Electrical Gurus- What have I done!

[JetDriver]

A friend of mine has a Wing that when he turns the key off, some of the lights and accessories remain on.  It has been diagnosed as the ignition module and only costs about $150 for the part- not that bad.  The labor, however, to take off all the body work will cost around another $750!!!  His solution has been to undo the ground everytime he stops.  I bought a toggle switch from NAPA today and just spliced it into his ground to the battery.  Now when he stops, he just flips the switch and all is dead.  What do you think?  I don't think a standard switch for things such as radios or relayed lights are designed for the large ground cables of our bikes.  Is this an ok fix, or do I need to change it?

[NITRO]

It can't be that hard to change once you get all the plastic off. Should be plug and play, right?

If the switch can handle it, I guess it's an okay temporary fix. I wouldn't leave any jerry-rigged wiring in place long myself.

Doesn't this also reset his clock, radio stations, etc. every time he stops? I think that'd be more of a pain in the butt than fixing it properly.

[MP]

I agree with Nitro.  Sounds like a Sunday project for a few friends, and a case of cold beer!

MP

[JetDriver]

It's a '94 with 95000 miles.  He has said he'll be buying another one soon and he's not going to spend $1000 on this one.  He plans on full disclosure when he sells it (he'll have to- you can't hide it!).  That's his decision to keep it this way until he sells it..  All I did was try to make it easier and quicker for him to de-power the thing.  My question then boils down to what Nitro suggested- is this light weight switch able to do the job.  It is for now.  The worst that will happen is the switch will fry and leave him stranded somewhere.

[JimC]

The worst that will happen is the switch will fry and leave him stranded somewhere.

I would say that it is inevitable that it will happen, if his luck is like mine, it will be when he is in a hurry.

I would buy a battery quick disconnect and put it on the negative post, it would not take much time to use it and it would be "MUCHO BETTER" the battery is very easy to access on the valk compared to other bikes.

Jim

[JetDriver]

Thanks, Jim.  I'll start looking for a quick disconnect.

[timk519]

Did your friend get any second opinions on what it would take to replace the ignition module?

[JetDriver]

Did your friend get any second opinions on what it would take to replace the ignition module?

I don't know if he did or not.  I thought about the route of an afternoon of just doing the job, but he's not so much the type of guy who likes to do his own wrenching, even with help.  I've never played with a wing, so even I don't really know what I would be getting into.  My hunch is, whoever decides to buy it is going to say to himself, "I can do this in an afternoon- it's not that big of a job...." and get himself a pretty good deal on the bike.

[Walküre]

I think I would use the switch, add a relay that would handle 40 amps (around $10, last time I bought one), and use the switch to trigger the relay, to switch the ground off the battery. That way you are taking the load off the switch, and putting it on the relay.

Unless it's a really beefy switch, designed to carry the current, it WILL fail...and since the current will be through it all the time, it might fail at the most inopportune time.

R

[JetDriver]

Unless it's a really beefy switch, designed to carry the current, it WILL fail...and since the current will be through it all the time, it might fail at the most inopportune time.

R

This was back in July, and the switch DID fail, as you all predicted.  Fortunately, he was pulling into his home when it happened, so no worries that way.  To my knowledge, the bike has sat since then.

[stlthmsta]

I'm with Nitro, too. I'd take the body work off and just fix it. I work on Wings often and it's a pain and I've cussed the over accessarized one but it's doable.  Tom M

[JetDriver]

I'm with Nitro, too. I'd take the body work off and just fix it. I work on Wings often and it's a pain and I've cussed the over accessarized one but it's doable.  Tom M

I'm with ya.  Not my bike.  He doesn't like wrenching, and doesn't want to soak 1000k into paying to have it fixed.  So, he's paralyzed by indecision.  Apparently, at this time anyway, it's easier to hide it in a corner of the garage and not think about it.  I suspect he'll eventually trade it in on a new one.  He'll "pay" for the fix then, when the trade-in value is way low.

[JimC]

Jetdriver

What year wing is it?

I smell a smokin deal, and a some money to be made for someone that is not afraid to turn a wrench!
Jim

[JetDriver]

Jetdriver

What year wing is it?

I smell a smokin deal, and a some money to be made for someone that is not afraid to turn a wrench!
Jim

Hey Jim!  Yep, I agree with you.  Kind of addressed that earlier in this thread (It was still July then.)  It's a '94 w/ 95k on it.  Eventually, somebody will get a deal, and it'll probably be a dealer getting it as a trade-in, which means a double deal.  It's not for sale yet, to my knowledge, and as I mentioned, it's sitting in the back of his garage where he doesn't have to think about it.  Everybody's different; everybody has their own weak areas- I guess I'm seeing one of his.  He's still my friend, though.  We don't go riding together anymore.  (I don't like pushing OR towing.)     Hopefully "spring fever" will light a fire under his butt to do something with it!