Cruise control not working

[Duderoy]

I just purchased a 1986 venture royale 1300 the cruise control does not work at all when I turn the power button on all three lights light up correctly in the blue light stays on the set will not activate and the odometer also does not work but the speedometer does I don't know if this has anything to do with the cruise control or not . Does the cruise control have a separate pick up spot for the speed sensor or does it use the instrument cluster speedometer cable

[CaseyJ955]

I just purchased a 1986 venture royale 1300 the cruise control does not work at all when I turn the power button on all three lights light up correctly in the blue light stays on the set will not activate and the odometer also does not work but the speedometer does I don't know if this has anything to do with the cruise control or not . Does the cruise control have a separate pick up spot for the speed sensor or does it use the instrument cluster speedometer cable

 

Others will probably have more specific ideas but here is some reading to get you started, sounds along the same lines and it's from another site.http://www.venturers.org/Tech_Library/index.php?action=article&cat_id=001007&id=13

 

All up to 93 are First Gen bikes, your 86 is a second iteration (MKII) of a 1st Gen. I only mention because you posted this in a 2nd gen tech section. Not to worry, folks here are just too nice for words but you will get more 1st gen guys seeing this in the 1st gen tech section. Mine is an 89 so the same bike as yours, it's common knowledge that the 1st gens are superior in every way imaginable! If you got a blue one your at the top of the top! :stirthepot:

 

Welcome to the forum!

[Freebird]

Moved thread. Also, check your clutch and brake switches. A good start would be to push out on the clutch lever and the brake lever and see if you can set it while pushing out.

[cimmer]

Another good starting point is in the service manual as they have a troubleshooting guide for the cruise control. Here is a link to the forum with the URL to the site.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?3384-First-Gen-Service-Manuals

But as Don stated, checking the brake and clutch switched on the master cylinders is a good starting point. When you pull in the levelers, it automatically disengages the cruise control, so if one of the switches isnt seated properly it will keep you from engaging the cruise.

Also there is a vacuum line that can get chewed on or disconnected that can cause issues also. It is located in the fairing on the left side up my the headlight if I recall. Check the manual and it will guide you thur testing..

Hope that helps.

Rick F.

[bongobobny]

OK, no odometer may be the ultimate answer but I'm not 100% sure on this. There is a reed switch that generates timing pulses so that the cruise controller knows what speed you are traveling at. The timing pulses are generated by a magnet that rotates turning the reed switch on and off, and I'm not sure but the magnet may be driven by the odometer section of the speedometer. You can see the reed switch on the case of the speedometer...

[Duderoy]

OK I bought a Nother used ICU for the cruise control brain replaced it and the exact same problems I checked every voltage at every switch including the clutch lever brakes and cancel switch both are supplying 12 V to the computer I even did all the checks for the compressor everything seems to work but the same thing happens . Only when I get above 30mph will anything happen but when I hit the set button the set light does not come on but the resume light does come on. Still no cruise though. All three light turn on at power up normal. Would two ICUs have the exact same failure problem? This is getting frustrating I really want the cruise to work

[videoarizona]

Looking over the wiring schematic, the speedo sensor sends pulses to the cruise computer. The cancel circuit goes from the rear brake to the front brake to the clutch lever then to the right hand cruise controls finally ending up at the cruise computer. Once engaged, the computer activates the vacuum pump which then sends vacuum that pulls on the vacuum motor which pulls the cables connected to the throttle interface. There are only a few conditions that must be met for cruise to work. Bike must be within a certain speed range..say 30-80 mph. All cancel switches must be closed, and if the speed drops or rises more than 5mph from set speed, cruise deactivates. Assuming 12volts is present where needed and grounds are good, the system should work.

 

On the vacuum pump there are a couple of areas that need checking but the system is quite simple.

 

So since you have checked electrical, time to look for simple mechanical things.... Like vacuum hose broken or leaking, throttle interface cables to cruise motor way out of adjustment or broken, cancel switches open or broken or dirty connections between cancel switches.

 

Not much else. Suggest you make a list and do one thing at a time until you find problem.

Oh... I'm not sure where the speed pulse comes from. Is it a tap of the the speedo or odo or????

Hope this helps...

Edited April 25, 2017 by videoarizona
Spell check got me again

[bongobobny]

What VideoAZ said! You can see the reed switch that generates the pulses on the white housing of the instrument cluster enclosure that generates these pulses. As I mentioned before, I am not sure if it is the speedometer OR the odometer that has the magnet that actuates that switch and if, as you mentioned, your odometer is not working then indeed the cruise will not work either!

 

As mentioned, the brake and clutch switches disengage the cruise, and a simple continuity check will tell you if they are at fault. Unfortunately, you need an oscilloscope and the front tire moving to detect the timing pulses, or at least a drill motor turning the speedometer cable to generate the pulses.

 

As VidAZ mentioned, you also need to check the vacuum line and the mechanical linkage. It is also important to know that no cruise control on either a motorcycle or car, will work under 25 MPH...

[MiCarl]

Only when I get above 30mph will anything happen

 

It's not supposed to work below 30MPH.

 

but when I hit the set button the set light does not come on but the resume light does come on.

 

This is the classic system of a brake or clutch switch not closing. The computer sees the pulses from the speedometer reed switch and sets, but immediately detects that the clutch or brake is pulled and automatically cancels the cruise. This will happen if the brake or clutch pivots are worn - common.

[Duderoy]

The read switch is absolutely working fine clear to the CPU computer you only have to turn the wheel about 20 degrees before you register zero ohms to infinity ohms that part is easy it works fine. Like I said the resume light only activates above 30 mile an hour so I know that the CPU is registering the read switch on the speedometer. I can absolutely rule out the clutch brake lever pedal and cancel switch all those are wired in series and I have 12 V at the CPU they are all working properly this is why am so confused . Why would the resume light instantly light up when I hit the set switch though?

[Flyinfool]

There have been cases where the wind blowing on the clutch lever is enough to open the cancel switch. Try pushing the clutch and brake levers forward while setting the cruise at a speed above 30 MPH. If you can, also lift up on the brake pedal with your foot at the same time. all may be good while stationary but under dynamic loads it could be intermittent.

 

Mine also takes about 10 seconds to engage from the time I hit set, If I hit set and let go of the throttle the bike will slow down enough for the cruse to drop out.

[BratmanXj]

There have been cases where the wind blowing on the clutch lever is enough to open the cancel switch. Try pushing the clutch and brake levers forward while setting the cruise at a speed above 30 MPH. If you can, also lift up on the brake pedal with your foot at the same time. all may be good while stationary but under dynamic loads it could be intermittent.

 

Mine also takes about 10 seconds to engage from the time I hit set, If I hit set and let go of the throttle the bike will slow down enough for the cruse to drop out.

 

Mine kicks off at the slightest bump in the road or a good stiff cross-wind catches the bike the wrong way. If I hold the levers out with the tip of the finger it isn't affected as much. I guess it would be time to replace the nearly 20 yr old levers and clean/adjust the switches.

[Flyinfool]

The bushings that the levers pivot on are known to wear out. You do grease them regularly don't you? I clean all of my handlebar switches as part of my spring maintenance.

[BratmanXj]

The bushings that the levers pivot on are known to wear out. You do grease them regularly don't you? I clean all of my handlebar switches as part of my spring maintenance.

 

Yes, I do clean & grease everything in the spring "wake-up" but I purchased the bike well used at 14 yrs old and 50k miles. I haven't traveled as much since I purchased the bike (dang adult responsibilities holding me back ) so I don't use the cruise often so it hasn't been a top priority to fix the issue.

[Duderoy]

I have tried pushing clutch lever forward, pulling up on the brake lever, and I have bypassed the brake lever switch. Why does the "RESUME " light come on when I use the set lever. Never does the set light come on except during power up.

[videoarizona]

Don't know why the resume switch lights up yet cruise doesn't work. We are missing something simple.....I think..

[Flyinfool]

OK silly idea here, are the bulbs reversed for the set and resume lights, I am trying to remember but I thought there was enough slack in the wires to put the bulbs in the wrong location.

 

So you push the set button and the resume light comes on?

If you then hit the brake by chance does the set light come on?

If you hit set and the resume light comes on, did you then try hitting resume?

 

Give the cruise some time to wake up. Mine takes 5-10 seconds to do anything, If I release the throttle right away after hitting set or resume the bike will slow down enough for it to kick out on under speed. I have to hold the speed just a couple MPH less than what I set it for until I feel the cruise take up the slack.

[Duderoy]

Thanks for the input but when I hit the set only the resume comes on and it will never go back out until I get below 30 mile an hour or power of the cruise down. Hitting the resume does nothing even though I have tested for 12 V at the CPU the resume,cancel ,set everything is powering correctly at the CPU . I have tried holding the set button down for a while no help every time I hit set the resume light flickers once it's on . I really don't want to buy a third CPU to try that because both CPUs are acting the exact same but I don't know what else it could be

[cimmer]

Have you check the vacuum pump and the vacuum line to the vacuum activator? The pump is located in the right side of the fairing and the activator is in the left side. The activator is what controls the throttle cable to change speeds. The vacuum line runs a long the front of the fairing to connect the two. It is possible if there is no vacuum, the system will not set and activate. Make sure you are getting a vacuum from the pump and that you see it at the activator end of the line and also check to see if the activator can hold a vacuum also. Also make sure the pump is getting proper power. I would do all of this before changing out the Control unit assemble again.

There is a troubleshooting guide in the service manual, least for the 86-93 Ventures and I am sure there is for the 83-85 ones also.

Let us know how it is going.

Rick F.

[Duderoy]

Yeah my manual said the same thing and I check the vacuum pump with a 12 V battery was able to work the diaphragm and move the throttle no problem I think next I will check the harness between the control unit and the vacuum pump maybe if I'm lucky I have a bad connection

[Duderoy]

Since I have bought this bike with the cruise control not working can anyone tell me the exact process of the three lights when you hit the set button does the green set light instantly come on or is there a delay

[cimmer]

I am going by memory here, but I recall pushing the power button and all the lights coming on and then just the ON light is shining green. Pushing the set button cause the SET light, Blue light, to come on also and stays on the whole time the cruise is set and working. Hitting the brakes, clutch or cancel button, causes the amber resume light to come on with the blue set light going out. Once the resume button it pressed, the amber light is out and the blue light is back on.

I havent got my VR up and running at the moment to verify all of this but maybe someone can double check for us and correct anything stated here that isnt correct.

 

Hope this helps.

Rick F.

[Flyinfool]

Your description is good except you have blue and green reversed. Blue (Right hand most light) is power on and green (center light) is set. Amber, resume, is right hand most light.

[frankd]

Apply vacuum to the bellows with a hand pump and verify that it doesn't leak. I've never had to work on my cruise control except for the levers, but after I checked the bellow for leaKS, I'd connect a small 12 volt bulb across the vacuum pump motor and go for a ride to see if it's receiving power. When you tested to make sure the vacuum pump would run, did you check if it was producing vacuum? The solenoid that opens to reduce speed may be stuck open.

 

I don't think you have a lever problem, because when that happens the only light that will be on would be the power light.

 

In response to those that have levers that won't stay in the released position by themselves......I fought with mine, replacing the bushing around the bolt, but no help. To get my cruise to work, I had to manually hold the clutch lever in the released position. I went up to ACE Hardware and found a spring that was the same diameter as the spring in the lever, but slightly longer. I installed it about 4 years ago and everything is still working properly.

 

Frank D.

[paysaw]

I took apart a speedo once from an 86 Venture that showed speed but no mileage. There are gears in the speedo that run the mileage counter.One side of it was worn out.There seemed no way to fix it aside from completely disassembling it.Just thought I would throw that out if it meant something.