Clutch switch circuit not working question?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

At present my starter lead is not connected as I do not want to turn the engine over whilst doing my wiring loom connections.
Most of my wiring loom is connected up and working as it should with just the horn to finally wire up plus  power to the electronic ignition.

When I have the bike in neutral the green neutral indicator illuminates up as it should with the ignition on - if I press the start button I can hear the starter solenoid click. I have checked wiring to the solenoid and also that the new clutch switch works in terms of making a circuit when the lever is operated.

If I put the bike in gear then pull in the clutch lever then operate the starter button it does not click. In this circuit is the Diode that plugs into the loom circuit fed by a green wire/red trace and pale green/red trace involved?

No idea what this little plug in diode does - is there a way to test it / can this fail causing my clutch switch circuit to not work as it should?

As an after thought could it be something as simple as the cable from the battery being bolted onto the wrong side of the solenoid as the green/red trace connection goes straight into the solenoid wheras the other connection is bolted on with the power lead from the battery?

[Deano400]

Hi Ted.
It's possible that the clutch switch isn't earthing. I think the diode is to stop the neutral light coming on when the bike is in gear with the clutch pulled in and the starter pressed.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Hi Ted.
It's possible that the clutch switch isn't earthing. I think the diode is to stop the neutral light coming on when the bike is in gear with the clutch pulled in and the starter pressed.

I'll try a different earth connection & see if anything changes at present I'm using a quad green connector in the main  loom - I'll check the other earth(s) onto the frame etc.

[Deano400]

Having said about the earth it could also be the green/red connection to the clutch switch.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I went back to basics - I removed the clutch switch unit & bench tested it - worked fine - put it back into the clutch lever housing - it worked fine with test lamp circuit - fitted the lever - not working!

I've shaved a bit off the nylon button  - now it works when the lever is fitted all is as it should be, nice click from the solenoid now.
Cheap e-bay replacement @ £6.00 including postage to blame or it might be the whole clutch lever is not original.

Your mention of a bad earth Deano got me thinking - I have not yet fitted the headlamp  into the bowl I did try the headlamp out semi-dangling it was rather yellow clearly some earthing / connection issues. Rather than earth the headlamp via the green loom connections might be better to fit earth wires to my none standard headlamp assembly via the  bowl as per the original fittments.

That led me to another question where/how do the earth wires in the loom connect to the frame?

There is a solitary green earth cable that is bolted to the air filter housing above the regulator is that the only earth connection into the loom itself?
Earthing my bowl to the frame & connecting it to the loom earth in the bowl might be better.
 

[Oddjob]

Usually one near the coils.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Usually one near the coils.

Looking at my old wiring loom I can only find the one green earth wire with a round connector on the end - that is the one I have bolted above the regulator. Just the one frame ground is shown on the wiring diagram.

I will fit an additional frame ground under the seat where the indicator earth wires are plus one at the headlamp bowl if I can hide it suitably.

[BigAl (Alan)]

Not wishing to change the thread...it is related to the diode assembly, was there a part number for the rubber boot that supports the 2-way connector and diode? as image Handy item, as it also has a slot to clip onto the bike frame.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Not wishing to change the thread...it is related to the diode assembly, was there a part number for the rubber boot that supports the 2-way connector and diode? as image Handy item, as it also has a slot to clip onto the bike frame.

Yes that's like mine in my case it was the poor quality clutch switch. As Deano said the diode is to stop the current back flow when you pull the lever that would otherwise cause the neutral light to illuminate. All pretty much sorted now in terms of wiring loom connections. Just need to finish making my horn loom plus some extra earth's between the frame and loom for belt & braces. At this rate I'll be ready to start the engine in a couple of weeks - garage temperature still single figures this morning.

[Bryanj]

Wherever you fit that green earth terminal dont forgrt to remove the new paint/powdercoat so it touches frame metal

[SteveW]

All the diode does is prevent the neutral light coming on when you pull the clutch lever in.

[Deano400]

Not wishing to change the thread...it is related to the diode assembly, was there a part number for the rubber boot that supports the 2-way connector and diode? as image Handy item, as it also has a slot to clip onto the bike frame.

Part number for the rubber is 32135-124-300

[BigAl (Alan)]

Many thanks, cmsnl have some in stock!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Wherever you fit that green earth terminal dont forget to remove the new paint/powdercoat so it touches frame metal

Absolutely, seems strange that the only loom earth  is fastened to the regulator bolt that is rubber bush mounted like the whole air box frame - does not strike me as the best place for a good earth connection. I might fasten an extra earth cable on top of the existing one then bolt that to somewhere out of sight where I can remove the powder coating to be sure of a good earth connection.

tbh I was wondering if I ought to do that where the rectifier is bolted to the frame - the wiring diagram shows a green earth connected to the unit plus the three yellow wires and the red one. This looks as though it is just internally earthed so maybe no need to.