Igniton Switch Repair/Replace

Classic Goldwings

Help Support Classic Goldwings:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

AApple

Well-known member
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
9,225
Reaction score
257
Location
Duncanville, Texas
My Bike Models
1981 GL1100 Innerstate("The Turd")SOLD!!, 1996 GL1500 Innerstate
I finally had time today to rip my '81 1100I apart to get to a failed ignition switch. This involved removing the fairing, but if you have a standard, it's much easier. With the fairing off, I removed the weight, and loosened the brackets that hold the weight on, so I could swivel them out, and get the wiring "box" out of the way. I also removed the speedo and tach, as well as the instrument cluster with the fuel/temp gauges. This gave me full access to the two bolts that hold the ignition lock cylinder/switch to the steering head.

Once I had the assembly off, there are 3 "tabs" that need to be pushed in to be able to remove the actual ignition switch from the key cylinder. With the tabs pushed, the switch can be pulled/pried off the cylinder. The key has to be in the "ACC" position to remove the switch, according to the Service Manual.

To separate the white plastic part from the black plastic part was tricky, since I dint know if parts were going to fly out every-which-a-way. Before attempting to pry them apart, make sure to make a scribe mark, or something to line the two parts back up when ready to reassemble. Carefully pry the two pieces apart. There are 2 sets of contacts in the top, or white side of the switch. The bottom, black part, contains the terminals that the connector on the bike plug in to, as well as the contacts for the white plastic part to contact.
Once I had that apart, I could see that one contact set would not move. There are springs under each of the two contact sets in the white part. The springs push the contacts up against the contacts in the black part. One set of mine had been hot enough to melt the plastic around it, so it was stuck down...that's why my ignition would not work.

I got the brass contact out, and cleaned the plastic "groove" up, so that the contact would no longer be stuck down, and the spring would hold it firmly against the corresponding contacts on the other side of the switch. After doing that, I sanded ALL of the contacts with emory cloth, and got them all nice and clean, and shiny. I also cleaned the corrosion off of all of the terminals that the bike connector plugs in to.


Once I had everything cleaned, and ready to reassemble, I put some Dielectric Grease on both sides of the switch assy, and then popped it back together. With the switch popped back into the key cylinder, I plugged in it, to make sure everything worked, and IT DID! :yahoo:
After verifying all systems were go, I just reassembled everything else. After getting it all back together, of course I HAD to go for a ride....just to be sure....right? :moped: :hihihi:

I'm happy to report it all works fine now. I'm now trying to decide what it is that is creating the electrical draw that is getting the switch contacts hot like that. MY best guess is it is the driving lights, since the PO has them running from the "ACC" terminal on the fuse box...which runs thru the ign switch. Once the weather coools a little more here, I'll re-wire the driving lights to the battery, and install a proper relay. It's only 104* here today... :heat:
Thass my story, and I'm stickin wid it.... :ahem:
 
Relay is a great idea but LED driving lights would be even better :yes:
 
I have seen the same thing exactly as you described and repaired the same way. I didn't take pics or do a step-by-step though. :oops:
AApple":2gktsbbs said:
I'm now trying to decide what it is that is creating the electrical draw that is getting the switch contacts hot like that.
While additional load beyond design specs can cause this, I offer this additional contributing factor, corrosion (dirty contacts.)

Corrosion = resistance = heat = melted plastic.

Like the infamous 3 yellow wire alternator connector, melts due to corrosion and the resulting heat. Added draw just adds to the problem.

Due to the difficulty accessing the switch, I would also consider replacement. Not that expensive https://www.ebay.com/itm/new-78-79-GL100 ... 2c72199587 . That said, the one I repaired as you explained, several years ago, has yet to fail again.

Great write-up for us cheap folk. Thanks.
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=94621#p94621:pt8iipvl said:
jpwinger » Mon Sep 02, 2013 9:12 am[/url]":pt8iipvl]
Great work Joel. Wish I knew how 10 yrs ago and I would still have one key for the 77. Jerry

Talk to Roncar and I bet he can get you back to one key... He made me one key that has one side that fits the ignition/tank and the other side that fits the bags/trunk/helmet locks. It didn't cost an arm and a leg either.
 
Top