Starter interlock switch???

[scotty]

Where is it and what does it do??? 1983 gs1100E

[Steve]

There are several switches involved in starting our bikes:
1) The ignition switch sends power from the battery to
2) the kill switch on the right side hand control, which then sends power to
3) the starter switch. Power then goes to
4) the clutch switch (probably the one you are asking about), which sends it on to
5) the starter solenoid, which then allows LOTS of power from the battery directly to the starter.


If you are asking about the clutch switch (#4), it is on the bottom of the clutch lever mount, much like the front brake switch is on the right side. If you trust yourself more than the government does, you can bypass that switch by tracing the wires into the headlight bucket and re-doing the connections in there. You will now be able to start the bike without pulling the clutch.


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[scotty]

the haynes calls it the starter interlock and thats what confuses me.

[argonsagas]

Scotty, to ensure all points are covered, I recommend you switch to this interlocking device for a start:

[relic-rider]

Starter interlock=clutch lever start switch. This means you have to pull in the clutch lever to operate the starter. Some guys disconnect it, but I like it to function properly. The switch on the clutch lever is exactly like the switch to activate the brake light on your front brake lever. The copper contact inside gets worn or dirty or out of adjustment over time. Most guys just disconnect it in the headlight bucket and reconnect the wires(green/white stripe) in the harness.

It may be a hassle to some, but it is nice for the time you forget to have the bike in neutral when starting it. Also, it is nice that if you stall out in traffic, all you need to do to restart is pull in the clutch, without going to neutral. Funny thing is that according to some wiring diagrams in my books, only the US and Canada had this feature.

[scotty]

I have a mechanic from ireland that say this is other than the clutch switch or sidestand switch. He says it is located near the battery on the left side. I see nothing but both other switches are on the schematic in adition to this interlock thing. I will continue to search before i mount a starter button and a toggle switch on the left side cover . I like the old style without all the extra safety switches. They were installed to protect greenhorns and confuse old school riders.

[scotty]

I think that knit stuff is typical of a canadian interlock Ron. :-D

[Steve]

The only starter-related switch near the battery would be the solenoid,
unless there has been an alarm system with an interlock installed.


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[relic-rider]

The only starter-related switch near the battery would be the solenoid,
unless there has been an alarm system with an interlock installed.


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He is right. It may be some alarm. Other than that, there is no other safety switch in the starter system. The power goes from the fuse box to the engine kill switch, then through the starter button, then through the clutch lever switch, then to the solenoid. Any problems in the system are pretty easy to trace. Disconnect the green white wire on the solenoid, and apply 12V power. If it cranks, the solenoid is good. Bypass the clutch start switch connection in the headlight bucket to eliminate that as a problem. The problem in my 81 1000GL ended up in the white plastic connector near the front that has the kill switch wire, the starter solenoid wire and others in it. The bad rectifier heated up the jumper wire in the connector so bad that it melted the connector together and ruined the starter solenoid wire connection. I ended up cutting out the connector and splicing the individual wires together. This also happened in my 82 750T when the rectifier went bad. Please don't do the toggle switch fix! My 750 had this done by the PO and it was stupid looking. Turned out to be a bad connection in the starter button contact.

[argonsagas]

I think that knit stuff is typical of a canadian interlock Ron. :-D

Knit-picking gives us something to do during the long, cold, Canadian winters, Scotty.

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(other than making puns):-D