Front brake switch

[Imndeep]

Hello,

I have been troubleshooting an issue I've had for awhile. Let me start off by saying I've had my 1984 FJ1100 for 3 years and have had a unique issue. Since I've purchased my FJ the tail lights always remained bright regardless of applying the brakes or not. Well, I figured being the bike ran ok it couldn't hurt with visibility if they were on all the time. FF to now. While trying to find the source of my 15 amp fuse that kept blowing in position 2, I started troubleshooting with my multimeter to find a bizarre thing. I found for one that my rear brake switch is Tango Uniform. I have continuity all the time, when the switch is Open I have 5+ ohms resistance. I isolated the switch and am not blowing fuses anymore. What I found also was the mystery which I'm writing about. The front switch is operating opposite what the Clymer maintenance manual states. I removed the switch from the brake lever and in an open (free) state I have continuity. In the closed state I do not. Very odd. I disassembled the switch and it looks like it was made that way. I did a test also, I reconnected the battery, turned on the ignition and the both tail stop lights were on. Then I operated the front brake lever and they went off. I've determined it has to be the switch, but like I said, the switch is operating the way it was built. Which is messing with my mind. Anyone have a similar situation?

[Harvy]

Sounds like a PO has replaced the normally open micro switch with a normally closed. You should be able to get the correct one at an electronics supply shop I would think.

Harvy

[Pat Conlon]

A couple of Q's:

Is the rear brake switch adjusted properly? No tension on it ?

Does the front stop switch have 2 pins or 3 pins?...
 1) If it has 2 pins, get a new switch, your's is broken, it's stuck closed.
 2) If your switch has 3 pins (like the FJR) the center pin is common and 1 side is normally closed (NC) and the opposite side pin is normally open (NO)
 3) A continuity check will tell which pin is which..

Cheers  Pat

[Imndeep]

The rear brake switch has no tension on it and the front switch is dissasembled and in my hands, and it has only two posts. It is built correctly, and I agree with Harvy, somewhere in this FJ's life someone installed the wrong switch. That's the only logical explanation. Thanks for the help!   

[SlowOldGuy]

Not a conspiracy.  Wouldn't be the first time Clymer was wrong.

Pay attention to how it's activated.  When the front brake lever is not being applied, then it's "pushing" the switch plunger in the "off" position.  When you pull the lever, then the plunger extends and makes contact to turn the brake light on.

Sounds like it's working correctly to me.

The problem may be in the rear switch/wiring.  What did you do to "isolate" the rear switch?  Sounds like it might be putting 12 V on the ground side and when you activate the front switch then both leads get 12 V and the circuit dies.  Or, look for a bad ground.

DavidR.

[Pat Conlon]

ooooh that's good David...I'll have to check that out. Thanks!  Pat

[SlowOldGuy]

Pat,
I just checked it on my spare switch.  :-)

How's the rebuild progressing?

DavidR.

[SlowOldGuy]

One other thing to keep in mind.  These circuits are typically operating on the ground leg of the circuit.  This usually keeps them from blowing fuses when they short to ground.  If you get a short on the switch side of the circuit, it will turn the lights on all the time.

Keep looking.  Check the bulbs also.  It's possible one of the filaments has broken and is shorting to another filament or to ground.

DavidR.

[Imndeep]

So, S.O.G., You're saying the switch is fine then? well, that sucks. Guess, I'll hunt some more. Thanks for the explanation.

Chris

[Imndeep]

Dave was correct, I had the front brake switch installed bassackwards. I don't know what I did but she seems to be working fine now? Maybe I had a loose ground? who knows. All I did was go in and fix a bunch of wires that were frayed and looked ugly. Like I said, she's up and running thanks to you guys. Thank you for all the help. TTYL, when the next issue raises it's ugly head. 

Chris