DR650 - Neutral light woes

**paulj** · 7th December 2007, 14:35

If the neutral light on your DR650 stops working it may be a good idea to stop the bike immediately and investigate.

Mine did just that a month or so ago – I checked out the wiring and found a slightly corroded connector just under the seat on the left by the airbox (where the workshop manual said). A few squirts of CRC and presto – the neutral light returned and I put the seat back on and afterwards, me on the seat.

A few weeks later, it went out again – this time for good. A check with the meter and a jumper lead pointed me to the neutral switch inside the clutch cover.

A trawl of the web (ADV Rider) showed that there had been a few instances of the neutral switch holding screws working loose, the reasoning being that the plastic surround of the switch assembly, slowly deforms over time and the screws rattle out and drop into the crankcase - ouch. So – off with the clutch cover and the result you can see in the pics.

Where the screw is I do not know – the engine is to be stripped down this winter in an effort to get to the bottom of the third gear growl me and one or two others have heard so maybe it will pop out then!

Meantime – do I replace the screw and ride on oblivious? Hmmmm – bugger’d if I know!

And to really piss me off, we are getting day after day of clear blue skies and little wind.

**marks** · 7th December 2007, 15:38

if it were me I would worry everytime I rode the bike imagining that freaking screw dropping between some gears or somesuch. I would have to do something about it..

what an absolute bummer

**Crisis management** · 7th December 2007, 16:39

Love the tool kit, is that the expanded suzuki kit?

I wouldn't be too concerned about it, the screw will sit happily in the sump somewhere, get covered in gunge and stay put forever (probably).
The oil system has a mesh screen and filter that will prevent the screw being sucked up and it would be almost impossible to get it into the gear train as they are always in mesh.
Unfortunately, if you want it out you will have to split the cases to find it.

Good luck with that decision!

**paturoa** · 7th December 2007, 16:57

Originally Posted by Crisis management

I wouldn't be too concerned about it, the screw will sit happily in the sump somewhere, get covered in gunge and stay put forever (probably)..... it would be almost impossible to get it into the gear train as they are always in mesh.

If he rides his DR like I ride my KDX then, it being found upside down with the engine running is a possibility that may result in the screw going somewhere it isn't wanted.

**necrolyte** · 7th December 2007, 17:49

You could put said bolt back in with a drop of loctite thread lock...

**scracha** · 7th December 2007, 18:14

Originally Posted by necrolyte

You could put said bolt back in with a drop of loctite thread lock...

The screw would get chopped up like a hot knife through butter.

**paulj** · 7th December 2007, 18:18

Originally Posted by Crisis management

Love the tool kit, is that the expanded suzuki kit?

Unfortunately, if you want it out you will have to split the cases to find it.

Good luck with that decision!

Yeah - I realise the case has to be split to get amongst the innards - that's a winter job - I had hoped the screw would be sitting provocatively in view but there seems to be a tangle of webs etc stuffing up that idea.

Decision: the remaining screw is loose so try and back it out without removing the clutch, then replace both with Loctite'd SSteel socket heads - I may need to grind down an Allen key to get in to tighten it - otherwise the clutch basket comes off too.

The lost one can stay that way - I've been close to upside down a couple of times so maybe it isn't going to be a problem in the short term.

No that is not the expanded Suzy kit - that precision adjusting tool is for use on the owner who is now a screw loose.

**What?** · 8th December 2007, 08:17

If it helps you make your decision, I know a bloke who could tell you exactly what happens when KTM throw a surplus washer into the crankcase of one of their V-twins (it ain't pretty...)

**paulj** · 10th December 2007, 06:04

Originally Posted by What?

If it helps you make your decision, I know a bloke who could tell you exactly what happens when KTM throw a surplus washer into the crankcase of one of their V-twins (it ain't pretty...)

Whaaaa - I have some idea of the mess that it could do - looking at the switch carefully shows that the bottom screw has been out for some time - the sender switch only started to show symptoms as the top screw has loosened and allowed it to disconnect from the operating pawl.

So far so good - the difference now is of course ... "I know about it".

However the owners of any DR650's with more than about 15k on the clock would be well advised to knock off the clutch cover and check the screws, replacing them with loctite'd 5mm x 20mm bolts.

**Crisis management** · 10th December 2007, 06:48

Originally Posted by paulj

However the owners of any DR650's with more than about 15k on the clock would be well advised to knock off the clutch cover and check the screws, replacing them with loctite'd 5mm x 20mm bolts.

Preventative maintenance!!!! Wash your mouth out boy.

Good tip though, let us know how you get on with the whining 3rd gear as most DR's I know seem to have that problem and every owner so far just fits ear plugs or a louder exhaust.

**cooneyr** · 10th December 2007, 08:03

Check if it has worked it way over to the other side of the engine and is now stuck on the stator (or whatever its called) magnets. Dont know much about the internals but guessing its not impossible. Other thing - the guys on the Yahoo DR650 forum go on and on bout magnetic sump draining bolts. Maybe now is the time to find one?????

Thanks for the pics - I'd heard about the issue but thought it was harder to get at than that.

Seriously keen to hear about the 3rd gear whine when the time comes. Mines been doing it for 8000kms now (probably more but I've only owned it that long).

Cheers R

**XF650** · 10th December 2007, 08:08

Re 3rd gear whine
My XF does it too (same motor as DR)
Has anyone noticed a difference if using full synthetic oil?

**cooneyr** · 10th December 2007, 08:17

Originally Posted by XF650

Re 3rd gear whine
Has anyone noticed a difference if using full synthetic oil?

I suspect but cant confirm that is what started if for me. Too clean and flushed all the "muck" out of where ever it is that is whining. Complete hearsay and utter rubbish probably but full synthetic doesn't help (on my bike anyway).

Cheers R

**XF650** · 10th December 2007, 08:30

Originally Posted by cooneyr

I suspect but cant confirm that is what started if for me. Too clean and flushed all the "muck" out of where ever it is that is whining. Complete hearsay and utter rubbish probably but full synthetic doesn't help (on my bike anyway).

Cheers R

I don't want to hijack this thread with 'another' oil debate but mine has run semi synthetic & didn't stop the whine. In fact it's worse with 16th front sprocket, I assume because of more load?