| Author | Message | ||
     Tootal |
Back in October my brother and I rode to Buelltoberfest at TWoS. The bike ran flawless the whole time there. On our ride to Alabama though it started to cut out and sometimes die completely. I'd have to turn the key off and back on briskly to get it to fire back up. Not fun on two lanes with no shoulder! Once at the hotel I tore it apart and found the electrical contacts pretty dirty. I cleaned it with contact cleaner and relubed with dielectric grease. This seemed to cure it but it raised it's ugly head while heading toward home. Due to weather I decided to stay in Nashville where I tore it apart again and shoved a piece of electrical tape in the female side of the electrical side so the male side would be tighter as there was wear making it sloppy. This also worked quite well until I got a few miles from home. The springs on the contacts have gotten weak over time and they won't hold the contacts in position anymore and the play in the cylinder to contacts connection wasn't helping any either. I finally got around to trying to locate a new contact side and found it on fleabay. With shipping and tax it ended up at 50 bucks. I installed it the other day. While it was apart I found my piece of tape had worked it's way out and that's why it was failing again. The new part fit much tighter and the detents are much tighter too. So it should be good. Now to go figure out why the left heated hand grip isn't working! I just wanted to put that out there for anybody having a similar problem. | ||
| Hughlysses |
My switch started cutting up ~10 years ago right in the middle of an MSF class. Switched the bike on, but no lights or gauge sweep. I frantically jiggle the key a few times until finally it starts working again. I think it happened at least once more during class. A few days later, I removed the flyscreen and examined the ignition switch. I noticed there were 1 or 2 small holes in the side, so I got my handy can of Radio Shack contact cleaner/lubricant out, stuck the spray tube into the hole(s) and gave it a long spray. I cycled the key a bunch, and then gave it another spray. Fingers crossed, but it’s worked flawlessly ever since. It is good to know a more extensive repair is possible. | ||
| Tootal |
Glad that worked for you! I disassembled the switch and wiped it out, sprayed contact cleaner and used an eraser to polish the contacts. Like I said, it worked for a while. The spring loaded balls just couldn't hold the detents anymore. | ||
| Tootal |
Just got back from a nice ride at 55 degrees! Bike ran perfect. I forgot to put the part number so here it is: IGNITION SWITCH BODY ELEC C0152.1AD . Here's a link to fleabay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/314274712535 | ||
| Heavy18 |
Just wanted to thank you for posting this up and adding the PN and eBay link. I just purchased one, I'm not sure if I'll immediately install or try the contact cleaner first and save the new part for an eventuality... I've had my bike cut-out twice now while riding. The tell-tale sign that it was the ignition switch was that the whole bike would go dead - all lights and gauges off. After a moment of confusion I'd cycle the key a couple times and it would act normal again. On my last 3-day trip it started not responding when I would turn the key (probably happened 4 different times). Again, cycling the key 2-3 times would usually get the ol girl going. (No time to address it on a group ride - when the group is pulling out you have to get going!) Knowing the source of the problem is NOT knowing the fix - now I'm happy to have two courses of action! I love riding my Buell but I can easily see how I would hate owning it if not for the resources on this forum! | ||
| Fireboltwillie |
surprised i missed this... thinking i may pick one up and put it in the spare parts kit when i travel. thanks, Tootal! | ||
| Pushr0d |
Heavy18, be sure you check your grounds, especially #4 on the front of the steering neck. The wires tend to break at the terminal clip. | ||
| Heavy18 |
Yes, grounds, thank you. I have cleaned them all and added the bridge to negative terminal to all the grounds under the seat. I added a heavy gauge ground wire up to the frame-side engine mount. Next steps are to run a ground from the engine mount to coil pack and another to the steering neck you mention. I have recently unscrewed that lug, cleaned those connectors and the frame contact and reinstalled. All the wires are good with no discernible weak spots, and the terminal connectors actually looked non-corroded as well, but I still plan to run the grounding wire to that location. It seems like there are about a dozen common issues with legacy Buells, once you know them you can generally stay out in front of it... (Grounds, shift-side electric connectors, stator, temp sensor, O2 sensor, fuel pump wiring, ECU, throttle sensor, tip over sensor ... Well, maybe there's more than 12!  ) |
