Gear position switch question

[lrburke64]

Hello, I am troubleshooting a 1995 Goldwing 1500. I will just keep it as simple as possible. Can the gear position switch cause a no spark? It’s part of the ignition troubleshooting flow chart in my Factory service manual. I have no spark and the only erroneous readings I am getting have to do with this switch.

[Rambozo]

Yes, in conjunction with the side stand switch. There is a safety that will kill the engine if you are in gear with the side stand down.
Also be aware that the 1500 will not have spark while cranking if the battery isn't tip top.

[lrburke64]

Thanks for the quick reply. The side stand switch is working. The gear position switch is supposed to have continuity on all 5 tests probing the ECM connector and only 1 of ours has continuity. We also disconnected the 6 pin connector per the manual that’s above the right hand cooling fan. We only had continuity on 1 of those pins also and those pins are on the switch side connector not the harness side. If the gear position switch is faulty and the side stand switch is working can the bike have no spark. Battery is super strong during cranking. 10.8 volts while cranking

[lrburke64]

The pulse generator tests both show about 380 Ohms each and the range is 500-800 but it is quite cold in my garage and I think that might be the reason for the lower readings.

[Rambozo]

10.8 is borderline for a 1500.
Not sure if you can unplug the gear switch to check, or if you have to bypass it.
Does the neutral light come on? How about the cruise control light?
The side stand has two contacts, one for the safety and one for the light, so even if the side stand light works, the other contacts may not be working. Test to be sure.

[lrburke64]

Hello, thanks for trying to help me. When should the cruise light illuminate? Neutral light is on and goes off when you kick it into first gear. I’m going to double check the side stand switch again but I’m almost certain it’s working.

[Rambozo]

Green and green/white connected when the stand is up, green and yellow/black connected when the stand is down. If the neutral light comes on, that is all you need out of the gear switch for starting. Cruise light should be on when the cruise switch and the key is on. Flip the kill switch and it should go out. Just another test to see that things are as they should be.
You can check for +12v at connector C54 the black/white wire that goes to the coils.

[lrburke64]

Ok I’m making some progress now! I just finished testing both circuits of the side stand and it’s working fine. I did all the tests at the ECM connector earlier today but I think I probed the wrong pin on the voltage test. I decided to do them all again and to my disgust I did mess up. I re did the voltage test on that black and white wire and I have no voltage there!! At that point I disconnected the red connector on top of the right hand cooling fan and tested the engine stop switch for continuity on the black/light green and black/white wires and there is no continuity!! I think my issue is inside that right handlebar switch! Does this sound like I could have closed in on my issue? I even tested the harness side of the black/light green with a test light and there is voltage there!! The stop switch is just not sending it on to the coils and the ECM. What do you think?

[lrburke64]

Oh I did have the key on and the stop switch in the run position when I did the voltage test. I should have mentioned that

[Rambozo]

Sounds like it, and it is a common failure for the 1500. The wires can come loose or the switch can have dirty contacts.
A tip is to take apart the switch inside a large zip lock bag to help contain springs and balls that like to fly.

[lrburke64]

I guess I will find out for sure when I tear into it. Good idea with the plastic bag..

[lrburke64]

Thanks very much for your help!

[Charlie1Horse]

Years and miles of vibration at the handlebars can cause the terminals under the kill switch to become loose. My 92 Interstate did this and stopped on the road. when I tested the circuit, I found those screws loose and when tightened, there was no more problem.
Russell

[lrburke64]

Hello again, first of all I can’t express how much I appreciate the help from this forum! Really, thanks! With that said I am certain that my problem is in the engine stop switch. I took the top off and it looks pretty clean but the 2 tiny screws that hold the wires were really loose. I thought oh man I just found the problem but after tightening them it still had no continuity. I can’t take it apart until I get a large bag like one of you mentioned. On another note I decided to remove the covers for the timing belts. Everything is in tact but I think the belts are a little loose. It has 61K on it so I doubt they have been replaced. Is is ok to loosen the tensioners and tighten the belts just a little? I don’t want to jump the gun and replace them before I even know if it runs!! I thought about just making them a little more snug for when I try to start it. Thanks

[reddeth]

When I first got my bike, the kill switch did not "kill" the bike, it ran regardless of the position.

Taking the grip apart I found the two wires running to the two separate posts on the kill switch, except in my bike they had both been wired/screwed to a single terminal (effectively "jumpering" them). I figured that was the "problem", screwed them into the separate terminals, and the bike wouldn't start! Swapping back and forth confirmed the switch defective.

I disassembled the switch itself, there's two brass "lugs" that are the other side of the terminals your wires screw into. If there's any corrosion on the lugs gently clean it off. On the under-side of the knob is a metal plate, clean that off as well, it bridges the two wires.

In my case though, it wasn't just that they were dirty, at some point something pumped a lot of current through the wire and one of the lugs heated up enough to melt the plastic, it "sunk" down about 1/8", just enough to not make contact.

Apologies for kinda rambling, just laying out some of the troubleshooting I went through with my kill switch and hoping any of it might be of help! For what it's worth, I've continued to just leave the wires screwed together on the single terminal, while I'd like the killswitch to work, using the key to shut the bike off has worked fine and not justified the cost of replacing it (to me).

Best of luck with the electrical issues!

[lrburke64]

So I disassembled the switch and the contacts were pretty clean but it turns out the problem was corrosion between the under side of the screw heads and the washer!! We used pliers to remove the captured washers and I had some little stainless steel ones we put on the screws. Switch now works and now power is restored to the ECM and I heard the bike start for the first time. I have a long way to go but at least I know it runs and doesn’t knock or anything.