws more current.
2) Put a resistor in parallel with the tail light, to double the current.
3) Buy another "box" on ebay (I tried this, and it did not solve my problem).

I also have a related (?) problem with the low fuel light not working when it should. I tested the circuit to the low fuel sensor in the reserve tank, by grounding the wire, and Low fuel light works. I replaced the low fuel sensor, no change in problem.

I noticed, that if I take a several hour trip on the turnpike, the tail-light indicator will eventually go out and stay out. If that happens, and I run low on fuel, the "low fuel" indicator works again.

This has me thinking this could be a voltage problem. After a long high speed trip, the main voltage regulator normally reduces the voltage, to prevent over charging the battery.

I have wondered if the sensor circuit has a secondary voltage regulator (or a Zener Diode) in the idiot light cluster, which instead is providing full battery voltage to the sensor circuits. This would also explain why the "tail light" indicator turns off when I apply the brakes, since the overall voltage drops a little when the brake lights come on. The wiring diagram in my Honda repair manual does not go into that much detail, and I have not pursued this theory.