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Key Switches - Here We Go Again

Dr. Frankenstein
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Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:11 pm
Location: Charlottesville, VA

Key Switches - Here We Go Again

Post by Dr. Frankenstein » Sat Jul 06, 2019 9:55 am

Interesting development - I went out to address a no-spark issue, turned the key, and the switch fell apart!

OK, no problem - I did the tutorial on switch rebuilding, I can do it again, right...? It probably just needed the fasteners re-punched down...No.

I took out the switch, and noticed that all the barrels, springs and their covers were Gone! *I
didn't do that...God knows when That happened...no wonder the switch was rather sketchy. I never noticed it before.

I might try to rebuild it w/o the springs and barrels just to see what happens, but it's pretty much shot. Does anybody have a spare CA77 switch and key they'd like to make a deal on? Or recommend a good aftermarket switch to use? Would a CA160 switch work?

Man, it's just one thing after another with these bikes.

Does anybody out there know enough about electricity that you could do an aftermarket switch tutorial on wiring up something aftermarket? All it would need to do would be On, Run, and - what - - lights??

$200-plus for an ignition switch for these bikes is outrageous...


I found this Narva 5-position ignition switch that might work, I just don't know which wire goes to what:
https://picclick.com/Narva-5-Position-D ... 48306.html Kind of pricey, though, from Australia.

Narva seems to make a bunch of doable switches, that would look good even on a Dream; I just have no clue where to start or how to hook them up.

Cheap is good though: here's a 4-position I would Really like to know how to hook up:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Car-MotorC ... SwWotbvrZs



Whichever it is, if anybody knows how to hook one of these up to a Dream system, let me (and everybody else) know! We would be forever in your debt.

Dr. Frankenstein
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Posts: 568
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:11 pm
Location: Charlottesville, VA

Post by Dr. Frankenstein » Sat Jul 06, 2019 11:41 am

Would anybody be willing to pop the back off their properly operating switch and post a pic of how the little triangular contacts are supposed to go?

Now I'm getting it cranking in position 1, 2 and 5, the taillight doesn't come on at all unless it's between position 1 and 2, the horn only works in position 1, and now I'm not too sure if the tutorial I did on switch repair is where everything is supposed to go.

And I still have no spark...

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brewsky
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Post by brewsky » Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:01 am

It looks like the 4 position switch will not leave enough room for the sealed beam in the headlight bucket.
Do you have the dream switch matrix?
You will need to know the internal wiring of any alternate switch before you decide if it will "work" or not.
You can "make" any switch work if you don't need the advantages of the original, which are:

1, "priming" by allowing cranking without ignition
2, running without headlight on and not overcharging the battery
3, running with headlight on AND having extra current to support it
4, not being able to crank starter while running
5, being able to park with only the taillight on

With all that said, you can make any simple off/on switch work by doing the following:

1, connect the pink and yellow wires together (this connects the extra charge coil in the stator)
2, connect the red wire to one terminal of any off/on switch (this is the hot wire from the battery)
3, connect the black(ignition), black/yellow (taillight), brown (meter lights), green (headlight), and black/red (starter) all together on the other terminal of the on/off switch

Now, when you turn the switch on, everything will work, including the headlight being on at all times.

I will look for my extra switch and see if I can get a pic of the internal contacts
66 dream, 78 cb750k, 02fz1, 09 wing

Dr. Frankenstein
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Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:11 pm
Location: Charlottesville, VA

Post by Dr. Frankenstein » Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:38 am

Thanks Brewsky; that's all I'm trying to do, and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to reworking electrical wires. I'm always afraid I'm going to fry something.

That being said, give me some time and I'll post a pic of the switch I have; it's a regular 5-post Briggs and Stratton lawn mower switch but I have No idea what to put where.

But as I mentioned, if you have a pic of a stock switch and the correct way those little brass connections go, that might be a good thing. I got the switch back together, even without the little springs and barrels in them and it seemed to turn fine, which I thought was interesting;

But looking at the switch matrix I'm not too sure of what rests where when I was trying to figure out the correct way for them to go, and since each little triangle has three dots on it, that's at least what...? 27 different ways to mount those contacts, and I thought it would be easier to just ask if anybody has a stock one they wouldn't mind opening up. If I had the right way the contacts go, I believe I could just put it back together and it would be fine.

Dr. Frankenstein
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Posts: 568
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:11 pm
Location: Charlottesville, VA

Post by Dr. Frankenstein » Tue Jul 09, 2019 10:23 am

I found this on Ebay - think this would work?

You might have to do some modification to the connectors, but it IS 5-wire - so probably 5-position, too!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Motorcycle ... PTbQxcoLE7


Looks like the same thing is available, with free shipping, from North Carolina, too(bonus!)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-5-w ... SwRlFdEECS


FWIW, all I searched for was 'motorcycle ignition switch, 5-wire."


And I still think this would be a possibility too, although it's only a 3-position switch; the dimensions are very close to the original, you'd just have to figure out how to wire it up right:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-3-Po ... SwFGJc04CW

Dr. Frankenstein
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Posts: 568
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:11 pm
Location: Charlottesville, VA

Post by Dr. Frankenstein » Fri Jul 12, 2019 3:33 pm

Update: thanks to an old post by jbshealy, I was able to put the original switch back together and IN, so that's no worries...although I Did get an experimental 5-wire switch I may play around with and see if I can
Frankenstein it into the wiring/headlight bucket; it doesn't stick out too far and comes with one of those beauty rings around the tumbler so it would blend in well with the headlight bucket. But that is for a Later day.

SAM33
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Location: Columbus OH

Post by SAM33 » Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Mine just went partly out on my 66 Dream. Had been glitchy with the tail light in ON position, a wiggle would make it connect, headlight always came on. Worked fine this morning.

Now, nothing on both.

Still starts and runs, but...

HELP? I've been looking for photos and diagrams here, but all seem to be no longer linked?
Is this fixable?
I admit extreme fear with all contents of the headlight bucket...

SAM33

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