Ignition Switch Bypass

The ignition switch on my Gen 1 is dying. Sometimes its fine and sometimes I have to turn the key about 2/3 of the way on for it to start. The bike was used as a commuter for years by five different owners before I bought it and the body work is beat. I would like to bypass the keyed switch with a toggle.

I have read this: https://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=25185

I would prefer to rewire all 4 wires down to the main wiring harness connectors. Can I do this with a one double pole switch or should I just use two switches? Has anyone else done this as a permanent solution?

This seems like a hardwire solution that solves the same problem as the Brodie harness. Am I missing something?

Your early Gen I likely has a weep/drain hole in the bottom of the key switch. Use an inspection mirror or any other method and check for the small hole. The Gen I ignition switches don't suffer from contact failure like the Gen II and usually can be 'fixed' by a cleaning. In the '03 - '04 model years some switches had a drain hole and some did not, hopefully you were lucky.

Use a can of electrical contact cleaner with a 'straw', insert in the hole and spritz, rotate key, spritz until dirt stops coming out and the switch works. Some contact cleaners are bad for paint and plastic, especially black plastic so use some care. The key switch assembly is in two halves, the upper mechanical key tumbler and the bottom electrical half which sealed off from the top half. You can't clean the switch from the top, it has to be from the bottom.

Any reason you aren't changing the ignition switch? It is not that expensive, or too hard and you can still have just one key for all locks.

Oh sure, tell someone on the internet how to hot wire a FJR... ;-)

A new OEM one can be bought for $150.

ionbeam said:

Your early Gen I likely has a weep/drain hole in the bottom of the key switch. Use an inspection mirror or any other method and check for the small hole. The Gen I ignition switches don't suffer from contact failure like the Gen II and usually can be 'fixed' by a cleaning. In the '03 - '04 model years some switches had a drain hole and some did not, hopefully you were lucky.
Use a can of electrical contact cleaner with a 'straw', insert in the hole and spritz, rotate key, spritz until dirt stops coming out and the switch works. Some contact cleaners are bad for paint and plastic, especially black plastic so use some care. The key switch assembly is in two halves, the upper mechanical key tumbler and the bottom electrical half which sealed off from the top half. You can't clean the switch from the top, it has to be from the bottom.

Any reason you aren't changing the ignition switch? It is not that expensive, or too hard and you can still have just one key for all locks.

Oh sure, tell someone on the internet how to hot wire a FJR... ;-)

Click to expand...

Are the Chinese switches for 1/10 the OEM price reliable?

It'd be better than a toggle switch.

I'm not at all for butchering an ignition switch to get around an electrical contact issue. It may be justified if you are stranded along side the road out in the middle of nowhere, however to do it as a preventave measure would be a travesty in my mind. Kind of like substituting a steel rod in place of the rear shock because it leaks shock fluid.

Your better bet would be to address the failing switch itself. Check in my signature line for the link to my post where I disected my OEM ignition switch. You will find that the root cause for its failure was a thermal overload of its electrical contacts. The inherent resistance of that design generated enough heat to melt the plastic carrier guiding the wiper plate over the contacts. My fix was to index that deformed plastic carrier 180 degrees thereby giving me a functionally new switch.

I went on from there to build my Ignition Relay Harness to divert the high amperage from that ignition switch into a 70 amp automotive relay. If you want to build one for your bike it can be done for around $30 cost of materials, and a little time investment.

Do yourself a favor and fix it right. Either get a 2nd generation recall ignition switch - they are a direct replacement for the gen.1 bikes, or fix your own switch for just the cost of your time.

It's not that hard to do it right.

Brodie

Good point, Brodie! I had forgotten that the 2nd Gen upgraded switch assembly is a direct fit in 1st gens as well.

The part number for the upgrade kit is much cheaper than the switch assembly (for some reason). It is Yamaha part number 90891-30058-00 and if you Google that number you'll turn up a bunch of them, many for less than $50.

The full instructions for the switch upgrade recall (which tells you how to retain your prior single key) are downloadable here.

Not wanting to darken the doorway of a dealer for the recall, I bought the above mentioned switch on Ebay for about 30 bucks.

I didn't realize the Gen 2 recall switches fit Gen 1 bikes. Here is one on Amazon for $37.

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-90891-30058-00-FJR1300-908913005800-Made/dp/B00AJR8U88

Thanks for talking me off the ledge, guys. I ordered the Amazon OEM part and my local dealer offered to install it for $118.

Fishdiver said:

Thanks for talking me off the ledge, guys. I ordered the Amazon OEM part and my local dealer offered to install it for $118.

Click to expand...

1) Does your failing switch have the drain hole which would allow it to be cleaned and then good as new?

2) Have the dealer read and follow the Gen II ignition switch recall instructions on how to retain the original ignition key so you only have 1 key for all locks.

ionbeam said:

Fishdiver said:

Thanks for talking me off the ledge, guys. I ordered the Amazon OEM part and my local dealer offered to install it for $118.

Click to expand...

1) Does your failing switch have the drain hole which would allow it to be cleaned and then good as new?

2) Have the dealer read and follow the Gen II ignition switch recall instructions on how to retain the original ignition key so you only have 1 key for all locks.

Click to expand...

The switch does have the drain hole. I was able to insert the straw into it and sprayed loads of cleaner into the switch from both the drain hole and the key port. Made no difference.

"The switch does have the drain hole. I was able to insert the straw into it and sprayed loads of cleaner into the switch from both the drain hole and the key port. Made no difference."

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If I am right about the plastic parts inside the switch being heat deformed, no amount of contact cleaner will be able to fix it.

Make sure that the Gen.2 recall switch you purchased has that yellow band wrapped around the pigtail near the connectors. If it does not look like the one I took apart right after I got the recall done you may not have the real deal. The large white connector should have 3 heavy wires leading to it. The tan color wire should be by itself. Both the red and white wires share the same tab inside the connector.

Pay no attention to the difference in color in the smaller connector. The 1st gen. is made from blue plastic. The 2nd gen. Is made out of red plastic. The wire stripes will be different too. That will not make any difference either. This smaller gage wire is switched the same exact way for both ignition switches. That actually activates the kill circuit. When you turn off the key, it breaks the connection between these 2 small gage wires and kills the engine.

Since you are providing the part for your mechanic to install, ask for the old switch back when he is done. At your leasure, cut it open and have a look inside. Find out exactly why it failed. Take a picture and share it with us. We'd love to see it's failure mode.

And again, make sure that your mechanic swaps out your switch tumblers. You want to use your original ignition key. Don't let him try to talk you out of it. The recall switch makes it really easy to do this.

If your mechanic is on the ball and does a good job, let us know too. It's always good to hear a success story now and then.

Brodie.

;-)

My question is what is "dying"? Are the tumblers worn such that you sometimes can't get the key to turn, or have you had electrical problems?

I think based on the first post it is an electrical issue. He said he had to turn the key only partially to get things to light up.

Brodie said:

"The switch does have the drain hole. I was able to insert the straw into it and sprayed loads of cleaner into the switch from both the drain hole and the key port. Made no difference."
=====================================

If I am right about the plastic parts inside the switch being heat deformed, no amount of contact cleaner will be able to fix it.

Click to expand...

Deformed plastic parts is what caused the Gen II failure. I don't know if I have seen a melted Gen I ignition switch like the OP has; it may happen but it is almost unicorn rare.

Fishdiver said:

ionbeam said:

Fishdiver said:

Thanks for talking me off the ledge, guys. I ordered the Amazon OEM part and my local dealer offered to install it for $118.

Click to expand...

1) Does your failing switch have the drain hole which would allow it to be cleaned and then good as new?

2) Have the dealer read and follow the Gen II ignition switch recall instructions on how to retain the original ignition key so you only have 1 key for all locks.

Click to expand...

The switch does have the drain hole. I was able to insert the straw into it and sprayed loads of cleaner into the switch from both the drain hole and the key port. Made no difference.

Click to expand...

Delayed reaction?

I have put easily over 1,000 miles on the bike in the last few weeks since identifying the issue. Decided not to ride until it has been properly fixed. I went out this morning in frustration to play with the key and now I can't reproduce the problem!

Could the combination of the cleaning fluid and my OCD key turning have cleaned off the contacts? The key is a bit harder to turn, requires a more "decisive" turning force. Tempted to spray some WD-40 in the key slot although I don't want to attract dirt again.

The mechanical part of the switch is completely sealed off from the electrical part. Nothing in the tumblers is going to get into the electrical half of the switch.

Try using something dry like silicone or graphite in the tumblers to smooth the key action.

There is a very good chance all the cleaning in the bottom electrical half has worked. The Gen I ignition switch is susceptible to dirt in the contacts, the Gen II ignition switch melted parts beyond all recovery.

Thanks guys, had the same issue with intermitent contact with my 03 switch. The cleaning worked. All I had to do was follow instructions. Read and reread.... Nothing worse than being out on a ride and coming back to oh ooooo after a stop at Tim's.

Your tech advise is always appreciated Ionbeam.