Neutral Light on - not in neutral - Jackal

[ahaussmann123]

Hi All,

I have a 2000 Jackal I've been restoring that I got for a song. Nearly there! Just needs a new high quality fork seal, TB balance, TPS reset, and then it's onto mods like ape hangars :P.


But I've 100% confirmed, sometimes the neutral indicator light will go on while the bike is in gear. Why does this happen? Can I fix it?


Thanks all!

[centauro]

It's either the switch on the gearbox behind the starter, or the switch wire grounding against metal along its path to the bulb.

[John A]

That switch behind the starter just completes the ground for the bulb so either it’s funky or most likely there is a ground on the wire to the bulb or the socket like Centauro said

[moto-uno]

 If it's anything like the Tonti 5 speed , the long brass (or copper) arm that makes contact with the little blob on the shifter drum may be bent . Peter

[Muzz]

When I assembled my Breva the washer underneath the sensor had fallen off.  It's needed, trust me.

[ahaussmann123]

I'll take a look at these when I can. New puppy has really eaten my entire riding & wrenching schedule, plus Guzzi needs a new fork seal and tune up. For now my life has just become sketchily releasing the clutch whenever I thiiink I'm in neutral, it's a real throwback to my supermoto/dirt bike days hahah

[fotoguzzi]

If you downshift all the way to first then nudge the shifter up you can feel it slip into neutral, the feel is different than going into second gear.

Let's see pics of your puppy.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I'll take a look at these when I can. New puppy has really eaten my entire riding & wrenching schedule, plus Guzzi needs a new fork seal and tune up. For now my life has just become sketchily releasing the clutch whenever I thiiink I'm in neutral, it's a real throwback to my supermoto/dirt bike days hahah

Some owners have good results slipping a piece of film under the seal and running it around to remove any grit.
Disconnect the wire at the sensor and slip it into a short piece of plastic tube for a few days, if the light comes on ever it's not the sensor, somewhere else.

[guzzisteve]

About the neutral switch: The stud that wire goes on has a nut under the wire that should not be moved or stud rotated. It connects to a strip of metal that when twisted the metal strip will be on an angle and not flat to touch the shifter drum. Then it touches the edge of strip and not the flat.
Maybe this has happened to your indicator switch.

[Lee Bruns]

If the green light comes on, it indicates that the green indicator bulb has not burned out. The connection between neutral and that light is tenuous at best. This is a well known reality for several decades.

[tris]

After a couple of unexpected launches I learnt to NEVER trust the neutral light on my 95 Cali 

[Old Jock]

If the green light comes on, it indicates that the green indicator bulb has not burned out. The connection between neutral and that light is tenuous at best. This is a well known reality for several decades.

 

How amusing and how very true.

The green indicator lights up to inform you that the gearbox is somewhere in the vicinity of neutral.

If it isn't lit and your stopped it's telling you that you've found a false neutral.

Funnily enough I had the LM 1000 out yesterday, it's the only one I really went to to the trouble of shimming the selector drum properly. Having being out on the other 2, 5 speed Guzzis I own, the LM 1000 shifts (more or less) like a Japanese bike or Duc, it's silky smooth with no clunks and bangs. I can't say the same of the other bikes, they require a lot more finesse and technique.

Really worth taking the time to do that shimming, if you ever have the box apart, wish I'd spent more time on the other two.

[Kiwi_Roy]

John left off the reference to his excellent tutorial so I will add it.


https://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzitech.dk/pdf/gearbox-rebuilding-john-noble.pdf