TOPIC:

so I changed my clutch...and ever since then the neutral light doesn't switch on. Any idea why that might be?

did you check the connection inside the output shaft cover?

Lee...put You bike model and year into Your signature,ok,Bud.
You had the clutch cover off...You probably pulled the wire off of the switch,while You were in there.
Or the switch itself packed it in,but I'm thinking that You probaly just pulled the wire off...

The green idiot light that comes on in neutral has a hot 12VDC line to it all the time. When the long pin on the shift drum lines up with the neutral detent, the detent has a dimple on it that touches the "neutral switch" which is NOT a switch but just a brass contact pin. There is continuity with ground and the idiot light circuit completes and the light comes on.

There are only a couple reasons for the neutral light to NOT work.
1. wire off or broken
2. bad connection where the "neutral switch" touches the neutral pin on the shift drum
3. light out
4. no voltage to the idiot light

I would start by checking the wire then checking the bulb itself.

am I wrong in feeling that you're calling ME and idiot for asking about this "|idiot light"

Bicycle Lee wrote:

am I wrong in feeling that you're calling ME and idiot for asking about this "|idiot light"

na if thats the worst thing you ever do your doing better than most of us idiots! goodluck,happy wrenching!

I generally don't call folks names and when I do they never have any doubt about my intentions. I was calling the NEUTRAL LIGHT and IDIOT LIGHT... this is what the lights like the neutral like, hi-beam light and oil light are commonly referred to.

Wordnet Dictionary:
Noun 1. idiot light - a colored warning light on an instrument panel (as for low oil pressure)


Referencing from the early fifties, my recollection is most automobiles gauges were needle style dash board gauges indicating such things as oil pressure, temperature, charging rate, etc., and the usual speedometer. Could be wrong about this, but seem to recall concern developed about drivers failing to pay sufficient attention to the gauges, so warning lights were added or just substituted for the gauges, intended to more likely get the attention of such inattentive drivers. Such drivers, with higher priorities than regularly noticing gauges or just without sense enough to understand a gauge, were affectionally termed "idiots" due to their propensity to motor blissfully along oblivious to the readings on any gauges. So the dash lights intended as better warning to such idiot drivers were dubbed idiot lights which moniker has been widely and commonly known since the sixties as referring to virtually any dashboard information light. At least that's what us backwoods country boys were told. And having just retaken and re-flunked the Cool Person Test


www.sailinganarchy.com/general/2002/cool_test.htm


again for the umpteenth time, "idiot" doesn't seem so bad after all.

Post edited by: Patton, at: 2006/11/06 10:31