CL-72 neutral indicator light

Franko · Post by **Franko** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:36 pm

My neutral light indicator flashes on as I am shifting into neutral but does not stay on when in neutral. This bike has a 305 engine in it. Is there some adjustment I can make to get it to stay on in neutral?

Erich · Post by **Erich** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:35 pm

http://www.honda305.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=909

rgtaylor2 · Post by **rgtaylor2** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:11 pm

Franko, The problem is probably a ground or lack thereof, be sure everything is correct in the headlight by pulling the bulb out of the rubber elbow and touch the metal to the headlight ring, it should light up, if you had a ground connected directly to the bulb housing it would stay lit all the time, that is why it's in the rubber elbow and bakelite holder.

Now you have a little more work, make sure the neutral sending unit behind the right side cover is not covered in oil and grease which they usually are and the two mounting ears are making good clean contact with the case, all the neutral switch does is make ground when it is moved into the right position.

e3steve · Post by **e3steve** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:45 pm

I'll bet a pound to a penny it's the neutral switch; mine was the same. Take off the r/h crankcase cover & remove the switch, found above the drive chain sprocket. It'll need a good clean up -- carb cleaner, degreaser or WD40 -- and rinse by holding it in a pair of needlenose pliers and pour a boiling kettle of water over it. Now you can take it apart by prising the wings open and clean the inside, which is possibly all it will need; the grit & crud gets under the wiper contact and prevents good continuity. Clean the insulator and its embedded contact with a small, flat screwdriver, re-tension the wiper contact's springiness a bit, smear the whole internal assembly with silicon grease (NOT oil-based grease -- it will melt) and reassemble. Should be good as new!

Incidentally, boiling water from a just-boiled kettle works wonders with battery terminal and other electrolytic corrosion in seconds. And, being circa 100ºC, it dries off really quickly. A freshen up spray with aerosol silicon grease (or spray Vaseline) afterwards and off you go.