Topic: Problem with the Neutral switch

[KB02]

I am having a problem getting my neutral switch in place. It will not go in all the way. I was able to sneak my camera phone into place and got this shot of the mounting hole:

There is something, as can be seen in the top half of the picture, that the switch is hitting. I'm not sure what this is. Can I move it out of the way? Is this a tear-the-engine-down-to-fix-it kind of thing?

[Johnie]

See if this thread will help you: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=53670.0

[KB02]

Well, that post does and doesn't help. Sound like a similar issues, but...

Sweet! Got it in. Used a car jack and gently nudged it in.

I don't know that this would work. And, quite frankly, I'm a little scared to try it. I did try pounding with a hammer (carefully), and that did not result in anything. Should the tip of the switch just slide in right beside whatever that it?

[mystic_1]

That's your shift drum, try pulling the right side cover, grab the end of the shift drum, and wiggle it in and out as you try to install the switch.  There's a groove in the drum that the end of the switch needs to fit in as the switch helps to retain the drum.

In your pic the drum is too far to the left, so you can see the edge of the aforementioned groove on the right.  That's what you're hitting.

mystic_1

[Johnie]

Well, that post does and doesn't help. Sound like a similar issues, but...

Sweet! Got it in. Used a car jack and gently nudged it in.

I don't know that this would work. And, quite frankly, I'm a little scared to try it. I did try pounding with a hammer (carefully), and that did not result in anything. Should the tip of the switch just slide in right beside whatever that it?

Did you catch the last comment in that thread about the O ring?  Maybe that will help.  He says it goes in like "butter" if you do it that way.

[michrobi]

Just lever that bit with a screwdriver, that drum has about 1/4" of back and forth play. Hell, I bet if you put pressure on it with your finger it would move out of the neutral switch's path.

This is the drum and what it looks like inside there


See the brown strip on the outside 1/8" of that shiny surface towards the end of the drum that's right at the tip of the pliers? (The very surface your stopper is hitting.) That's from oil over time with the drum having that 1/8" of surface exposed under the shift cover. That 1/8" is play in the drum. I emery cleaned that 1/8" strip of oil residue off that surface, and the drum moves back and forth that much. Once you push it out of the way and install the neutral stop, the stop it's self will hold the drum in a static position. It has that play because the stop is removed. Just push that drum towards the shift side and it'll move out of the way.



Here is a shot of the drum (lower left) before removal that shows it sticking out that 1/8" and you can see the oil strip I later cleaned. Yours has just slipped back into the engine since the stop was pulled. push it back out and put your stop in.  

[mystic_1]

Nice pics michrobi.

mystic_1

[Toxic]

Those pics are awesome, I learned allot from this thread.

[michrobi]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the angle of the engine might be putting pressure on a fork, and as a result putting pressure on your drum. If you have resistance when you push the drum out, try rotating the engine so the top is up and the neutral stop hole is facing the floor. That will turn the 1lb. gears that slide back and forth on the spindle upright and they won't lay on the forks pushing the drum.

[KB02]

Did you catch the last comment in that thread about the O ring?  Maybe that will help.  He says it goes in like "butter" if you do it that way.

Yeah, it's not the o-ring. I had that problem on my old F1, so I know that one... 

I will try sliding the drum and report back. Thanks for the pics, michrobi, those were perfect for what I need.

[cookindaddy]

Put the O-ring on the switch first and it will go in like butter.

[KB02]

To the best of my ability, I cannot seem to get the thing to move. Granted I have not yet taken off the side cover, as that would mean I would have to get a new gasket and I'm being cheap. I tried with pressure on it while shifting gears, pounding with a hammer... you name it.

Did Honda ever change the specs on this particular component, or was it always the same?

[mystic_1]

The shapes of the grooves were changed a couple of times but the overall shape stayed the same.

mystic_1

[KB02]

Well I finally got it in. (heh, heh... ) I ended up having to take off the side cover to adjust the shift drum. I didn't loose too much oil and the gasket stayed mostly intact.  I'll have to replace it, I know, but for now I will go with it until the next oil change - which will be, hopefully, after the first start up.

[mystic_1]

Glad you got it sorted.  You can cheat the gasket with a very thin layer of sealant at the damaged areas, that should hold you until you can replace it.  Let us know how it goes.

mystic_1