Honda Big Red Neutral Switch faulty

[stoneroad]

Hi, I am a new member. Having read pevious posts here helped me with my Big Red problems before.
I have a 1984 Honda ATC 200ES. The other day when pushing the start button, nothing happened. I had the bike in neutral but the neutral light did not come on. Checked battery, lightd, ignition key, all fine.
I read before grounding the neutral switch wire will bypass the neutral switch. RIGHT ON: the green light came on, and the engine started alright.
I could leave the jumper wire or install a new neutral switch. I looked at the engine pretty closely, and it looks like quite a job to replace the neutral swich. Could somebody tell me where exactly the switch is located and what would be involved to replace it (there are some available on eBay). Thanks very much.

[Flyingw]

See the bottom of page 11-12 of the Honda manual. it shows you the location of the Neutral switch and shaft.

[stoneroad]

Thanks for your response. I had bought a service manual online, but can't find any info on the neutral switch.
Could you send me a copy of page 11-12 or information how to change the switch?

[Flyingw]

Download the factory manual for free here.

http://www.oscarmayer.net/atc/manuals/

[stoneroad]

Thanks for the website, wish I had known it before. My manual is pretty well the same, plus ATC200e. But it only goes to page 11-9. That's why I couldn't find the neutral switch.
It still looks like quite a job to replace the switch, but I might give it a try. Has anybody done it, anything to consider? I assume the oil has to be drained first...
Thanks again for your help.

[kb0nly]

I also have the manuals for free on my website...

www.atcmanuals.info

The worst part is nobody seems to have these new anymore. So you have to take a chance on installing a used one that might not last very long after a real pain to install it! You will need all the gaskets for the left side, better to just by a bottom end gasket set to get them all. You have to pull the recoil, the recoil pulley, the left cover, then the electric starter and all its reduction gears, the flywheel and starter clutch assembly, and then unbolt and remove the left side spacer that all thats housed in, that gets you down to the left side of the crankcase. The neutral switch is down inbetween the subtrans and the left cover, it pushes into the case with an o-ring on it to seal it, you do need to drain the oil cause your going to tear the whole left side off the motor. The left spacer actually holds the neutral switch into the case so it has to be removed to get to it.

Its quite the job, the last one i did took a couple hours. I have all the tools to do it and spent time scraping all the gaskets down and repainted the spacer and cover before reassembly, so it can be done a bit quicker but still expect some time to work on it! Like i said, your tearing down the whole left side of the motor to get to the case and the switch. What a pain!!

[stoneroad]

Thanks for your detailed reply, kbonly. Looking at the picture in the manual I was afraid it would be quite a job. And, as you said, you don't know what the used switch on eBay will be like.
I am seriously considering installing a permanent jumper with an on/off switch to bypass the neutral switch. Just turn it on for starting.
I thank all the writers for their advice. It was a good experience as a new member. Hope to post again sometimes.

[kb0nly]

Come back whenever you need to!