Electrical switch issues?

[Adirondack Bill]

My Valk is 4 years old but only has 6,000 miles on it. I have had no issues with any switch including the kill switch- I never use it. When do these electrical issues usually occur?? I would hate to get stranded somewhere.  Robert, what is CRC, and what do you spray it on? Dam, I have never had an issue with switches in over 45 years of riding.

[zackod]

You'll know if you get it bill.   Unfortunately some members here have.  Here's what happens.   Kick-Stand up / Bike in Neutral / Clutch in / Turn key to "On" position.   Normally upon key turn, an orange light on the tree lights up, and you hear a priming sound.  i think the sound is the fuel pump priming the injectors.   If you get all of the above, thump the start button and she fires up.

When it won't start, all of the above conditions happen, except for when you turn key to On position.   Upon turn, you do not get the Orange light, and you do not hear a priming sound.    Now when you hit the Start button, you get crickets/no-start/nothing.

I sat at a store parking lot for a few minutes last Sunday, turning key off/on / flicking kill switch on/off.   Finally on the 8th attempt, got the orange light - heard the priming sounds - and she fires up. 

Bringing bike into dealer tomorrow for look-see/kill switch lube.

 

[Jess from VA]

My Valk is 4 years old but only has 6,000 miles on it. I have had no issues with any switch including the kill switch- I never use it. When do these electrical issues usually occur?? I would hate to get stranded somewhere.  Robert, what is CRC, and what do you spray it on? Dam, I have never had an issue with switches in over 45 years of riding.

You know, I was commenting on not having had a bike flat for 40 years at Inzane-Roanoke, and damn if I didn't have a nail in my tire as I was all packed up to leave. (It never went flat, and didn't lose any air either (car tire) (and now repaired), but I think sometimes Karma is listening to things I say. 

I have electronic cleaner/lube spray (used to be Radio Shack made good stuff.  If they still exist, I'd look for it again).  But there are others (CRC), etc.

I stick the little thin nozzle on and go around and hit my handlebar switches from time to time in the cracks (especially after a wet wash or rain ride).  I don't take anything apart (if I'm not having a problem), and there is some debate whether it gets into all the right places in all switches, but I do it anyway, from time to time.  Clutch and kickstand switches, lights, radio, signals, kill, ignition, locks.  It doesn't seem to hurt anything and doesn't leave any residue I can see, and I haven't had any switches get problematic (except my clutch switch needed blown out of crud a couple times).  

I don't know if compressed air in a needle valve would be good or bad.  But it would blow crud out and around.









This is what I have used.

[Adirondack Bill]

Jess from VA- thanks for responding to my post, and taking the time to post pictures of the products you use. I avoid riding in the rain like the plague! Most Radio Shacks in upstate New York have closed, but I am sure I can find switch lube/cleaner somewhere else.

[zackod]

I just got back from my local repair shop.  Had both brakes and clutch fluid replaced.   $100 service Bill (saw your other posting asking).   Of course when the tech went to fire up bike to move out of shop,  would not start because of my Kill Switch issue.   He told me it would be a waste of time to shoot lube in the housing, as it is a closed unit inside.   His recommendation is to replace kill switch.   He did show me how to beat the issue when it occurs. 

(1) With ignition set to "off", move the kill switch to the On (deployed) position
(2) Rotate ignition key to "on" position
(3) Move the kill switch to the off (normal running) position

Every time he did that, the orange light appeared, head the noise where the fuel pump primes the injectors, and she fired up when Starter pressed.

Sucks - but greatfull to live in a country where i can ride - so 1st world issue / I need to stop wining.

[Robert]

While those are all great cleaners they are not really good corrosion inhibitors and unfortunately you need a corrosion inhibitor more. If you snap the switches a few times they clean themselves as long as they are not in terrible condition. Once cleaned they work well till the corrosion gets in again. The real problem is the switches really dont have any contacts, they just touch 2 pieces of metal together. Switches with contacts would not have this problem since the contact material could be made out of a metal that does not corrode.  The wires that go to the switches are so thin its pitiful and they are made poorly.

I wash my bike about once a week and go through rain once in awhile. It really doesn't matter if you do either though the metals that they make the switches out of corrode if you breath on them. So anything will get them to fail. If you spray a product like WD40 in there it is cleaner/protectant but it does wear off like I have said before. When I did it I would get about 1 month before they would have a problem again. Since spraying the CRC in the switches I have not had a problem for at least 8 months.



With this product it cleans enough to get the switches to work and lasts long enough to keep them working. I used this on outboard motors and it does hold up.

The switches are not sealed btw, they do not come separate from the switch housing though, maybe that is what they are talking about. So now you work the switch each time the bike starts but what about the headlight switch? 

Bill

You have 2 switches on the handle bars one is the headlight High/low switch and the other is the kill switch. These are what we are talking about. The spot that is open is the kill switch.

[Jess from VA]

Well that makes perfect sense Robert.  

I'll be looking for some of that special goop.  

It is my experience that when something is rated for Marine use, it's good.

Water, and especially salt water.

Not Jarheads (but if it's good for them, it's good for me too).  I wasn't one, but am the son of one.  

[Adirondack Bill]

Thanks you guys, and Robert you are correct about  switches cleaning themselves with use. I rarely use my horn, and recently I had to hit the horn bottom 2 or 3 times before it sounded off. I guess you could say switches are like muscles- if you don't use them, they do not function well.  When using this spray, do you have to take the whole switch cover off, or can you just loosen it and spray in the crack?

[Robert]

Thanks you guys, and Robert you are correct about  switches cleaning themselves with use. I rarely use my horn, and recently I had to hit the horn bottom 2 or 3 times before it sounded off. I guess you could say switches are like muscles- if you don't use them, they do not function well.  When using this spray, do you have to take the whole switch cover off, or can you just loosen it and spray in the crack?

I was able to do it without disassembly but if you can it would be better to separate the housings. But if I remember correctly there is a hole in the bottom you can stick the spray tube into and that should do it.

[Valkyrie0002]

Yesterday my 2014 would not start, same symptoms as OP.  I've never had this happen on any other bike I've owned.  Found this post last night and followed these steps and it worked.

(1) With ignition set to "off", move the kill switch to the On (deployed) position
(2) Rotate ignition key to "on" position
(3) Move the kill switch to the off (normal running) position

I'll get some cleaner/ lube and hope this clears things up.

[pago cruiser]

Dang.
WTF Honda?
Read this thread a few days ago, thinking I have to clean the switch soon. Been riding decades, and I have always used the kill switch - that way you know it will work if/when you ever truly need it.  Really important on old-school dirt bikes; may have to rethink this on the Valk...  But I digress...

Left Tucson for a 500 mile road trip to Albuquerque for work this am.  Had a great rip up the 191 (aka the Devils Hiway).  No traffic, good weather.  If anyone is in the area, highly recommended.  It's like the Tail of the Dragon...on amphetamines.  It goes on for 90 miles...  Anyhow, gassed up at the singular gas station in Alpine, AZ.  Went to start it.  Nuttin.  Nada.  Zip.  

On/Off.  On/Off.  On/Off.  No joy.  Oh yeah, forgot the special trick.  Did the "special trick" 3 times.  Finally worked on the third attempt.

I'm in a hotel room on my work computer, so cannot post a pic of the Electrical wiring diagram.    But I have a digital copy of the owners manual on my computer.  If this happens to someone else on the road, in the middle of BFE, AND the "special trick" fails, it appears there is a solution, albeit a PITA.  But at least it will get you moving.  

Basically, the KILL switch connects two wires  in "RUN", and disconnects them in "KILL".  If you are truly stuck, a pocket knife/razor knife opening of the plastic cable harness will expose the several wires in the right handlebar switch.  Find the W/Y and Bl/W wires, strip back a small bit of insulation, and join them together.  Using a short piece of wire to do this would be easiest.

NOTES:
1. This info may or may not be correct. As I had two beers at dinner, it probably is wrong...
2. I am assuming my wiring diagram from the Valk manual is correct.
3. I am assuming the wiring diagram is identical for 2014/2015, and all country editions of the Valk.
4. I am assuming you know what you are doing.  
5. This info is worth exactly what you paid for it....
6. If you screw it up, and short out your starter because you used the wrong wires due to the fact you are colorblind (or Honda changed the colors), causing an arc that ignites the propane tank fumes from the overheated propane tank in your saddlebags that you forgot about (or the small natural gas leak from the water heater in your garage), don't come whining to me...

Once I get back, I am going to solve this.  While the occasional contact cleaner/corrosion inhibitor works short term, maybe use some epoxy and encapsulate the inner workings.  Having this issue being able to stop you in your tracks at any random time is nuts.  

[Robert]

Exactly why I disconnected mine after looking at the wiring.

 Yes you are correct about the 2 wires but I dont remember their colors. If you take the switch housings off you will be amazed that your bike depends on such a pos as this. OH and just in case you get adventurous and think you can take the thing apart like the old ones forget it. They make it so taking it apart ruins the switch. I think the gauge of the wires is probably 22 or maybe 24 gauge wire, thats how poorly they are made.

If you use the CRC you will have no further problems, it seems to work well and holds up.