[Hardy6231]

imported post

Greetings from sunny Australia, wish I could ride more often but there is this thing called "Work"

My 1997 model 1500 Aspencade bought in Australia has developed some secrets....been sitting for a while, one day started with difficulties, replaced battery, the usual and all went well....just too little use. Then no display panel ...fiddled....then no green light for neutral. Fiddled....put in gear and 'pushed back/forward'...got it going somehow. Next time worse...put in reverse....jiggled...pushed, in 1st pushed back/forward....it startet.

Today it let me down completely. Ignition on, oil light, temp etc is ok, but no OD or Neutral lights. Checked clutch switch per manual - works ok, sidestand switch is ok, checked reverse switch per manual - works ok, checked fuses - all ok, checked the black 6pole connector for gear position switch and measured approx 06.V for Neutral and approx 11.6V on all other wires (2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th=OD)

Didnt check bulb of Neutral light, concluded that issue most likely is caused by faulty gear position switch, as there is also no light for OD.


From manual I understand working through gears each of the cables in black connector should turn to ~12V incl the Neutral position, mine does not. Mine shows 11.6V regardless of which gear is selected on all but Neutral.

My conclusion - the gear position switch must be broken/faulty. Does anyone have any comments?

What if I bridge out the switch by putting 12V onto the Neutral connector - thus fooling the switch so that I get the bike running to get it to the workshop?

The gear position switch is just inside the front motor panel - I have read removing this requires several seals, O-rings for water pump etc....seems rather involved incl oil & coolant change, struck me this is better left to the workshop?

Anyone any comments on removing the cover on a 1500 from 1997? How involved is it?

Hope to get some ideas from colleagues more experienced - I am at the end of my wisdom for today, tomorrow is another day.

Thank you for reading this, kind regards Hardy

 

[AZgl1800]

imported post

First, let me welcome you to the forum. And this will put you back on top.

Someone who knows that switch business will be along soon.
Have a nice day, down under. :waving:

 

[DBohrer]

imported post

Hardy6231 wrote:

Greetings from sunny Australia, wish I could ride more often but there is this thing called "Work"

My 1997 model 1500 Aspencade bought in Australia has developed some secrets....been sitting for a while, one day started with difficulties, replaced battery, the usual and all went well....just too little use. Then no display panel ...fiddled....then no green light for neutral. Fiddled....put in gear and 'pushed back/forward'...got it going somehow. Next time worse...put in reverse....jiggled...pushed, in 1st pushed back/forward....it startet.

Today it let me down completely. Ignition on, oil light, temp etc is ok, but no OD or Neutral lights. Checked clutch switch per manual - works ok, sidestand switch is ok, checked reverse switch per manual - works ok, checked fuses - all ok, checked the black 6pole connector for gear position switch and measured approx 06.V for Neutral and approx 11.6V on all other wires (2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th=OD)

Didnt check bulb of Neutral light, concluded that issue most likely is caused by faulty gear position switch, as there is also no light for OD.


From manual I understand working through gears each of the cables in black connector should turn to ~12V incl the Neutral position, mine does not. Mine shows 11.6V regardless of which gear is selected on all but Neutral.

My conclusion - the gear position switch must be broken/faulty. Does anyone have any comments?

What if I bridge out the switch by putting 12V onto the Neutral connector - thus fooling the switch so that I get the bike running to get it to the workshop?

The gear position switch is just inside the front motor panel - I have read removing this requires several seals, O-rings for water pump etc....seems rather involved incl oil & coolant change, struck me this is better left to the workshop?

Anyone any comments on removing the cover on a 1500 from 1997? How involved is it?

Hope to get some ideas from colleagues more experienced - I am at the end of my wisdom for today, tomorrow is another day.

Thank you for reading this, kind regards Hardy

Hardy,

Before you dig too deep into things, I would swap the # 3 relay with the # 5 relay. When the # 3 relay fails, it can cause some weird things to happen. Won't do any harm and just might help.

It is not impossible but the gear position switches rarely ever fail on the GL1500's.

 

[Hardy6231]

imported post

Hi DBohrer, thanks for your suggestion, I did this, well I tried - not sure I got the right #3 and #5 relay, I swapped a couple of relays to no avail.

I tested the switch itself (connector disconnected, on switch side of harness) and measured 4.6 Ohm in Neutral betweeen the lightgreen-red and earth. In fifth I measured 62 Ohm between green-orange and earth. All other connections were infinite resistance. Doesnt that basically confirm the switch works ok?

Somehow I doubt now that it is actually the switch? The LCD powers up, so does the Reverse "R" light but neither OD or Neutral lights do anything. It wouldn't be something stupid like a pulled wire, disconnected plug or a wire rubbing on the frame?

PS: I swapped the bottom left relay against the one above and against the top right one, but maybe I got this wrong? I could not find any reference anywhere telling me which relay is actually which?

All comments welcome ...kind regards, Hardy

 

[FitzAl]

imported post

In reality there is little between 11.6 and 12 volts so the switch might not be to blame.

 

[DBohrer]

imported post

I'll betcha a "dollar to a doughnut" you have a bad "reverse lever switch".

Here is why............

A black/white wire runs from the reverse lever switch to the "neutral" indicator light on the dash.

A light green/red wire runs from the "neutral" indicator light on the dash to the reverse diode assembly.

A white/blue wire runs from the reverse lever switch to the reverse diode assembly.

You have one of three things:

1. A bad reverse lever switch.

2. A bad reverse diode assembly.

3. A bad neutral indicator light bulb. Yes...the bulb needs to work or there are issues.

The most likely culprit is the reverse lever switch.

There are considerably more problems with reverse lever switches than there are with the neutral indicator light bulbs.

Note: Your reverse is working........right??

PS: I just resolved a headlight issue for someone on another message board, it was a
bad reverse lever switch. Many times folks tend to overlook that switch as causing
more problems than just reverse related. Other circuits are interfaced with that
switch.


Here are your relay positions:

Relay # 1 (top left) is horn/turn.

Relay # 2 (top center) is stop lights.

Relay # 3 (top right) is tail main.

Relay # 4 (second down on left) is headlight high beam.

Relay # 5 (third down on left) is air pump.

Relay # 6 (bottom left) is ignition/cruise.

Relay # 7 (second down on right) is position lights.

Relay # 8 (third down on right) is headlight low beam.

 

[Hardy6231]

imported post

Your replay has made a lot of sense. I have checked the reverse lever switch once more tonight.

First I checked the neutral light, geez what a task to get to it. Bulb is ok....

From the manual it suggests to check continuity between cable and connector and between connector and the internal plunger part of reverse lever switch.

The latter showed intermittent results, sometimes there is continuity sometimes there is not - my guess at this stage is to get a new switch and then test it again - hope it works.

The engine does not start....solenoid cuts in but starter motor does to do anything. Reverse is also dead....absolutely nothing.

Will let you know - getting the switch might take a 'little' while.

 

[DBohrer]

imported post

The Reverse Lever Switch feeds power to the Reverse Diode Assembly.

Look at page 18-3 and see what all the Reverse Diode Assembly is interfaced with.

Note the green/red wire that activates the "starter relay switch B" which in turn powers the "starter motor" which also "runs the reverse".

I believe you are on the right track............!!

 

[Derekndonna]

imported post

put the bike in neutral ignition on and waggle the reverse lever up and down see if your neutral light comes on

 

[racingbanker16]

imported post

3. A bad neutral indicator light bulb. Yes...the bulb needs to work or there are issues.



Are you saying that there must be continuity through the lightfor the starter to be engaged and a bad bulb would prevent it starting? I have a somewhat similar situation. My bike rolled forward off the sidestand and there was some damage done to the fairing. Later in the day I started having difficulty getting the light to light up. (The bike was in neutral but no green light and it would never start until the light was on?) Was on a 3 day trip away from home and the final two days were somewhat interestingnot knowing if the bike was going to start or not? I had to roll it off a couple of times and 'jumped' the front solenoid directly from the battery several times to get it started.A few times I was able to jiggle the reverse lever to get a green light but nothing I tried worked every time except jumping the solenoid? I spoke to the Honda Dealer and he asked which side in fell on; I said the left and he said he had heard of having starting difficulties in such cases but did not elaborate? The insurance adjuster said they would cover the repairs but now the Honda Dealer says it has started for them every time they tried to start it? He also mentioned the BAS. I know that shuts the bike off in case of an upset but I have not heard of it acting 'intermittently' like mine? I have been thinking of adding a permanent 'jumper' to the solenoid if they can't find out for sure what has been happening. Any suggestions of where to run the 'jumper'?

 

[Hardy6231]

imported post

Hi DBohrer, you deserve a medal and a free dinner should you ever come to Australia. It took a few days to get a new switch and a very nice bloke from Perth brought it with him from the big smoke (~200km away) on Saturday. I looked at the switch and thought: That is the wrong 'gadget' - nothing like I had expected.
I have got a "Haynes" manual and expected it to be correct, well, I had to find out the hard way. On page 9-10 it refers to the reverse switch - a plunger type switch with one wire on the right hand side of the engine block. The text refers to how to test this switch which gave me above mentioned inconsistent results.
When I received my new "switch" I thought it was completely wrong (expecting the plunger part), but after a few hours of further research I had the left hand top cover off and found what I now know is the reverse lever switch. The new one fitted in without problem and to my utter amazement did the starter motor turn on the first push of the starter button.

DBohrer, thanks for your help, less than $40 and a 'few' hours put the bike back on the road. Someone else I turned to - working for one of those sites charging for their services - confirmed my initial thought that I had to change the gear position switch inside the front motor cover - glad I did not do that as it would not have fixed the problem but cost me lots more in parts and time.
I learned a lot - if you ever come downunder - call in, there will always be a dinner for you.

 

[Hardy6231]

imported post

racingbanker16 - from what I have just learnt your symptoms ring true with what I saw - green light came on but not always, it started but not always.....considering where the reversing switch is located I could very easily imagine that it or one of the wires got damaged during the fall. Take the left hand top cover off around the reversing lever and inspect for damage.....I paid A$37 for the switch and it was obviously faulty - testing the new one with an ohmmeter gave different results compared to the old one and I had done nothing, well come to think about it, I bought mine from and elderly gentlemen over 10 years ago through a dealer and heard he had rolled it - onto the left hand side, the gear lever and crash bar was slightly bent. Maybe it took 10 years to manifest itself - who knows, just change the switch bet that will fix your problem too. Dont thank me - thank DBohrer for putting me on the right track.

PS The new switch returned infinite continuity on one pair and no resistance on the other pair - once switched both reversed, my old one reversed only one pair the other stayed unchanged.

 

[racingbanker16]

imported post

Hardy6231



If the dealer doesn't get it repairedI will order and replace the switch myself. Thanks for the info.