Neutral switch

[montmil]

Chatting with Bengt Mike has brought up a question I need to toss out...

Background:  The 1981 R65 has TrailTech's Vapor digital instrumentation. There is no provision for a Neutral Indicator light. No biggie for me as I'm capable of finding neutral on the WeeMW's gear box.

However, I suspect the neutral switch has developed a small gear oil leak. I would like to replace the switch with a short bolt and eliminate the unneeded switch. I have a new switch for the '83 R65 -yep, it's really leaking- and have confirmed thread size and pitch plus length. The bolt I have secured is safely below any interference in the transmission bits.

My quandary:  Is the Neutral Switch wired in such a way that the starter will not function? I know the bike will not start with the trans in gear, but I thought that was the true function of the switch with the light being an extra warning to the rider. Could/should the two wires be joined or would that slowly drain the battery?

Has anyone tried this? Cafe converters? Lighter is Faster mavens? Frugal folk like... Monte

[Bob_Roller]

I don't think it will cause any problems to have the wires disconnected, insulated connectors, and then tied off someplace to the frame .

I had the electrical connector that goes to the switch come apart, and other than not having the neutral light, I wouldn't have known it otherwise .

[montmil]

Well, Bob... Mike and I both thank you for your answer and experience. Now I can move on with other more pressing Sunday Beemer activities... Like enjoying an afternoon ride in the sunshine.

Monte

[Barry]

Looking at the wiring diagram the neutral switch has a connection to the starter relay which suggests it can inhibit starting. Not sure how exactly it operates though. I think with the clutch lever in it starts regardless of the neutral switch.

Easy way to find out is disconnect it and try. It can't do any harm as the neutral switch is just providing an earth path.

[darrylri]

I haven't looked at the wiring diagram, but BMW has long used the neutral switch to prevent starting the bike in gear.  There is also an interlock with the clutch lever, so you can start in gear so long as the clutch lever is pulled.

A friend bought an R65LS about 5 years ago, and when we started poking at it, we found a neutral switch in the tool tray.  When I removed the tank (to look at something else), I found a couple globs of electrical tape.  I traced the wires on one side back to the clutch lever.  

Sure enough, the clutch switch was dead.  When I unwrapped the other glob, I found that the little connector had been jumped, so the interlock was always disabled, and you could start the bike in gear, without benefit of the clutch lever.  But the neutral light worked correctly.  I tested the switch and found that it was dead.  

I figure that the neutral switch had died, but the PO continued to ride the bike using the clutch lever to start it, because replacing the neutral switch is a pain to do.  (There was a LOT of other "deferred maintenance" on this bike.)  Eventually, the clutch switch gave out, and he just jumped it at this convenient connector.  At some point the bike went into the shop and they put in a new neutral switch, but they didn't know or notice the electrical tape globs, so it was still jumped.  

At least, that was what I read from it.  The parts of the puzzle didn't make sense to me any other way.  

[Bob_Roller]

A force of habit, I always pull the clutch lever in when I start the R65, all of my vehicles have manual transmissions, with clutch pedal interlock switches, so that could account for not noticing anything with the neutral light switch wires disconnected .

I'm going out to the R65 right now, as it's a slow day at work, at least right now, and I'll disconnect the neutral light connectors, and see what happens .

I'll be back shortly .

[darrylri]

Yeah, me too.  Why not make it as easy as possible on the starter motor?

[Bob_Roller]

Alright, with the neutral light connector disconnected, clutch lever in the normal position, the starter will not work .

[darrylri]

I thought so.  My R90S is wired the same way.

[GrimReaper]

Just join the two wires.I ran my r1100rt for a years w/o neutral switch.No problems at all

[montmil]

If I'm understanding correctly, I can remove the leaky neautral switch from the bottom of the transmission and replace it with a plain bolt and crush washer. However, it will be necessary to pull the clutch lever for engine start... Right?

I, too, looked at the wiring diagrams in both my manuals and noticed the brown/black wire from the neutral switch ran through terminal 86a on the starter relay. The brown neutral switch is the ground.

Please correct me if I'm in error. I'd prefer to drain the gear box only once.

Monte

PS: This just in...
The Sinner from Vegas states, "Just join the two wires.I ran my r1100rt for a years w/o neutral switch.No problems at all."

That thought had also occurred to me. –Monte

[Bob_Roller]

That is correct, the starter will not operate, until the clutch lever is pulled in, with the neutral light circuit disabled in the 'open' position .

[GrimReaper]

on the new models there is also a killer switch on the sidestand.It shuts off the fuel pump with sidestand down.I removed it too

[Bob_Roller]

That one has caught me a few times on the R1150R, but it only works when the transmission is put into gear .

[GrimReaper]

Bob i think there is different switch for the transmission in gear