Neutral Light

[escapefjrtist]

Intech -- another [light] just came on for me.

One of the PNW gang (Mount Rainier) had been having intermittent problems with his neutral light coming on, dimming, getting brighter and doing all sorts of funny stuff. This happened for 30k plus miles. The problem was finally traced to a relay. When his was close to failing, it buzzed and could be mistaken for a fuel pump sound. We replaced it and the neutral light is fixed and he reports his headlights are much brighter. The relay is located between the headlights, middle nose and easy to find once the ABCD panels are removed.

I believe it's number 22 on the Parts Fiche. PM Mount Rainier to confirm the part number. The relay is widely used in Yamaha motorcycles and ATVs so a local dealer had one in stock.

Good luck, hope this helps.

--G

Edit -- Just confirmed with Mount Rainier, this is the correct PN for the relay we replaced.

Thanks for the feedback. I took that relay off last night. It is on my suspect list. I was able to get to it from under the front without taking any panels off. I should have brought it to work with me to test on the bench. DUH! I may just run home and get it. the other thing that directly connects to that circuit is the clutch switch, so I will look at that closely, but I am very suspicious of the relay.

Intech, your bike's symptoms are so similar to Mount Rainier's I'd almost bet this is it. Might be worth a try for the $40 or so it'll cost you from your local dealer.

Hope to see you at NAFO!

--G

 

[Intech]

Intech -- another [light] just came on for me.

One of the PNW gang (Mount Rainier) had been having intermittent problems with his neutral light coming on, dimming, getting brighter and doing all sorts of funny stuff. This happened for 30k plus miles. The problem was finally traced to a relay. When his was close to failing, it buzzed and could be mistaken for a fuel pump sound. We replaced it and the neutral light is fixed and he reports his headlights are much brighter. The relay is located between the headlights, middle nose and easy to find once the ABCD panels are removed.

I believe it's number 22 on the Parts Fiche. PM Mount Rainier to confirm the part number. The relay is widely used in Yamaha motorcycles and ATVs so a local dealer had one in stock.

Good luck, hope this helps.

--G

Edit -- Just confirmed with Mount Rainier, this is the correct PN for the relay we replaced.

Thanks for the feedback. I took that relay off last night. It is on my suspect list. I was able to get to it from under the front without taking any panels off. I should have brought it to work with me to test on the bench. DUH! I may just run home and get it. the other thing that directly connects to that circuit is the clutch switch, so I will look at that closely, but I am very suspicious of the relay.

Intech, your bike's symptoms are so similar to Mount Rainier's I'd almost bet this is it. Might be worth a try for the $40 or so it'll cost you from your local dealer.

Hope to see you at NAFO!

--G

I will be heading over to Powerman's house today and grabbing his relay and trying it out. I have to get her all back together first.

Really looking forward to NAFO, so this WILL be resolved.

 

[Intech]

Well it definitely appears to be the relay. When I got it all back together I left the relay hanging down in the front. I was hearing the fuel pump, but with the relay out I could hear it and hold it and it was buzzing intermittantly. Heading to Mike's now.

 

[RossKean]

Well it definitely appears to be the relay. When I got it all back together I left the relay hanging down in the front. I was hearing the fuel pump, but with the relay out I could hear it and hold it and it was buzzing intermittantly. Heading to Mike's now.

Great news! Hope it fixes everything.

 

[Intech]

Problem solved. Got Mikes relay and went for a ride. Problem gone. I ordered a relay online before I even left. Now Mike's bike is down!! LOL I will be returning his relay in the morning.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

 

[RossKean]

Problem solved. Got Mikes relay and went for a ride. Problem gone. I ordered a relay online before I even left. Now Mike's bike is down!! LOL I will be returning his relay in the morning.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

What exactly does that relay drive?

Edit: And would it be responsible for engine stumbling and brightness issues with lights etc?

 

[Intech]

Problem solved. Got Mikes relay and went for a ride. Problem gone. I ordered a relay online before I even left. Now Mike's bike is down!! LOL I will be returning his relay in the morning.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

What exactly does that relay drive?

Edit: And would it be responsible for engine stumbling and brightness issues with lights etc?

No effect on lights. It has all the interlocks that cutout the fuel if the right conditions are not met. The siedstand, the clutch, the neutral light. There is actually two relays in it. The other one is the starting circuit relay.

 

[road runner]

Bob

Glad to hear you figured it out. I did get mine out, and had a hell of a time getting it unplugged. Reason is it had a fair amount of the dreaded green corrosion. The corrosion was only on what would be the bottom row of pins and the connector itself. I cleaned it all and greased it good, so I'll try it tomorrow. Mine wasn't affecting the running yet so maybe mine was just corrosion. I'll let you know if it works.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Problem solved. Got Mikes relay and went for a ride. Problem gone. I ordered a relay online before I even left. Now Mike's bike is down!! LOL I will be returning his relay in the morning.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

Great news Intech! Glad the problem's solved and you're [almost] back on the road again.

--G

 

[Intech]

Bob

Glad to hear you figured it out. I did get mine out, and had a hell of a time getting it unplugged. Reason is it had a fair amount of the dreaded green corrosion. The corrosion was only on what would be the bottom row of pins and the connector itself. I cleaned it all and greased it good, so I'll try it tomorrow. Mine wasn't affecting the running yet so maybe mine was just corrosion. I'll let you know if it works.

I would still be suspicious of the relay even with the corroded connection. Remember that the neutral light comes on when a ground is completed. Corrosion would more likely cause something not to work meaning that the light wouldn't be working at all.

 

[Intech]

Problem solved. Got Mikes relay and went for a ride. Problem gone. I ordered a relay online before I even left. Now Mike's bike is down!! LOL I will be returning his relay in the morning.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

Great news Intech! Glad the problem's solved and you're [almost] back on the road again.

--G

Thanks. NAFO plans back in high gear. We leave on the 13th.

 

[road runner]

Bob

Glad to hear you figured it out. I did get mine out, and had a hell of a time getting it unplugged. Reason is it had a fair amount of the dreaded green corrosion. The corrosion was only on what would be the bottom row of pins and the connector itself. I cleaned it all and greased it good, so I'll try it tomorrow. Mine wasn't affecting the running yet so maybe mine was just corrosion. I'll let you know if it works.

I would still be suspicious of the relay even with the corroded connection. Remember that the neutral light comes on when a ground is completed. Corrosion would more likely cause something not to work meaning that the light wouldn't be working at all.

Yeah I was thinking that too, but when it comes to elec., and corrosion, and feedback I have often found the corrosion to be the culprit. Seems like sometimes the corrosion can be conductive, or something will feedback that normally wouldn't. Plus it won't cost anything to try, and if it's still doesn't work (which it probably won't) Then I'll R&R the relay.

Finding the culprit was the hard part, and thanks to all here on the forum it was easy. :clapping:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Problem solved. Got Mikes relay and went for a ride. Problem gone. I ordered a relay online before I even left. Now Mike's bike is down!! LOL I will be returning his relay in the morning.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

Great news Intech! Glad the problem's solved and you're [almost] back on the road again.

--G

Thanks. NAFO plans back in high gear. We leave on the 13th.

This is a great thread. Someone in need...someone helping out. Great stuff. :clapping:

 

[road runner]

Well after cleaning and greasing the relay unit and plug, it's still acting up. :angry2: Still getting a random neutral lite, so I'll be ordering the relay tomorrow.

 

[Powerman]

When Bob brought back my relay, he tried his suspect relay in my bike.

His bad one worked fine in my bike? WTF?

 

[road runner]

When Bob brought back my relay, he tried his suspect relay in my bike.

His bad one worked fine in my bike? WTF?

Mine acts OK for about 20 minutes before it starts acting up. Today it started acting up after 20 min, and the lite would come on every time I pulled in the clutch. Then after another 20 min it was on randomly with clutch in or out.

Sometimes it appears to gets ground threw the clutch, sometimes threw the side stand, sometimes both. <_<

 

[Intech]

When Bob brought back my relay, he tried his suspect relay in my bike.

His bad one worked fine in my bike? WTF?

Mine acts OK for about 20 minutes before it starts acting up. Today it started acting up after 20 min, and the lite would come on every time I pulled in the clutch. Then after another 20 min it was on randomly with clutch in or out.

Sometimes it appears to gets ground threw the clutch, sometimes threw the side stand, sometimes both. <_<

That is exactly what mine was doing, but you see Mike's post. He laughed at the expression on my face! It was a WTF? expression. Initially mine wouldn't act up until it had been energized for a little bit, but before the last removal it was instataneous. I am sure that it would act up again if I left it on long enough. Regardless, I have one on order. Should be here by the end of the week.

Thanks for the help Mike!

 

[road runner]

OK. Now that we (hopefully) have that figured out how about lending me that ABS unit Mike ? :lol:

 

[road runner]

Replaced the relay unit tonight, and magic! , all is good again. No more phantom neutral lite.

 

[Intech]

Well it has only been 14 months and this fecking relay looks like it is failing again. And two days before I leave for CFO and an SS1K. WTF???!!! I hope I can get one overnight!