Neutral (green) lights-up each time clutch lever depressed

[sinclairlaw2]

79 CBX- have been fighting the charging system all summer. Replaced rotor, stator, reg/rec, brushes... still not charging. Took the bike out for a ride this morning, and the light in my head finally clicked in... All this time (while trying to figure out the charging problem) . my neutral light has been lighting up each time I engage the clutch lever. The light goes out after I release the lever. The neutral light works as it should when the bike is in neutral, but I was thinking.... ah may be this is the source of my charging problem. Any ideas Is this a short?

[sr71cbx]

__

[Jim-Jim]

No, you don't have a short anywhere. Your DIODE (nothing personal) is shorted. Take a look at your Service Manual (assuming you have one) at the Electric Starter section. There is a diagram of how the engine start circuit works. There are two ways you can turn the starter over; one is to be in neutral - the other is to have the clutch pulled in. There is a Diode in the circuit to prevent the clutch 'ground' lead from lighting the neutral indicator (exactly what you are seeing). This IS NOT a big deal!! It doesn't hurt anything! And it definitely is not your charging problem. All that diode does is prevent the clutch switch from lighting the neutral indicator light. There is no short or anything else wrong. I don't know exactly where this diode is located but it is a little black box about 3/4" square that plugs directly into a couple of wires in the wire harness. Perhaps someone who has stripped a bike down can tell you exactly where to find it. But, like I said, it doesn't hurt anything and if you don't mind it, you can ignore it.

[Jim-Jim]

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention - don't remove the diode block, even if it is shorted. Without it in there, you won't be able to start when you're in neutral; you'll have to pull the clutch in all the time. And that could get old quick.

[Supersix]

Hi,

You find the diode in the Headlamp...



Regards

Stefan

[Doug]

Honda calls it a "silicone rectifier"

[Vince Pankoke]

I too have had the neutral light come on when the clutch lever is in along with the charging problem. Like JimJim said, the neutral light is not the problem with your charging. After about a week of pouring over tech manuals, the electrical system trouble shooting flow chart that has been mentioned numerous times on the site, and all of the posts to the board, I finally got it fixed. Let me ask, after you changed out your rotor with new brushes installed, how far did you ride to see if the bike was charging? I found that I needed to have the new brushes "wear in" and seat in the new rotor copper rings. This took about a 5-10 mile ride before that old volt gauge started to jump up to show charging. I was so fed up before this because I was only starting the bike in the garage or taking it for a short spin up the street to check for charging. Make sure that before you go for the long test ride that your battery is at full charge just in there is something else wrong with the charging system. A fully charged battery will easily cover you for that long of a test ride. Good luck.

[sinclairlaw2]

After JIMJIM posted that the light switch issue was no big deal, I have not taken too much interest in that repair yet. (the charging system is still troubling me and is the #1 priority) I have tried the 10 mile ride suggestion to no avail. A light struck me after many hours and dollars, when I finally got a CBX manual of recent date, I have found that I am missing the two washers that fit between the plate and spring. I have ordered the two washers (one of which is called a thrust washer). And I have feeling that this was the final culprit I will be getting the washers very soon. In the meantime, I bought several extra parts.. like a stator, rotor reg/rec and now need to just get my money back out of 'em. Thanks for all the imput