Clean your ignition switch too

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Roadrash

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Bike wouldn't start the other day. No spark, lights were inconsistent. Now what. I started checking connections & fuses. Everything looked fine. Dang, I thought my new electrical system was solid :( . Then I checked the ignition switch, one of the few original electrical components still left. Less than 1 volt measuring through the lights only position. This prompted me to pry open the crimps holding the sealed unit together :idea: . SPRING- things went flying :!: . Luckily everything landed on the workbench. I never thought there would be so much crud and corrosion on the contact points. After cleaning everything and reassembling I am amazed and pleased at how much more reliably the bike starts :D !
So, a heads up to all you restoring dirty old bikes - disassemble your ignition switch and clean the contacts.
 
Good advise! I need to check mine - 40+ years in the weather does not make for good working electric parts.

And do not forget to ensure your ground wire is solid / clean!
This is especially important for Electronic Ignitions.

tomas
 
tomspro said:
And do not forget to ensure your ground wire is solid / clean!
This is especially important for Electronic Ignitions.

tomas
Click to expand...

Have more than one grounding jumper over the isolastics + the entire frame having good contenuity + a common ground wire that all loads are connected to that connects to the battery. Redundancy is good here.

Good luck tomas
 
The staked connections were loose on mine, after fully dismantling, cleaning, lubing, I dropped some solder on there to make a good connection.
Clean your ignition switch too
 
rvich said:
batrider said:
Not just clean the contacts. Do the Mike Taglieri fix with epoxy.

http://www.nocnsw.org.au/technical/rebu ... terthannew
Click to expand...

After reading that I am thinking I will just buy a Honda switch!
Click to expand...


I picked up a $12 three position keyswitch from the local custom shop. It has been on the bike for about a year with no issues. I had dismantled and cleaned the original but it was still a little flaky. Easy enough to bypass on the side of the road but I prefer to be ON the road.
 
I had the same problem with the ignition switch on the 650SS when I got it. The previous owner complained of an intermittent misfire that was getting worse each year until he finally just parked the bike. He had a bike shop look at it, but they did not find the problem.
I found it by accident, noticed that the brake light did not come on with ignition turned on, wiggled the key, light came on.

As far as using Honda stuff, 45 year old Honda electrical components are fully capable of producing as much smoke as old Lucas.
Even new Honda electricals can make smoke

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... ota-recall
 
Be aware that the switch fitted to the MKIII series of 850 is differs from switches used on the earlier bikes. The number that appears on the back of the US version switch is 149SA, this number is on the white plastic backing plate with the terminal lugs on it. This switch is, in my opinion, more robust than the earlier switches and not as prone to developing problems as they were.

This switch can be disassembled and cleaned and treated with dielectric grease but the disassembly process differs from the older switches.

Remove the lock cylinder first, it will prevent removal of the base plate and contact rotor if it is not removed. Straighten the 3 locking tabs, I used a narrow screwdriver blade sharpened on the end. Pull the white plastic base with the terminal lugs on it from the metal housing with it will come the rotating part of the switch and the triangular contact plate and spring, all captured in one assembly.

While it would be possible to do a half way cleaning job of the contacts without going deeper into the switch you can take it apart further. Look at the back of the switch and you will see the heat staked or upset end of the shaft for the rotating portion of the switch. Carefully scrape away the plastic lump from the end of the shaft until it will snap back through the base.

Now you will be looking at the copper triangular plate and be able to access the contacts with the abrasive of your choice to polish them. I used a Cratex rubber cone in a Foredom tool to polish mine. Coat all contacts with dielectric grease and reassemble and heat stake the shaft. You may have to counter bore the shaft bore to have enough material to effectively heat stake the shaft. A soldering gun or iron is ideal for staking the shaft.

If you lost track of the orientation of the rotating parts the hole in the shaft lines up with the hole in the housing and the single contact dimple end of the copper triangle points away from the hole in the housing. (the contact piece has a rectangular hole in it and it can only go in one of two ways, the correct orientation has the single dimple pointed to 6 o'clock if you have the hole in the shaft and housing pointed to 12 o'clock) Would post pictures if I had the appropriate camera but if you got this far without breaking anything I am sure you will figure out what I am attempting to say about the orientation of this piece.

Hpshooter
T W Hudson
INOA 2036
 
Hello All:
Got tired of engine stopping while riding, the fix was to wiggle the key, so yesterday replaced whole key-switch. Now bike starts first press of the electric foot and Better peace of mind going through corners!
Peter
 
I had trouble with mine a year or 2 ago, cleaned it and so far it's good. But be prepared to bypass it. The early ones are easy, just takes a piece of wire.
 
One thing I and Wes learned is not to have much or any key fob bouncing and blowing as tends to beat terminal operation to fail. What was Norton thinking facing key forward in some modles. I have gotten dead old fashioned flash lights to work and dim ones to brighten alot by the various Detox De-oxidation liquids but needs repeating every few years. Someday Norton will issue keyless solid state proximately switches reacting to your tatoo.
 
batrider said:
Not just clean the contacts. Do the Mike Taglieri fix with epoxy.

http://www.nocnsw.org.au/technical/rebu ... terthannew
Click to expand...
I did this with 'Araldite' epoxy and every winter when the switch isn't used a film builds on the contacts resulting in no electrical circuit in January/February. Three times I've stripped it but this yr I just worked the switch hard until I got the warning light. It needs to come apart really as the parking light feature is dicky! Something in the epoxy I'm guessing but I really don't know and it didn't do this before the mod. Just a FWIW really...
 
Get your self one of these units for 20$, problem solved, and fits standard ignition opening. Retrofitted each of my old bikes with one, only problem is identifying which key goes where because they all look the same
Clean your ignition switch too
 
or better still

just buy a new Lucas replacement switch $40.00 plug on the terminals and carry on riding
 
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