Neutral light question

[atlas750]

I have a 1992 750. Bought it about one month ago. Netral light comes on when I first start the bike, but after riding any distance it will not. Works again after sitting at work. Any ideas? maybe something loose? Thanks for the help. No other problems.

[macgyver]

yea it sounds like you may have a loose bulb/connection. I am assuming this only happens after you ride. Possibly the filaments in the bulb are broken and they touch each other when the bike is sitting still but when you are riding over bumps they seperate causing a temporary disconnection until they retouch again after the bike has been sitting. I would wait until the neutral light is working again and try shaking the bike around maybe even tapping on the gauge cluster to see if you can recreate the problem. if the light goes out take the bulb out and replace it. if that still does not fix it try jiggling the surrounding wires to see if you can get it to happen

[mx916]

I had a similar problem a few years back. Neutral light came on when starting bike and shut off after bike warmed up. Turned out to be the Neutral switch. Mine was behind the countershaft sprocket guard. A fairly easy replacement, and has been fine since. It may just be a broken or burned wire leading to the Neutral switch. Trace wire before buying a new switch. Good Luck!!

[thecynic]

I would be VERY surprised if a broken filament was touching when it sat still but didn't touch while moving.

First off, I would check to make sure the bulb isn't loose in its housing, then I would check the neutral sensor in the gearbox/on the gearbox. Check for loose wiring, if it all looks good, grab/borrow/steal a voltometer and check the wiring when it's sitting with the ignition on, give it a bit of a run out (until the light stops working) and then check the voltage, starting at the gearbox and working your way up until you get to your guages.

If everything looks consistent, then I'd just replace the sensor.

[macgyver]

i have seen it many a time in car lights that light up and get hot but a good bump jars the filaments loose when you stop the vehical the filaments which may stil be hot retouch each other.

[thecynic]

i have seen it many a time in car lights that light up and get hot but a good bump jars the filaments loose when you stop the vehical the filaments which may stil be hot retouch each other.

I dunno, I can't really see a filament breaking, and falling down (as gravity has a habit of making it do), then as the filament cools down, it mysteriously gets sucked back up in contact with the rest of the filament, and it doing it every single time he stops or starts the bike. It's not only not probable, but realistically impossible.

I can see a contact being jarred loose in the wiring harness and coming back in contact every so often, that's why testing the circuit when it is working (when he first starts), then testing when it stops working will tell him where the change is occuring.

[macgyver]

when a filament breaks it sometime doesn't always break completly off but sometimes only on one side,thus the explanation of why when you hit a bump it connects and disconnects and the added heat from the bulb can actually temporarily hold the filaments together

[blackkat2001]

Hi, Did you ever find the problem? I'm having the same issue. Thank you

[The CyberPoet]

Usually, if it's engine temp related, it's either the sender or the wire coming off the sender in the first 12" of wire. Easy way to tell: put it in neutral while the engine is hot (i.e. - so the light doesn't come on), then put down the sidestand. If the engine kills itself, it isn't the bulb nor the dash.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet