A little direction, please !

I've got a potential neutral switch problem and I think it's necessary to change it out.
The maintenance manual states it's in a wiring harness in front of the battery. The parts dude at the local shop shows it in an entirely different place on his parts fisch, and not a "connector" looking thing at all. Can't even recognize what it is from the diagram, but it seems to be at the end of the shift mechanism - best description I can give. 2 parts, 2 different prices... ! Any input would be appreciated....... Thanks,

 

That should have been your's truly............ ! ! ! :wink:

 

the neutral switch is on the transmission, at the end of the shift mechanism. it looks like a nut with a wire connected to it. (like a back-up light switch on a manual trans in a car) you can unhook it to see if your light goes out. if it does that could be the problem.

 

What is the Neutral Switch doin'?

 

The NS light is on sometimes, off sometimes. When OFF, no start.... Last time I messed with it, I was jiggling the wire harness at the connector in front of the battery, and the light would flicker. Positioned the harness where the light stayed on, zip tied it down solid. Worked for about 60 miles of stop and go yesterday, then went out. It was on when I pulled up to the garage, so I shut the bike off. When I went to restart, it was off again... one of those deals... I think maybe it might be in the wiring rather than the switch itself, getting a short somewhere.... hate to even think about tearing into that harness.... ugh !

 

Little Neutral Light explanation...

- The neutral gearshaft indicator tells the bike that the bike is in neutral gear and allows the bike to be started.

- There is a microswitch under the clutch lever that allows the bike to be started with the clutch lever pulled in - for if you stall in traffic. (have you tried this?)

- There is also a silicon rectifier (also called a clutch diode) that prevents the neutral light from displaying as you cycle through the gears.

It's most likely a connector problem. I would start by cleaning and dielectric greasing all connectors relating to the neutral switch. Also ensuring all connections are secure.

If this doesn't work, I would then use a multimeter to verify continuity of each wire through each connector I just cleaned.

If that still doesn't work, I would then have to dig into the neutral gearshaft indicator and see if it is inoperative or otherwise compromised. I've attached a pic of where it is located on the left side of my '85 VF700F. You can't see it, but it's behind the red oil pipe. Not sure where it is on yours - check your manual.

Good luck and keep us informed!

 

When the NL is lit, I can start in neutral or with the clutch lever pulled in, either way. When no lit, neither way.... another prob I'm having is that it's always lit when garaged. Kind of hard to trouble shoot..... thanks for your input.... ! ! ! 'preciate it..

 

Not sure... in terms of what ?

 

If I was going NW, it was me.... I did a ride by and headed up the 710...

 

A little more info on the neutral/starter circuit...I agree with Mason..go directly to the light green/red wire that connects to the neutral indicator switch (mounted on engine). If you ground that wire it should make that whole circuit work (careful...your starter will turn no matter WHAT gear when you hit the starter button). If it does then work, you've isolated the problem to either the switch, or the contact with the bullet type connector that goes to it.

BTW, you CAN cheat the neutral/starter cut out in a fix (aversion to bump starting). If you follow your positive battery big cable lead to your starter relay, in addition to the big cables that go to it, there's a connector with a green/red wire. This wire supplies ground to the relay through the neutral indicator switch. That's why your bike won't start in gear. With a short wire or paper clip, manually ground this wire, and your starter should work with the button regardless of what gear the bike's actually in (not cool to hit the start unless you're SURE the bike is in neutral), or whether the neutral switch itself is bad.

 

check the DIODE in the starter circuit

 

Ok, tx..... I'm gettin' there...... ~