8V neutral switch: anyone adjusted or changed it?

[belfastguzzi]

The neutral indicator light on my Griso 1200 8V has only worked half time. Dealers here haven't helped with it. Though a new switch was meant to have been ordered under warranty, like other warranty parts, it never arrived. Piaggio UK turn a deaf ear.

 

This is a major hassle, having to find neutral in traffic without an indicator, not being able to run engine with side stand down... and I have often wondered if it might have any connection with the intermittent non-start issue.

 

It is impossible to get at the neutral switch on top of gearbox without disconnecting electrical items, taking out complete air box and so on. It's not a casual job. I don't know what is causing the problem, but one possibility could be that the switch is not making full contact. As I can't see much of it, I don't know if this switch can be adjusted for height/contact. Does anyone know if it is adjustable? Has anyone replaced a switch unit? What's involved? I had heard a few years ago that there were problems with these units and that they were replaced under warranty. Anyone know about that?

[Admin Jaap]

Also forwarded this. http://www.mgcn.nl/forum/index.php?showtopic=15620&pid=219805&st=0entry219805

[belfastguzzi]

Also forwarded this. http://www.mgcn.nl/f...=0entry219805

 

Thanks Jaap

[Paul Minnaert]

well, did you fix it? I had the same on my last trip. I took airbox out, and found the connector on the nutral switch to be to loose. No need to replace the switch. Only gently push the connector tighter. half an our work, maybe an hour for you.

[belfastguzzi]

Hi Paul

the connector on mine was a loose fit too. Also, the wire on it was discoloured – maybe that's ok, but I cut out some of the dirty wire and added a longer wire plus a new tighter connector. I hoped that might be what was wrong (although I have fiddled with the terminal before, to no effect). I made the wire longer so that it would be easier to get the connector on to the terminal. It is difficult to reach and the longer wire means that it can be put on easier from the opposite direction, i.e. from the engine side of the bike where access is just about possible. I have not taken the airbox off. I will wait until I get a new sensor before doing that as there are various other things that have to be disconnected to get the box out. Did you have to remove the 'rubber' air inlet connectors from the throttle bodies or do the tubes disconnect easier from the air box itself?

 

Unfortunately the tighter terminal connection did not fix the problem. Either the sensor height needs adjusted or it is faulty. Either way, the bulk of the work will be in removing the parts to get access to it.

 

I tried wiring a bulb to the switch/sensor terminal instead of the bike's neutral light circuit. I thought this would demonstrate if the fault was in the sensor or in the rest of the circuit. However the modern sensor must be more than just an on/off switch, because the ECU knew that the proper terminal was not connected and it did not like it (!SERVICE alert appeared).

[belfastguzzi]

I have ordered a new sensor.

 

To take the airbox out, did you disconnect the air inlet snorkels at the airbox?

[IainW]

I have ordered a new sensor.

 

To take the airbox out, did you disconnect the air inlet snorkels at the airbox?

 

I replaced the neutral switch on my Breva 1100 a couple of years ago. It's a tank off and airbox out job, I left the snorkels on the airbox and disconnected at the throttle bodies, with a little bit of squeezing it all comes out OK. You'll need a 13mm deep socket to remove the switch.

 

On the Breva 1100 the only way to change the inner spark plugs is with the airbox out, I dunno if it's the same for the 1200 Griso but you may want to consider it whilst you're down there.

[belfastguzzi]

Thanks Iain, do you know what was wrong with the original sensor? One of the previous 'service agents' here said that there were faulty ones, from manufacture, and he possibly said something about faulty fitting and bad earthing, but I reallly don't know what that could mean and it may have just been talk, or spoofing.

 

Did you simply screw the old one out and the new one in and then it worked fine? Is there any height adjustment?

 

My order has arrived at the new dealer here, so I just have to get out to collect it.

 

BTW, on spark plugs: the 1200 8V just has the one plug, there is no hidden inner plug.

[Skeeve]

BTW, on spark plugs: the 1200 8V just has the one plug, there is no hidden inner plug.

 

Yeah, his Brevona is the square-sump 2v, which Guzzi dual-plugged to meet smog req's. on the penultimate evolution of Carcano's 700cc mill from 1965. 45+ years on pretty much the same bottom end: that's better than Harley's record by more than double!