Starter Switch Woes

[jvb_ca]

Good morning all. I have not been around here much lately as I am ashamed to say my poor neglected FJ has seen very minimal use this past summer.
Anyways I decided to enjoy this awesome fall weather yesterday by getting out for a ride. Once I fired up the the shop princess I realize that my headlight is out. I have been dealing with the sticky starter switch syndrome for a few years and thought now is the time to deal with this. Give her a quick spray with "stuff" off the shelf like I have done before and should be good to go. NOT...seems when I sprayed into the switch I created a short and now no headlight period. Ok time to take switch apart and clean properly. I disassemble the switch and clean the grunge out, scuff the contacts and reassemble. Still no headlight. Switch cranks the starter just fine but the bypass is not allowing power to headlight. Finally realize that there ia a headlight fuse. Plug in new fuse and presto the headlight is on. The switch assembly is still laying on the tank assembled but not clamped to the bars yet. I reinstall the switch housing onto the bars and figure everything is a go for my long awaited ride. Clean up bench, put tools away. Fire her up to warm up and wtf, no headlight. Scratch head for a bit and try another fuse. As soon as I turn the key on it pops the fuse. Remove switch assembly from bars and install new fuse we are good to go. Seems the somehow the switch assembly has become energized and when I clamp to bars it creates a dead short. I have taken the switch apart and checked and rechecked so many times now i can do it with my eyes closed. The wires are not pinched, the contacts are totally isolated, the little spring thing is not touching the housing. I cannot for the life of me figure out how the housing is drawing current. When I did take the switch apart initially the springs and ball bearing thing sorta came apart in my hands so I had to figure out how it all went back together. I am sure I have it back together properly as it seems it can only go one way.
What am I missing?? Any one else ever had this issue??
I have it isolated now by wrapping the bar with elec tape, but this is a temp fix to allow me to ride today. Was very frustrated last night as I wasted one of the best riding days spent in the garage chasing gremlins.
Cheers...Jake

[red]

Seems the somehow the switch assembly has become energized and when I clamp to bars it creates a dead short. I have taken the switch apart and checked and rechecked so many times now i can do it with my eyes closed. I cannot for the life of me figure out how the housing is drawing current.
What am I missing?? I have it isolated now by wrapping the bar with elec tape, but this is a temp fix to allow me to ride today.
Cheers...Jake

Jake,

Plan A: Get a 12Vdc test light, connect it to the negative terminal of the battery, and dis-assemble the switch from the handlebars.  Power up the ignition (you might want a battery charger connected to the battery, to avoid draining the battery).  Put the clamp screws back into the bottom of the clamp ring, and into the switch, as they would be on the handlebars.  See if that causes a short (power) to the inside of the switch (where it would touch the handlebars). with the switch removed from the handlebars.  If so, the clamp screws may be touching something inside the switch.  Check to see if the screws are "hot."    Check all around the inside of the clamp ring, top half and bottom half.  Remove the clamp screws, and check the bottom of the switch again, to eliminate the screws and clamp ring as problems.  Then proceed to dis-assemble the switch itself, and use the test light to see where the power goes.  Anything that is not connected to a wire should not be "hot."

Then connect the test lead to the positive terminal of the battery, and use the test light to see what parts are grounded, inside the switch.  If something is grounded which should not be, that may be the problem.

Plan B: Hate to say it: eBay.  You might want to go this way, even if you can repair the switch you have now.  It's always good to have such "unobtainable" spare parts on hand.

Cheers,
Red

[jvb_ca]

Thanks Red, great info....got me to thinking harder....
Yes I had probed everything yesterday to figure out which wires were hot and which were not. Then you mentioned in your post the screws that hold the two halves together could be the problem. Bingo!!! It wasn't quite those two screws but it was the one that holds the little plastic guard on top of the connection plate guard. It screws though the metal plate above the switch. This screw was pinching into the blue/black wire (hot) and eventually wore through. I think I might be missing a rubber/plastic part to insulate against this. Couple pieces of elec tape on top of soldered connections, a washer to raise the screw and I am good to go. I might have a line on another switch from John that I am going to inspect to see what i might be missing.
Thanks again....this is what makes this group Rock...

Cheers...Jake...gone for a long over due ride.....

Pinched Blue/black wire....


Plastic guard with hot screw....


Washer to raise screw.....

[The General]

Interesting....that`s where I have found a wire broken inside a perfect looking insulated cable.....might be in fact a common prob.