Neutral sensor failure ...

[Gaz]

... can lead to a whole world of pain.
My XChallenge broke down in the US during the TAT this year.
The main symptom was a refusal to change gear. Entire clutch was new, just serviced etc. The bike had run a bit hot but hadn't lost all it's coolant by any means. This turned out to be a major red herring....
I ended up losing a week of the trip and sticking in a new second hand engine, as that was the cheapest (!) and quickest option overall.

Garry H kindly split the cases of the old engine last night.
We got to this stage and it still wouldn't change gear.
<a href="http://s525.photobucket.com/user/kingstamina/media/_DSC0764_zps4b575b7c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc332/kingstamina/_DSC0764_zps4b575b7c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo _DSC0764_zps4b575b7c.jpg"/></a>

There was no damage to the actual gears, in fact no sign of heat damage at all in the entire engine.
Still perplexed, it had to be a selection problem. Try as we might, we couldn't get the 'shifting roll' (white arrow above, also known as a shift cam apparently) to turn.
Rotating the engine back upright dislodged a small brass rod and suddenly the whole thing freed up.
It was the sensor from the neutral switch and normally protrudes here:-
<a href="http://s525.photobucket.com/user/kingstamina/media/_DSC0780_zps172feeb2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc332/kingstamina/_DSC0780_zps172feeb2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo _DSC0780_zps172feeb2.jpg"/></a>

and contacts this nipple in the face of the shift cam when in neutral, and so shorts to earth.

<a href="http://s525.photobucket.com/user/kingstamina/media/_DSC0778_zps668335dd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc332/kingstamina/_DSC0778_zps668335dd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo _DSC0778_zps668335dd.jpg"/></a>

On removal, it was obvious what had happened when compared to a good sensor.
<a href="http://s525.photobucket.com/user/kingstamina/media/_DSC0782_zps58815db5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc332/kingstamina/_DSC0782_zps58815db5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo _DSC0782_zps58815db5.jpg"/></a>

The small rod had come loose and jammed in to one of the holes in the surface of the shift cam. How the fuck this thing ever got to experience enough sideways force to make it fall out is something I will never know. It's a freakish and rare failure and not something you'd think of.

So, if your neutral light ever starts to play up then best to check this sensor (mine was actually OK most of the time). Or just check it anyway, it's easy to remove and is just in front of the front sprocket.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing

 

[FERRET]

Gaz,
you say its just in front of the front sprocket! might it of had something to do with the front sprocket having not been fitted correctly?

At least now you will have a fully working spare engine

 

[Gaz]

Gaz,
you say its just in front of the front sprocket! might it of had something to do with the front sprocket having not been fitted correctly?

At least now you will have a fully working spare engine

Well, it had a small wobble , but the sprocket and sensor don't actually overlap so it couldn't have whacked it. Good theory though.

And, yes, I have a spare engine should anyone need parts

 

[FERRET]

Would it not be more beneficial to put the engine back together as a runner instead of breaking it for spares?

 

[Timolgra]

So, if your neutral light ever starts to play up then best to check this sensor (mine was actually OK most of the time).

Do you mean it was playing up some of the time?

I guess if we'd given your bike the kicking it deserved we could've dislodged it in New Mexico.

Well done for persevering and finding the fault both of you

PS. JB will be ordering a new sensor as we speak

 

[Gaz]

In true neutral, the light would sometimes be slow to come on, it had done that for years. As the clutch was wearing out at the same time I tended to think that was the issue as it was hard enough to find neutral at all.
Stu - as they don't make them any more and I'm keeping the bike I think I'll have it as a non-runner rather than full re-assembly.

 

[Garry H]

Gaz,
you say its just in front of the front sprocket! might it of had something to do with the front sprocket having not been fitted correctly?

At least now you will have a fully working spare engine

If you smashed the outside of the switch the bits would go out the engine not in
I have stripped and rebuilt a few engines over the years but this is one of the worst designs I have seen to date of neutral light switch
The rest of Gaz's engine was in very good condition and showed no signs of over heating at all
Worst of all for Gaz is this would be a 10 minute repair on the side of the road if you knew what to look for

That's why remembering this thread is important

 

[Losttheplot]

Thanks for the update!

I've been having neutral light issues for a while now.

Can the switch be blanked off and the wiring bypassed so it can't become a problem?

 

[Deleted account 190117001]

Thanks.

Is the bike an 09 model or an earlier one ?
I see the problem with the switch, it's some shonky Chinese shite.

Let's assume for a moment.
stay with me here.

I have an 07 model with maybe a non shonky chinese neutral switch and i see this thread and
think shit. . . .
I'd better replace that switch before it fucks up the gear change.
Then install a brand spanking new shonky chinese faulty switch.

Sorry for the hi-jack,
I've been drinking and i'm thinking out loud.
( If it ain't broke don't fix it )

 

[Gaz]

re: blanking it off, not sure Nathan, I think the green light has to be on for it to start at all. If it was permanently earthed and thought it was in neutral when in gear it may mess it's brain up?

re: shonky Chinese, dunno where they're made. As Garry said, it's a crap design rather than a crap production. Mine's an 07 bike. It's easy to check whether the sensor is starting to crack, just make sure the bike is cold and don't overtighten when you put it back in.

 

[Losttheplot]

re: blanking it off, not sure Nathan, I think the green light has to be on for it to start at all. If it was permanently earthed and thought it was in neutral when in gear it may mess it's brain up?

Mine will start in gear if the clutch is pulled in

Not sure about messing it's brain up, not sure it's that complicated

 

[Gaz]

A tip for getting the thing back in, it's 13mm and you have to hold the spanner like a pen to get purchase on it. Also, the nut holding the wire is 5.5mm.
Mine used to start with the clutch in till I bypassed the clutch switch, which I had good reason to do but have since forgotten why!

 

[Garry H]

Don't get paranoid about this switch boys

Just remenber if your gear lever jams up
Check the switch first
All you need to do is unscrew the switch
Check if it is broke ....
If it is remove the broken pin that will be jamed in the selector drum
Lie the bike on it's side and wiggle the gear lever should do the trick
Or long nose pliers
Then pull the inners out the switch so they can't fall in the engine
Refit the switch so it does not leaking oil and your good to go.

 

[Losttheplot]

Don't get paranoid about this switch boys

Not particularly paranoid about the switch, but it is going to be something that goes on the list of things to check every service.

The main reason i'm considering removing this is down to past experience. If something like this can go wrong, it will, and generally in the most inconvenient place possible. Just like my side stand switch did.

 

[Dragon Master]

Eeee... glad I found this thread. A friend has just bought herself an '07 X Country, amd informed me half an hour back that the neutral light is dickie. I have an idea what to check now...

Cheeers!

(I know bugger all about these bikes, I'm a GS rider myself...)

 

[Goral]

Hello guys!

Sory for refreshing post but i have the problem with gear sensor in my 07 X Challenge. I Ask in ASO BMW and they tell me that they dont produse this sensore anymore. I try to replace it using sensor from Honda but the pin it is to short for about 2mm.

U have any idea where can i find this sensore or replacement? I dont have even part numer becouse ASO BMW turn it off in their shops.

HELPPPPP;(

 

[Chicken]

You may well have found this by now


https://www.motorworks.co.uk/vlive/Shop/Parts.php?T=6&Q=g650+xcountry+switch&x=0&y=0