That D**mn neutral switch.

J

jdugen

Junior member
Location
Manchester UK
Hi all.
Had a great weekends riding, all hunky dory.  Got home to find a little pool of oil on the floor.  Thought it was the sump plug, but its that old problem of a leaking neutral switch.  Had a little investigative go at getting it out, but its in there pretty tight. 
How beefy is the crankcase bottom that it screws into?  This feels like I might have to get medieval to remove it and the last thing I want is a cracked lower case.  Any tips or hints gratefully received.

Cheers
 
The crankcase is not quite as robust at the neutral switch as at the drain plug, but it's still pretty sturdy. Make sure the socket you're using is not binding on the walls of the threaded hole the switch is screwed into, that was the problem I had once anyway. It's hard to imagine how it could get really jammed given that they almost all start to leak after a while and the thread in the case is usually wet with oil. Has anybody used a thread locking compound trying to stop an oil leak?
Even so, a thinwall socket should get it out, especially if you heat the area with a heat gun first.

Ken
 
Had a longer struggle.  Good fitting 12 point socket (17mm fits, unless this is another weird Laverda size).  No joy, whatever I am connecting with has now nicely rounded off. 
Remember, this has been sat for nearly twenty years, crankcase crud and electrolysis seem to have welded this in to perfection.  I'm loathe to go at it with any more force.
It doesn't work anyway, so I've made up a contacter band to fit around the shift drum that works fine, I'm thinking its just a case of sealing this redundant thing up and leaving it until a full engine overhaul is needed, which will probably be long after its left my hands.
 
A 17mm 6-point deep socket is the go, it needs to have a very thin wall. I have a nice 3/8 drive impact sicker that fits really well. The problem is the daft sort of tapered wall in the recess for t the switch. Can i emphasise again 6-point sockets for such work. I put it on a little cordless rattle gun i have and out they, come.
 
I remember on my '73 3c I only owned 1/2" sockets, and my trusty Sidchrome 17mm socket wouldn't fit. I found a Dowidat one that worked, yes it was 6 point. I bet it's still in my toolbox in Brisbane, haven't seen it in 33 years though. I bet a SnapOn one would work too. Or any quality 3/8" one.

Ken
 
Is that switch available?  I suppose Wolfgang will have one, but I wonder if there is a alternative available locally due to it being used in cars or some other vehicle.
 
Not all agree but I ground my starter relay through the Neutral Switch so that the starter can only be engaged with Shifter in Neutral - It just may save you a Starter Clutch and Starter Motor some day.
 
Laverda SF said:
Not all agree but I ground my starter relay through the Neutral Switch so that the starter can only be engaged with Shifter in Neutral - It just may save you a Starter Clutch and Starter Motor some day.
Click to expand...

I think the problem is a mechanical one rather than electrical, the clutch locks up and drives the motor at stupid rev's.
 
    Not all agree but I ground my starter relay through the Neutral Switch so that the starter can only be engaged with Shifter in Neutral - It just may save you a Starter Clutch and Starter Motor some day.


I think the problem is a mechanical one rather than electrical, the clutch locks up and drives the motor at stupid rev's.
Click to expand...

The Bike was brand new and I had very little knowledge of Breganzes and rode it like a Bat Outta Hell - I was much younger and fearless back then. Can't remember if the back plate on the starter clutch was rattling at the time and would not have known the difference or the consequences if it was. All I know I was gearing down into 2nd from about 75 mph preparing to make a left turn off the HWY onto a side road and at approx 7000rpm I mistakenly hit the starter button rather then flip the turn indicator switch and BANG the starter engaged and the internals turned into ashes.

That cost me $900 back then as I had to order the starter directly from the Breganze factory in Italy - I will not chance the starter engaging by hitting the starter button while in gear with the motor running ever again, especially at 7000rpm. A few years later I saw a revised wiring diagram for the 71 750SF that included this modification.

After 41 years of riding this bike I think I have all it's traits, both good and bad, pretty well figured out; X-Fingers - LOL 
 
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