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bacon
World Chat Champion
Joined: 09 Jan 2009
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 Posted: 09:50 - 20 Oct 2023  Post subject: VFR800Fi neutral light |
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Hi,
I am having an issue with my VFR800fi (5th gen) neutral light. The bulb is not illuminating when in neutral, or at all.
* I can start the bike on the side stand in neutral without pulling the clutch
* I can also start it in gear with the side stand up and clutch pulled.
* Side stand down during running kills it as intended.
What I have done so far:
* I have checked the clutch switch (crankcase one) with a multi meter, it works as intended when in neutral and in gear, but to be sure I replaced it with a new one from Honda. No change.
* Continuity check between 3 way diode centre pin and clutch switch connector. We have continuity.
* 3 way diode in fuse box, MM check, either outside pin to centre pin, I have resistance in one direction and open loop in the other, which should be as intended.
* Changed the bulb in the instrument cluster.
* Fuse appears fine.
Any suggestions on what I should try next?
I am thinking continuity check between the diode centre pin to the instrument cluster?
Could the side stand or clutch lever switch cause netrual light issues?
Hopefully this wiring diagram image works, but as far as I can tell, when the clutch switch is in netrual it completes the one way circuit to the neutral bulb, the side stand and clutch levere switch shouldnt make a difference?
Cheers! |
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| stinkwheel |
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stinkwheel
Bovine Proctologist
Joined: 12 Jul 2004
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Posted: 10:12 - 20 Oct 2023  Post subject: Re: VFR800Fi neutral light |
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| bacon wrote: |
* I can start the bike on the side stand in neutral without pulling the clutch
* I can also start it in gear with the side stand up and clutch pulled.
* Side stand down during running kills it as intended.
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So all the parts of the system are working as they should. Just the bulb not lighting.
I'd immediately suspect the PCB on the instrument panel. They have a flexible pastic PCB in the back of the clocks which are notorious for corroding tracks. Usually the digital display fails first. I have never known anyone with a last gen 750 or a 1st gen 800 that didn't have issues with this.
If you take the clocks out (no mean feat) and visually inspect it, the corroded tracks are usually obvious to look at and you can test them with a continuity probe. If you are lucky, some of them can be bypassed with a wire and a couple of ring terminals to some of the posts in there. Otherwise they can potentially be repaired/re-worked but you need to be hell of a good with soldering. Probably looking at re-flowing tracks with liquid solder and a hot air rework station. Might be one for a professional electronics repairer if it turns out to be the issue, I've seen some very neat repairs done to these but the last guy I saw who did them doesn't seem to be in business any more.
It's a similar setup on the last gen 750s. Mine was so far gone (and my soldering is so poor), I landed up just scrapping the PCB and hard-wiring it all with LEDs.
Here's my 750 one. You can see the corroded tracks and one place where I bypassed a wire. Real bad points are where the PCB bends up and over something and the track tends to break.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ADCreHevIPUN2aogXPy7F8yhylGSDbb0L8WUfDCVDhOpy9lRt-5GiJOA9qA8NgJ6xcrr7RRMZeS_5y2Yvs3sCg2pejEEfEFrqHx-rm4jYtIOKHt1rbq-bcXgJSQBsuy7rJDJgJv-X2R1Tak2vOcROEtMYXap=w1160-h870-s-no
Here's my fix, I would do a much neater job of it now I know a lot more about wiring but equally, it's still working a good 15 years later. One thing that doesn't work is the fuel warning light, I should have kept an incandescant bulb there because it stays lit all the time. It comes on as the resistance from the level sensor decreases but the resting voltage is enough to power up the LED. I think the 800s have a digital fuel gauge though?).
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ADCreHd1G72WGnxIQnC0rqmPeg-U3RAwEbEpFwQ984OfBZJhDbcq4IOb9N4EKpMz1biM_i9lWZxPMvKYHt1YBoPRAm1W-5CUaqry2fONQ-ZcsihsY0gu7lMNh5NKWMQpFI1E27rP3ZZawMhDkEtxid9izxNA=w1160-h870-s-no
EDIT: Oh yeah, and if you do decide to re-work it with LEDs, use coloured ones. I used white ones and they washed out the lenses and were far too bright. I had to paint the tops of them black so they didn't just dazzle me.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles. |
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| WD Forte |
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WD Forte
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| bacon |
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bacon
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| stinkwheel |
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stinkwheel
Bovine Proctologist
Joined: 12 Jul 2004
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| Posted: 11:45 - 20 Oct 2023 Post subject: |
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Order a bag of new rubber well-nuts before you start taking the clocks out. They are cheap and you'll need them. M5 I think but check that. They are all over those little fiddly plastic bits on the cowl and tend to either spin in place or fall out into the depths of the engine/bodywork never to be seen again.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles. |
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