Time to replace the ignition switch on Frankenbike

[blassoff]

So...at 105,000 miles the ignition switch is giving up the ghost. I insert the key and turn and nothing happens, do this about 20 times and eventually it turns on and allows me to fire up the bike.

I'm trying to figure out my options:

A) I can simply find a used gen1 ignition switch and replace the existing. Keys won't match but it's a quick solution.

B) Folks are selling something called "YAMAHA 90891-30058-00 FJR1300 1300 KEY SET". It looks like a brand new OEM ignition switch with keys and replacement hardware. It's listed as a gen2 replacement. Could this be the factory recall part? Will it even fit a 2004?

C) Buy a new or used switch and have it re-keyed.

Being a cheap bastage, I'm liking option B, if it fits. New switch and it's seriously less expensive than buying an oem replacement for the 04..

Please let me know if my thinking is flawed or if other options exist that I haven't yet discovered.

Thanks, Baz

 

[Canadian FJR]

There are one of two things that may be happening;

1) The red or brown wire broke at the solder of the base

2) the plastic tabs at the base of the ignition overheated and are sticking

I had both happen at different times. Both can be repaired.

I eventually replaced my full ignition assembly and use a different key.

I'll see if I can find the number.

Canadian FJR

 

[FJRay]

I repaired the switch on my 03 and made my own relay set up before it became popular. It was still working fine a 100k later when I sold it. If the contacts aren't to fried you can clean things up and put it back together. If you don't have the relay set up see if you can find one of Brodie's excellent units and you'll have no more troubles.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Read post #332 about a Gen I ignition issue (towards the very end-several multi-quotes):

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/26098-fjrf0030-ignition-failures-on-fjrs/page-17

Quote:

"since the reports of failure for my '04 Gen I are low and seem to focus on dirty contacts and not broken wires, I plan to use the high tech recommended contact cleaner on my FJR if necessary if/when I experience a dead ignition switch being confident I can follow the lead from here and click the key on/off 50-100 times to get the bike back in operation."

End quote.

 

[wetwolf]

I pulled the ig switch on my bandit aprt in June due to inconsisant operation. It was pretty apparent it was the electrical part of te switch, not te mechanical. Good contact cleaner a little dielevtric grease and some white lithium on the mechanical and all is good

 

[FJR Flyer]

You should be able to pull the lockset out of your existing ignition and install it in a new switch.

 

[PJ4863]

Do a search on the ignition recall for the part number. The original gen 1 switch was expensive, the replacement for the recall was like 30$ if I remember. A gen II ignition will work as well.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I'm curious as to why folks would buy new parts/ tear down, etc, BEFORE even trying a squirt of contact cleaner???

 

[Brodie]

Baz

Contact cleaner might work temporarily, however the ignition switch is showing classic symptoms of heat damage to the plastic component which carries the spring loaded contacts which complete the electrical circuit when the key is rotated to the on position.

The good news is that the switch can be opened up serviced, however the root cause of too many amps flowing across a single pair of contacts is still there. The official Yamaha recall switch addresses that by doubling the amount of contacts in play thereby splitting the load between them and reducing the effect of heat generated resistance on this assembly.

My suggestion is to get the recall ignition switch for the 2nd Gen. FJR; it is a direct swap for the 1st Gen. FJR. The color of the small plastic connector may be different, I believe blue for Gen 1 - red for Gen 2, but the actual functions are the same. This is a 2 pole single throw switch with a lock attached to it. A pair of thin wires are switched on and off which kills the engine, and a pair of thick wires are switched on and off which carries upwards of 50 amps of power.

When you address the root problem by either buying the recall switch, or fixing the existing one by opening it up and indexing the plastic component which contains the spring loaded contacts 180 degrees, then you can successfully add an additional switch relay to the ignition circuit such as the one I used to build. If you are truly the cheap bastage as you say you are, and are handy with a drill and small easy-outs, try servicing the existing switch. Building an Ignition Switch Relay Harness can be a fun project afterwards to complete the repairs.

JMHO

Brodie

 

[blassoff]

I am a cheapskate, but not opposed to throwing money at a problem. I bought a brand new switch (the recall part) for $30 on ebay, picked it up this morning. I hope to drill the old switch, install the new and swap the tumblers (new switch, same key) $30 and a little tinkering. I'm cool with that. I'll keep y'all posted, hope to make the swap this weekend. And yes, I'll pull the old switch apart and see what broke. Contact cleaner had little to no effect

Thanks, Baz

 

[blassoff]

You should be able to pull the lockset out of your existing ignition and install it in a new switch.

Hope you're right, that'd be awesome!

 

[FJR Flyer]

You should be able to pull the lockset out of your existing ignition and install it in a new switch.

Hope you're right, that'd be awesome!

I've replaced the ignition twice and kept the same lockset and key both times.

 

[Brodie]

Baz

Just to assure that you did get THE recall ignition switch from your eBay retailer, it should have a yellow band on the pigtail harness near the end with the connectors. There will be 3 heavy gage wires coming out of the large white connector, 1 red, 1 tan, and 1 white. The white and red wire share the same connector blade, the tan wire occupies the other blade by itself.

Doesn't hurt to double check.

Brodie

 

[blassoff]

Thanks Brodie, yes I have the right one. Amazed at how inexpensive it was considering an oem gen1 replacement is several hundred dollars.

 

[blassoff]

Thanks Brodie, yes I have the right one. Amazed at how inexpensive it was considering an oem gen1 replacement is several hundred dollars.