GS550 neutral light not working

[Guest]

Hello there, i'm awaiting delivery on a gs550, one fault i know it has before i get it is the neutral light not working, but the gear indicator is working, could it be the bulb in the clocks?, if so does anyone know how you'd go about changing it or disassembling the clocks, they are the early type 77-80 ones, cheers, and hello from the uk!, George.

[hannibal]

The sensor is on the end of the shift drum under the sprocket cover. It could need a good cleaning. Or it could be the wiring between the sensor and gauges. Or the light in the gauge as you mentioned.

Welcome to the site!

[ChicagoBob]

Easiest thing is to replace the bulb, so I'd try that first. If the gear indicator works, the neutral circuit is probably also good.

[Redman]

Easiest troubleshooting thing to do is to find the wiring from the swtich to the instrument cluster (with help of schematic) (I dont know wire color on the 550's), take apart the connector and do one of two things:
- with the wire from the swtich; use continuity checker to see if it gets grounded out (er... um... earthed) when in netural, and not when not in netural.
- with the wire to instrumnet cluster; ground it out (ah... earth) and see if the netural light comes on (with key on).

THese test will help you determine if the problem is in the swtich or if the problem is in the instrument cluster.

It will be the wire that comes from the gear position swtich that is not in the multi-pin connector, is a single wire in a single connector.,

[Redman]

Service manaul

http://zeus.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/GS550_77-82_all.pdf

electrical schematic on page 546

Lots of other good stuff on BassCliff website.
With that BassCliff BikeCliff website and this GS forum, there will be most everything you want-need. And the best reason for haveing a GS if you are going to have any 70s or 80s bike.

Welcome to GSR.

[Monkeypeas]

Thanks for the help guys, many things to try out!

[Redman]

Thanks for the help guys, many things to try out!

Yes, you can randomly try things, or you can troubleshoot to determine-narrow-down what to suspect.

And, as with most all electrical problems: Is hard to troubleshoot electrical problems with your eyballs. You need a meter.
You have a 30+ year old bike, you might need a meter.
You have a GS, you ARE going to need a meter.

Again, Welcome to GSR.
Oh... Wait! Have you posted pic of bike?

[Steve]

Easiest thing is to replace the bulb, so I'd try that first. If the gear indicator works, the neutral circuit is probably also good.

Even easier than that is to remove the tank. About the area between the carbs and airbox, on the left side, you will see a 6-pin connector that has a single wire right next to it. Check that the single wire is connected.

The wires in the 6-pin connector are for the gear indicator lights. The single wire is for Neutral.

There are other tests you can do with a test light at that single-wire connector. Separate it. Connect your test light clip to the POSITIVE terminal on the battery. Touch the point of the test light to the wire that leads down toward the engine. If the gear selector is in Neutral, the test light should be ON. That tells you that the selector switch is working.

Move the test light clip to the NEGATIVE terminal on the battery. Touch the point of the test light to the wire that goes toward the front of the bike. With the key ON and gear selector in Neutral, you might see a dim light, as you will have two lights in series. You can also use a jumper wire to connect the wire to a chassis ground. The green light should be ON.

Try those tests, let us know what works and what doesn't, we can make more guesses from there.

.

[Monkeypeas]

Yes, you can randomly try things, or you can troubleshoot to determine-narrow-down what to suspect.

And, as with most all electrical problems: Is hard to troubleshoot electrical problems with your eyballs. You need a meter.
You have a 30+ year old bike, you might need a meter.
You have a GS, you ARE going to need a meter.

Again, Welcome to GSR.
Oh... Wait! Have you posted pic of bike?

i have a meter dont worry!, and i'll post some pictures in the gs owners section when it arrives, thanks!

[DanGS550]

Hi, I am Dan and I am having the same issue with a 1979 GS550E. I have ran all these tests.. on checking at the connector Positive battery terminal to Neutral Safety Switch wire Light is on. (So I believe that the switch is working) Negative terminal to indicator side of connector doesn't light up. If I reconnect it and test at the bulb, I get the light to positive, but nothing on the negative side opposite wire to blue or orange (cant remember which off the top of my head) wire side. If I am not mistaken, I have ground, but no power. If I put the clutch in, I can start the bike and it runs fine. Just wondering if anyone has any ideas about where to proceed next.

[Gorminrider]

From the diagram I have for a 79-83 550 the clutch switch starter and all that have nothing to do with the neutral light. It's merely an indicator, like oil, gear indicator ...

Excepting the key that turns the bike on, the neutral light has only ONE switchand that is down in the gearbox. You say you have a good ground in neutral. That is blue wire grounding through that switch only when the bike is in Neutral.. The orange wire supplies positive when the key is on. It uses the same positive supply and fuse that the dash lights ( and even the horn) does. If these don't work it's likely the fuse. If they do work, it's likely the bulb,socket or the orange wire connection to the bus wire that supplies all the other stuff I mentioned.

[DanGS550]

You were right. One of the fuses looked good, but after taking them all out and installing new ones, everything worked fine. Thanks!!

[Gorminrider]

Thanks for reporting back Dan! so many threads end without resolution...