No Headlight!

[f-Stop]

Bike starts and all the other lights work including the horn, but not the headlight!

Here's the story...

Went to go for a ride and started through my check list...
Start the motor:
right blinker -- check;
left blinker -- check;
brake light front brake -- check;
brake light rear brake -- check;
hi-beam/low-beam -- nothin';
horn -- check;
...wait...hi beam/low beam - nothin'!!

Holy cow, no headlight! 

Maybe the fancy new LED is no good?  Maybe it's a fuse?  (If it's the fuse, then why would it blow?) Could it be the hi beam indicator bulb is out?

Nope

After checking the shop manual's wiring schematic the hi beam indicator light being out would not keep the headlight from working.
Opened the headlight housing and put in a checked out halogen bulb...nothing!  It's gotta be the fuse...
But first, wiggle the starter switch...BAM!  Headlight on!

Sooo...I got to clean/rebuild the starter switch! 

Here's some pics...
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GkW4hl-riForlbK_Xm8ldqTXzruYRsGe?usp=sharing

As most folks on this site know, all you need for this simple maintenance procedure is a #2 Phillips head screwdriver, a small flat head screwdriver (to pry apart the switch), some steel wool or small grit sandpaper, some contact cleaner and some dielectric grease.

I remembered that there was a link on the Shop Talk page that was very explanatory about this procedure.  Looked it up and it is still there, but the pictures are not.  Unfortunately, I've found this to be the case more and more on the old Shop Talk page as we and our Valkyries age...

[da prez]

I put a small cookie sheet lined with a soft cloth to catch the parts that may drop. The cloth prevents bouncing. 

          da prez

[Bagger John - #3785]

As most folks on this site know, all you need for this simple maintenance procedure is a #2 Phillips head screwdriver, a small flat head screwdriver (to pry apart the switch), some steel wool or small grit sandpaper, some contact cleaner and some dielectric grease.

What are you using steel wool or sandpaper on in that switch?

NEVER use abrasives on plated contacts. A burnishing tool, card stock and contact cleaner should be the only things drawn across them...unless you want to replace the switch very soon.

[RonW]

I always suggest people inspect the spot welds on the start button. Is the weld on the headlight wire okay. The strands are grouped wider than the rest of the welds like some strands are partially severed. Perhaps just an optical. Nice pics.

[Chrisj CMA]

One of the most important things to check/fix is that the little brass double contact can bounce up and down in its slot. Due to heat the plastic can deform and bind the contact so it can't bounce back up so WHEN it gets pushed down it's stuck and you lose contact. A small exacto type blade can easily clean up that slot so the contact is free to move.

[RonW]

agreed, if the slots for the legs are encrusted, the spring won't be able to push the bridge up against the electrical contacts.

[f-Stop]

One of the most important things to check/fix is that the little brass double contact can bounce up and down in its slot. Due to heat the plastic can deform and bind the contact so it can't bounce back up so WHEN it gets pushed down it's stuck and you lose contact. A small exacto type blade can easily clean up that slot so the contact is free to move.

Glad you mentioned this...that little contact was kinda stuck in the slots, so I used a small X-Acto like blade to carefully reshape those slots.  Figured I had one chance to get it right, so I took my time.

NEVER use abrasives on plated contacts.

I agree, but I believe those contacts to be solid copper.  If not, you'd see some other metal showing through in picture #8.  Now given that, making the contact a bit more abrasive could shorten the life of the contacts, but more likely it will seat in nicely and work fine for another 24 years.

I always suggest people inspect the spot welds on the start button. Is the weld on the headlight wire okay. The strands are grouped wider than the rest of the welds like some strands are partially severed. Perhaps just an optical. Nice pics.

Good point! Those welds seem to be encased in some sort of plastic cement which holds the wires and the contacts in place.  Those exposed strands are held solid in place.  They don't move at all.

[dago mooserider]

It's good u posted about this. I had the same problem crop up when trying to leave a buddy's house last year. We got a test light and were scratching our heads for quite a while. Jiggle the starter button and poof light came on.  I didn't fix right away and noticed that it was happening when very cold out.

-Matt

[John Schmidt]

You need to check out Chet's Circuits for the Start Switch Safeguard mod. It inserts a relay in the headlight circuit that takes the large amp load off the start switch, when you press the start switch it only activates the relay using a fraction of the amperage(well under 1 amp). Result...no more burned contacts because there's no more arcing, among other things.

Scroll about 2/3 the way down for instructions.
https://web.archive.org/web/20110511130823/http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/circuits.html

[h13man]

Mine quit @15yrs./14,000 mi. I bought a new assembly and replaced it and kept the old one with the rest of my stock parts. The part # was changed from the original when I purchased the new one thus showing two different.  https://www.servicehonda.com/oemparts/a/hon/506cb618f870023420a41739/switch-cable

SWITCH SET, STARTER STOP
35013-MZ0-000 35013-MZ0-020
$83.94

[pancho]

I always suggest people inspect the spot welds on the start button. Is the weld on the headlight wire okay. The strands are grouped wider than the rest of the welds like some strands are partially severed. Perhaps just an optical. Nice pics.

Good point! Those welds seem to be encased in some sort of plastic cement which holds the wires and the contacts in place.  Those exposed strands are held solid in place.  They don't move at all.


Just for the sake of technical clarity on the "tech board", those connections are not spot welds, or welds of any kind, they are soldered connections. The processes are completely different and used for different purposes on different types of materials.

I agree, very nice pictures,, good camera.


Just for clarity......    Yeah, me and Monk are a lot alike!

[RonW]

i understand. it's okay.

[pancho]

Thanks Ron

[Draeger]

After searching the forum high and low, I'm about to (maybe?) embark on this adventure.

Super grateful for the dude that saved all the excellent photos in this post - still up on Google Drive!

Riding yesterday on my 98' Standard and noticed I had no headlight, and no blue High Bean indicator...

I had just finished replacing the shifter shaft seal thanks to all the info on this great forum, and now this.

Electrical crap scares me. I can turn a wrench, but sure hope it isn't too complicated.

I'm gonna head out to the garage and wiggle switches, see if that does anything anything.

UPDATE - Started the bike and wiggled the starter button - light went on and off.

[Valker]

Google Valkyrie starter button service and do it. There is an article on here, but I don't know where it is.

[Draeger]

Thanks! I found that article - doesn't look to complicated.

[John97]

Count me in as one who has experienced this problem. Luckily I was working at the Honda dealership still and I went to leave and no crank. My headlight was shining on the wall and I noticed it never dimmed when I hit the starter button. Service manager helped get it started and I went straight home. With my discount the price was right so I got a switch assembly from Honda. Wasn't to long after that the starter solenoid melted. Within a month the starter solenoid did the exact same thing on my Magna. Weird but I have a new spare on my shelf.