Neutral Switch glitches

[gregforesi]

About a month ago I noticed the that neutral light would come on randomly in different gears. After poking around here it would appear that the switch needs R&R and I have another switch sitting here ... but I've gotten to be real lazy.

My question is: Since the oil has to come out regardless - has anyone had any success with a block flush in cleaning up the internals of the switch?
(FYI This engine is from a '77 and sat for 35 years before I put it into the bike. There are currently about 20k miles on the engine.)

[Whiskerfish]

Short answer is no. I have tried several way to refresh those thing including the 12volt burn off etc I read about somewhere.
Roncar rebuilt one here https://ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... 32#p428738

[gregforesi]

Thanks boss. I believe this is just a stickiness thing rather than wear. If I have to take it out, then that's what it will be.

I was getting some oil up out of the fork seals and I read a silly thing about running a shim around the inside of the seal in case a piece of dirt was causing the leak. That was 5 years ago and they haven't leaded since.
I'll cross my fingers and throw some MMO into it tomorrow under the heading of "It Can't Hurt". I'm only down in Florida so if the flush doesn't work I'm close enough that you should hear the swearing and gnashing of teeth.

[redglbx]

I’d make sure it’s not a bad diode before I did anything else, that’s what it was on my 76, much, much easier than futzing with the switch.

[gregforesi]

Engine flush didn't work. The 12v burn off did.
I was able to take a nap instead of spending two hours replacing the switch AND I still have a spare switch.

[redglbx]

Greg, can you give a brief lesson on what the 12v burn off is ?

[gregforesi]

I have a battery charger with a "Start" function. It's able to kick out 12v and high amps. I disconnected the battery ground on the bike, hooked up the charger 12v negative to the engine block ground and the + lead of the charger to a skinny screwdriver. With the bike in gear (neutral switch supposed to be open) I tapped the center post screw of the neutral switch 2 or 3 times with the screwdriver to put 12v through the switch. Any carbon track should have burned off since it was creating a dead short. I went around and changed gears, and did it again. I don't know if changing gears makes a difference but I had everything in front of me and figured it couldn't hurt. (Unless of course there was a bunch of gasoline in the oil, but then I wouldn't be typing this.)

And now for the rest of the story...
The battery charger is a Sears model. I'm guessing I bought it in about 1972. It has worked fine all these years and even survived being run over by my pickup truck.
Try getting service like that from something you buy today!!!

[redglbx]

Thanks Greg !