wiring oil signal light

[Omarttentmaker]

I gotta ask this because I think there's a mistake in the wiring diagram in the manual. On page 171 there's a wiring diagram for '49-'54. A black wire comes off terminal 5 on the dash switch, and it goes to terminal 6, an insulated terminal on the dash base itself. This is a hot wire that is activated when the switch is turned to the first position to start the bike. 2 wires come from the oil signal light. One is from the center, and the other is from a terminal that is attached to the bulb socket. The diagram shows the one from the bulb socket being attached to terminal 6, where the hot wire is also attached. How can this be right, as the bulb socket is actually the ground side of the bulb assembly? Wouldn't it make more sense to attach the center wire out of the socket to the hot terminal, and the ground wire to terminal 7, the terminal below terminal 6 on the dash? when I wire it the way the diagram shows, I get a dead short.

[Rubone]

The light socket should be insulated, the ground is through the oil pressure sending unit. What dash base do you have?

[Omarttentmaker]

It's an OEM dash that's seen better days. Is there a chance that the socket has lost its insulation? If I test between the socket and the dash itself, it shouldn't show continuity. Haven't done that yet.