Remove Ignition Switch

[Badbob]

My bikes been down for several weeks with an electrical problem that I have finally managed to locate to the ignition switch. There is one set of contacts in the switch that provide ground to the igniter that have 300 ohms across them.

I've found the problem but I can't get the switch out. The bolts don't budge. I've searched the net and its looking like I'm going to need to remove the triple tree and beat it out with an impact driver or drill out the bolts.

I'm looking for suggestions before start tearing it apart. I was hoping to do this non destructively if possible.

[Water Warrior 2]

Hey Badbob, might be able to give you a start. Go to Ron Ayers Motorsports and check out the parts info. He has a nice diagram of the wiring harness that might hopefully help. Probably a Suzuki diagram that was copied.

[Badbob]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Go to Ron Ayers Motorsports and check out the parts info. He has a nice diagram of the wiring harness that might hopefully help. Probably a Suzuki diagram that was copied.

Been there done that. They show the switch as part of the wiring.

From what I've found out so far. The general consensus is that I need to remove the triple tree and beat it out with an impact driver or drill the heads off and vise grip them out. Apparently Suzuki uses pretty much the same system on all their bikes.

Since you can buy the T40 no tamper bits just about anywhere they sell tools there is no advantage to using this type of bolt to mount the switch and it makes it much more difficult to deal with if the bolt gets corroded or stuck for some other reason.

[Water Warrior 2]

Sounds like a little BF an FI. Brute Force an Flippin Ignorance will be required. Good luck, keep us updated.

[Badbob]

From people I can find who have done this before there are two options. Removal of the triple tree is required for both. :sad: Apparently they are installed with some sort of thread locking compound.

1. Beat the bolts out with an impact driver.
2. Drill the bolt heads off and vise grip them out.

I have impact drivers and a good/new craftsman bit is on the way. I don;t trust the one I have. If that fails I have a huge drill press.

[Water Warrior 2]

Sounds like a small job with a built in growth factor.

[Badbob]

Its fixed. It wasn't the ignition switch after all. :oops:

At least I didn't take the bike apart to find out. Inside the headlight the wiring harness was cut and guess which wire had the insulation cut. The orange/yellow wire from the igniter to the ignition switch. I was so sure I had found the problem that after taped it and rewrapped the wiring harness. I just put the whole bike back together and started it up.

For future reference: There is resistance between the Orange/Yellow and Black/White wires. The Black/White wire is ground so the igniter is on a floating ground. You can't bypass the switch with jumpers (hot wire) because it needs the resistance to work properly. When I tried this and it didn't work. Then I took my wifes bike apart and checked the resistance on these same contacts. They were the same for both. 96 ohms measured with a brand new Fluke 88V not the 300 ohms I had reported earlier. I got fed up with the el chepo meters I had been trying to use fund a deal and coughed up the cash. I should have done this years ago. all I need now is a the "peak voltage adapter and I'll be able to actually test this stuff next time.

This is the meter I bought: http://store.lancastersupply.com/fl88aumucoki.html

I went for my first ride in about two months today. It a was wonderful.