Starter Button Renewal

lakeview

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Working on my '79 Special to get it road ready, I had gone through the wiring, put a new battery in and had all the lights working, but the starter button would not activate the starter. Well aware of the importance of good grounds from searching the threads, and since the horn worked, I figured the contacts in the right switch gear must need cleaning.

This switch had only three wires on it, I have some with 3 and a ground, too.

I had a spare to look at as I dismantled the switch, which helped remind me where things went on reassembly. Digital pictures would do as well. The starter button is removed by carefully prying it up from the base and pushing it through the housing. Gently pry apart the metal around the button and spring and clean all the corrosion. On reassembly, the large end of the spring goes toward the wired contact.

The kill switch contacts unscrew and the switch can then be taken out of the housing and cleaned, as well as the contacts. Put it all back together and reinstall on the bars.

You too can watch your bike vibrate backwards on the centre stand.
 

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Good job, saving the old parts. It always amazes me how many people will jump into rebuilding carbs, but the idea of cleaning and saving old switches just terrifies them.

Scott
 
Thanks, I could not see anything on point when I searched and was apprehensive to pull it apart, but since it did not come from the lair of the Prince of Darkness, I figured it would go back together and work better.
 
Good job lakeview! not all that complicated but crowded and the parts are tiny. A clean bench and good lighting is a REALLY good idea.
 
lakeview,

I know there are varied opinions and I shouldn't play under the hornets nest, but... I'm just a tad concerned about that tube of dielectric grease. It's a nice lube for those switches. It's also a very good insulator. I believe it decays to make silicon dioxide, which will kill your kill switch. Someone I trust on the subject told me the little spark causes it to out gas. All in all not good for those contacts. Play it safe and get that stuff out of there. Use something else, or run them dry.

341-215_HR_0.jpg
 
Thanks Marty, I read the warning label on the dielectric grease but used it anyway, applying it with a cut down brush. It did not seem to make a noticeable difference in the contacts, so I used a piece of fine sandpaper which did the job, then cleaned it up with a squirt of carb cleaner, then read the warning label on that..........
 
I've been using dielectric grease on my electrical connections for longer than I can remember, probably 30 years or more. It hasn't ruined any yet that I'm aware of. Inside my switches, I use 3 kinds of lube. The electrical contacts get the dielectric grease after being polished bright and clean with the little wire wheels in a Dremel. Metal to metal moving parts get a normal general purpose grease (I use Kendal Super Blue) and plastic to metal or plastic to plastic get white lithium grease.

CleanSwitch.jpg


It's fairly common for the starter or horn buttons to break right off. Starter or horn, it is the same button. In fact, most of the Jap bikes from the '70s and '80s use the same button. Replacements are easily scrounged. I've replaced quite a few over the years.
 
I like this stuff from Radio Shack for cleaning, cheaper than De-Ox-It, and it has De-Ox-It in it. https://www.radioshack.com/products...tact-cleaner-and-lubricant?variant=5717842309 I'm stingy with it, toothbrush and green Scotch Brite on the contacts, I leave a film of this on the contacts. I have a Sony Walkman FM radio with the belt clip zip-tied to my bars. This Sony is left in the rain often, when the sound gets fuzzy I remove the battery, open it up and give the insides a flush with the Radio Shack cleaner, works like new again.

Scott
 
I cut a button out of a piece of bone once. I couldn't find any plastic around the house to make one from. I am a luthier ( repair violins ) and always have some cow shins around to make parts from.

Scott
 
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