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[Enelectrax]

Royal Enfield 500 Bullet Electra X - Electrics agro possible short circuit bad earth?

Hello, having some electrical issue with my Enfield, firstly in the last couple of days it went completely dead and free of any electrical life at all, wouldn't kick over and no way would it entertain an electric start.

Im now routing through all the wiring, Fuses are intact, tank is off, seat is off head light is off exposing the Rats nest basically looking a mess right now.

This is where i'm at currently:

Neutral light comes on faintly then will become brighter after a few seconds but as soon as add some load for example press the horn or put on the side lights it will dim right down again.

The other scenario is this (a better one) Neutral light comes on faintly then will become brighter stays bright and even the main lights and indicators as a load can be put on but as soon as you turn the lights off your back to square one.

Its just very intermittent, I've had the ignition out no loose soldering there, been trying to isolate an area by moving wiring around coming back form the clocks, I did have some success with that, I got a bright neutral light loud horn, side lights clock lights indicators but then it will go back to its old ways and you wouldn't be able to recreate it.

Looked at all the wiring in that area in the head light taken all the connection apart and I can't see anything obvious that would cause a problem. Feel that when its all bright and lively it would fire up no problem.

Prior to all this the Neutral light was blown this has really come about since fitting the new bulb which has blown once more the 3rd one seems to be hanging on in there while I mess about with it all.

Other noticeable goings on:

A few nights ago the headlight normal beam blew while riding home luckily high beam stayed functioning, I noticed it flickering while riding then it went.

When I did have the replacement neutral 2nd bulb in it appeared to be flickering slightly when the engine was running before it decided to be lifeless again.

Back light will dim slightly when I apply the brakes.

Be good to hear back from someone who may have had some similar experience of this problem and appreciate any views.

Thanks for looking.

Geoff

[Beezabryan]

Ever think about the battery?

[Adrian]

The neutral light switch on mine was definitely temperamental, the pulling in the clutch and activating the clutch switch which is in parallel with the neutral light switch, would at least let me use the E/S. If the neutral light failed to come on I could still kick start the bike.

After a while the ignition switch also started deciding it wanted the odd day off. Giving the wiring a quick yank to the side would get it working again. OK, switch replaced.

Also had a total power failure where the battery to ammeter wire snapped where the wiring loom flexed around the headstock. Rigged a permanent hot-wire!

A.

[Wheaters]

The neutral light circuit is constantly live once the ignition switch is switched on. The switch earths the circuit through the gearbox, via a detent on the cam plate when in neutral, putting on the light. The connection to the wiring harness is on the back face of the gearbox and is very vulnerable to corrosion. I’d check that connection as a priority.

[Enelectrax]

Cheers Adrian for your reply, I've had fun and games today but eventually found a bare wire that had rubbed through and was earthing out on the frame, that appears at the moment to be the source of problem, so now I have a solid working neutral light and no load hindering it, plan tomorrow is I will slowly be re-taping and fixing back all the wiring while keeping a check on the clock lights.

Thanks

Geoff

[Enelectrax]

Thanks Wheaters for your time, just seen and read your reply.

All seems fine this eve with the problem I had earlier today, after to many hours and routing around i'm hoping it continues in just being that exposed wire I found.

Cheers Geoff

[Wheaters]

No problem, hopefully you’ve found the fault.

[Enelectrax]

.....ok here is the latest, almost there, thinking yesterday evening I had sorted the problem though appears not entirely.

Appreciate any views, this is where I'm at:

Bike is starting nicely with the kick only, now two things are happening.

01.
Will start run and idle no problem, has a bright solid neutral light , can switch on side lights, illuminates the speedo, indicators will function along with speedo flasher, brake light will work from front and rear, back light works, full and high beam will work along blue high beam indicator on the speedo, has a lively sounding horn. So no issue with this version, all good.

02. Problem version.

Will start run and idle no problem, though has a PULSATING neutral light (Dimming and brightening) in rhythm with the engine , can switch on side lights, illuminates the speedo, indicators will function along with speedo flasher, brake light will work from front and rear.
Back light will pulsate (Dimming and brightening) with the engine.

Then when I switch to main lights all speedo illumination disappears, engine still running, no lights front and back either?

Electric start doesn't want to know in either versions, reading a lot about the problematic electric start on the electra x is this a common issue?

Short version is bike behaving if I have a solid Neutral light, bike misbehaving if its a flaky neutral light.

Been re-reading Wheaters comment below:

The neutral light circuit is constantly live once the ignition switch is switched on. The switch earths the circuit through the gearbox, via a detent on the cam plate when in neutral, putting on the light. The connection to the wiring harness is on the back face of the gearbox and is very vulnerable to corrosion. I’d check that connection as a priority.

Is this easily accessible?

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Geoff

[Enelectrax]

....meant to add if the neutral light is flaky and dimming it won't kick over at all.

[Wheaters]

The neutral light switch may be easily accessible but it depends on your bike. The rear mudguard might be in the way, or not.

If you can either raise the bike, or lean it right over, you should be able to see a single wire fastened to a hexagon headed plastic plug the rear of the gearbox by a small cross head type screw. It’s this connection that may be corroded. The plastic plug is the neutral switch itself and that screws into the gearbox casing. Inside it is a simple spring loaded plunger. When the cam plate is in the neutral position it allows the plunger to go into a detent, making the circuit (actually earthing the live from the bulb) and allowing the neutral light to come on.

Your electric starter won’t work if the neutral light won’t light properly, even if the gearbox is actually in neutral. This is a safety design to prevent you cranking the engine over in gear.

The parts diagrams on this website for the 5 speed gearbox show the switch and the screw. Part #32, to the left of the triangular plate on the rear face.

Edit: just remembered that your bike is an Electra X. It may have the later type of neutral switch, which does away with the cross headed screw connection and instead has a short wiring pigtail which uses a connector higher up in the harness, above the gearbox. However, the working principle still applies. The switch can be unscrewed and tested.