Neutral light not working

BaronVonMortimer · 05-29-2014, 11:35 PM

Hi everyone. I have a 2005 GZ250 that won't start. I've been working on it for a while now. When I turn the key, nothing. The neutral light doesn't come on. The battery is ok. The starter relay checks out.

(The only service manual I have is the one I downloaded from here. It's helpful, but it's impossible to see any details in the pics).

So I've checked what I thought was the neutral switch coupler for continuity and got none. So it seems to be a bad neutral switch.
I also checked the side stand switch and got a reading of .58volts in the ON/upright position. And a reading of 1.0volts in the OFF/down position. This OFF reading is not what the manual calls for. It says it should be 1.4 to 1.5 volts.
I just sprayed everything with Deoxit. Thought that would do the trick, but it didn'nt.

Any ideas? How can I confirm that it's the neutral switch? Could it be something else?

Going off the rails on a crazy train!

tnastvogel · 05-30-2014, 03:24 AM

Did you check the ignition switch? Make sure all of the connections coming off of that are solid and greased.

5th_bike · 05-30-2014, 11:34 PM

FWIW It doesn't have to be in neutral to start, it will start with the side stand up and the clutch lever pulled in. So don't worry about it being the neutral switch that keeps you from starting it.

It could simply be that the neutral bulb has burned out.

Oh and I assume you checked all fuses.

Do the other lights come on when you turn the key?
You checked the 'start' switch and the 'kill' switch?

I would go by the wiring diagram in the service manual and see why the starter relay doesn't get power.

BaronVonMortimer · 05-31-2014, 09:36 PM

Thanks for the replys.
Yes I checked the fuses. They look fine but I've replaced them anyway.
No the rest of the lights don't turn on either. Except when the key is turned to park, the tail light goes on. But nothin else.
All of the connections SEEM okay, but I'm not sure if I'm missing something. Like I said, the only pictures I have are very grainy and blurry. Just a big white arrow pointing at a black blob.
So, all of the black blobs SEEM okay.

When I think back to when this started, I remember that I was distracted when I was installing my battery and I think I connected the negative lead first. Might I have fried something? Isn't that what the fuses are for?
I don't have a proper garage, so this is getting reeeally frustrating...

blaine · 06-01-2014, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaronVonMortimer

Thanks for the replys.
Yes I checked the fuses. They look fine but I've replaced them anyway.
No the rest of the lights don't turn on either. Except when the key is turned to park, the tail light goes on. But nothin else.
All of the connections SEEM okay, but I'm not sure if I'm missing something. Like I said, the only pictures I have are very grainy and blurry. Just a big white arrow pointing at a black blob.
So, all of the black blobs SEEM okay.

When I think back to when this started, I remember that I was distracted when I was installing my battery and I think I connected the negative lead first. Might I have fried something? Isn't that what the fuses are for?
I don't have a proper garage, so this is getting reeeally frustrating...

Connecting the negative first wouldn't matter as long as the leads didn't get reversed. (- to +)

gz4me + · 06-01-2014, 02:23 AM

When you say that when you turn key nothing, does that mean the engine does not turn over? I know you said you replaced all the fuses, does that include to 20amp in the starter relay? Since lights are not coming on, sure sounds like the 20amp fuse.

BaronVonMortimer · 06-01-2014, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaine

Connecting the negative first wouldn't matter as long as the leads didn't get reversed. (- to +)

Good to know. Thanks Blaine.

BaronVonMortimer · 06-01-2014, 12:43 PM

Yes. When I turn the key, no lights come on and there is nothing. The engine has no chance of turning over.
There are 2 fuses at the starter relay that I've replaced (20a). And I've done the test on the relay and it checks out. It seemed like that would be it to me too.
If it were the starter itself, then wouldn't the neutral light come on and I hear a click or something?

raul10141964 · 06-01-2014, 12:49 PM

check the other fuses under the tools tray under the sit

alantf · 06-01-2014, 01:13 PM

seems like it could possibly be two problems. A blown neutral bulb, and a bad contact on one of the safety switches. Check that the bulb's ok, and blast some contact cleaner into the red cut off switch, clutch switch, and side stand switch. Both these faults are fairly common with the GZ.

05-29-2014, 11:35 PM	#1
BaronVonMortimer Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ben Lomond, CA Posts: 22	Neutral light not working Hi everyone. I have a 2005 GZ250 that won't start. I've been working on it for a while now. When I turn the key, nothing. The neutral light doesn't come on. The battery is ok. The starter relay checks out. (The only service manual I have is the one I downloaded from here. It's helpful, but it's impossible to see any details in the pics). So I've checked what I thought was the neutral switch coupler for continuity and got none. So it seems to be a bad neutral switch. I also checked the side stand switch and got a reading of .58volts in the ON/upright position. And a reading of 1.0volts in the OFF/down position. This OFF reading is not what the manual calls for. It says it should be 1.4 to 1.5 volts. I just sprayed everything with Deoxit. Thought that would do the trick, but it didn'nt. Any ideas? How can I confirm that it's the neutral switch? Could it be something else? Going off the rails on a crazy train! Login or Register to Remove Ads
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05-30-2014, 11:34 PM	#3
5th_bike Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: HoCo, Maryland Posts: 1,349	FWIW It doesn't have to be in neutral to start, it will start with the side stand up and the clutch lever pulled in. So don't worry about it being the neutral switch that keeps you from starting it. It could simply be that the neutral bulb has burned out. Oh and I assume you checked all fuses. Do the other lights come on when you turn the key? You checked the 'start' switch and the 'kill' switch? I would go by the wiring diagram in the service manual and see why the starter relay doesn't get power. __________________ 2005 "Saturn Black", stock + tach Login or Register to Remove Ads Last edited by 5th_bike; 05-30-2014 at 11:39 PM. Reason: added
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06-01-2014, 02:23 AM	#6
gz4me + Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Santa Maria, California Posts: 234	Neutral light not working When you say that when you turn key nothing, does that mean the engine does not turn over? I know you said you replaced all the fuses, does that include to 20amp in the starter relay? Since lights are not coming on, sure sounds like the 20amp fuse.
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06-01-2014, 01:13 PM	#10
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,719	seems like it could possibly be two problems. A blown neutral bulb, and a bad contact on one of the safety switches. Check that the bulb's ok, and blast some contact cleaner into the red cut off switch, clutch switch, and side stand switch. Both these faults are fairly common with the GZ. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
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05-30-2014, 03:24 AM	#2
tnastvogel Junior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 24	Did you check the ignition switch? Make sure all of the connections coming off of that are solid and greased.
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05-31-2014, 09:36 PM	#4
BaronVonMortimer Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ben Lomond, CA Posts: 22	Thanks for the replys. Yes I checked the fuses. They look fine but I've replaced them anyway. No the rest of the lights don't turn on either. Except when the key is turned to park, the tail light goes on. But nothin else. All of the connections SEEM okay, but I'm not sure if I'm missing something. Like I said, the only pictures I have are very grainy and blurry. Just a big white arrow pointing at a black blob. So, all of the black blobs SEEM okay. When I think back to when this started, I remember that I was distracted when I was installing my battery and I think I connected the negative lead first. Might I have fried something? Isn't that what the fuses are for? I don't have a proper garage, so this is getting reeeally frustrating...
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06-01-2014, 12:43 PM	#8
BaronVonMortimer Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ben Lomond, CA Posts: 22	Yes. When I turn the key, no lights come on and there is nothing. The engine has no chance of turning over. There are 2 fuses at the starter relay that I've replaced (20a). And I've done the test on the relay and it checks out. It seemed like that would be it to me too. If it were the starter itself, then wouldn't the neutral light come on and I hear a click or something?
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