Anyone ever replaced an ignition switch?

[Anonymous]

I'm contemplating doing this my 450le. Currently the ignition and gas cap use different keys so I know one of them was changed before I got it. However, the current ignition is is pretty poor shape. The key can come out when the bike is on, sometimes I need to jiggle the key to get it turn on. In general it feels loose.

I know it'll probably mean taking the dash board apart, but is it technically hard to do?

thanks...Sam

[Anonymous]

Yep.

The ignition has 3 pins neer the top bellow the plastic cap. If you can pull them out then you can re-arange (re-code) the pins to fit the key you want it to. I drilled mine out over size, so that I could use small machine screws instead of the pins when I was done. Im not sure how to pull the pins other wise, but its a pain to drill them, becouse they tend to spin. The gas cap works the same way. but the pins are not interchangeable. You can take the gas cap appart from the inside.

If some of the pins from the old key don't fit the code of the new key, you can go without them or rob them from an ignition out of a junk yard. Out of the 5 I would not go with less than 4. Just about any one with a suzuki key can start your bike with only 3 pins.

[Anonymous]

I used the word pins alot.

I think I used the word pins too much. I am talking about dif types of pins for the ignition. The 3 round pins that hold the intion in the case, and the 5 code pins that the key uses.

[Anonymous]

Look at your insrument pod again. Usually the ignition switch is separate and if you just take off the two nuts, you can pull the instruments away. You may have to disconnect your speedometer cable (tach cable too if it's mechanical).

[Anonymous]

I forgot about that.

I forgot about that. If you peak up under the ignition its held onto the triple tree with two allen bolts. It will slide out under the instruments. You probably only have to move the head lite.