Just thought I'd post up a problem and solution that I found a while back. Just before heading down to EOM I noticed that I could no longer just pull the clutch lever in when the bike was in gear and start the bike. I like to stop the bike at gas stops, etc. by just lowering the side stand with the bike left in 1st gear. Then when it's time to go, I just raise the sidestand, pull in the clutch and thumb the starter button to take off.
Well, my '05 FJR quit allowing me to do that for no apparent reason. I could still start the bike in Neutral. And the bike still died when the side stand was lowered, so that kind of told me those two switches were hunky-dory. Got out my trusty multi-meter and pulled the connector off the starter interlock relay under the seat and found the clutch switch connection was very flaky. As I pulled and released the lever it would intermittently make connection, but at full pull was almost always an open when it should'a been a short.
Removed the clutch switch, which was a little bit fiddly, and disassembled the switch. The switch is fairly crude sliding contact affair and the problem was immediately obvious upon disassembly. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures (I know, I'm sorry, mea culpa) but all of the contacts inside were covered with crusty green corrosion. A few minutes with a pointy screwdriver followed by polishing with a pencil eraser, followed by a generous dallop of silicone dielectric grease and all was right with the world (and my clutch switch) once again.
In retrospect, the reason the switch got crusty is fairly obvious. It's hanging out there in the weather and the housing is intentionally made to not be weather tight. A prudent type "A" person would remove his or her switch and service it prophylactically. The dielectric grease should help hold off the onset of switch disease.
Or you could just wait for the symptoms and deal with it then.
Hope that's helpful to someone else. See you down the road...
Well, my '05 FJR quit allowing me to do that for no apparent reason. I could still start the bike in Neutral. And the bike still died when the side stand was lowered, so that kind of told me those two switches were hunky-dory. Got out my trusty multi-meter and pulled the connector off the starter interlock relay under the seat and found the clutch switch connection was very flaky. As I pulled and released the lever it would intermittently make connection, but at full pull was almost always an open when it should'a been a short.
Removed the clutch switch, which was a little bit fiddly, and disassembled the switch. The switch is fairly crude sliding contact affair and the problem was immediately obvious upon disassembly. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures (I know, I'm sorry, mea culpa) but all of the contacts inside were covered with crusty green corrosion. A few minutes with a pointy screwdriver followed by polishing with a pencil eraser, followed by a generous dallop of silicone dielectric grease and all was right with the world (and my clutch switch) once again.
In retrospect, the reason the switch got crusty is fairly obvious. It's hanging out there in the weather and the housing is intentionally made to not be weather tight. A prudent type "A" person would remove his or her switch and service it prophylactically. The dielectric grease should help hold off the onset of switch disease.
Or you could just wait for the symptoms and deal with it then.
Hope that's helpful to someone else. See you down the road...
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