A forum for owners of Yamaha TTR250 trail and enduro bikes!

superfrog · Member

Starter Switch on Handlebar

Terrence R · Senior Member

Any switch should work IMO. All it does is complete the circuit to send power to your starter/soilinoid.

superfrog · Member

Thats what I thought but my dealer is giving me a bit of a fit about it. They say none of these interchange which is quite crazy. I know they want me to buy the more expensive one.

Does anyone have an inexpensive solution that has been tried?

Terrence R · Senior Member

Here's a used one I see on ebay:

m.ebay.com/itm/181419870906

TTRfan · Super Guru

Welcome to the forum Kevin biggrin

Quite often the switch can be made to work again by simply cleaning the contacts. There isn't much to go wrong with them.

Brian

superfrog · Member

Thanks for the welcome. How do you suggest cleaning them.

superfrog · Member

Well, apparently these ttr's are cranky. I thought the battery was bad but after charging and leaving on the trickle charge its fine. Now, to the switch. The other day it wouldn't fire. I took it apart and there was some goop on it. I cleaned it and made the connection but nothing. Tonight I just decided to put the spring back in and hit it and it worked. Apparently, the spring is the integral part in the switch. Thanks guys. It works again. Shoulder shrugg lol.

TT-R250M · Super Guru

Hi Superfrog and welcome to the forum.

The reason the dealers are telling you that it does not fit is that it will not fit. The connector blocks are different and will NOT be a direct replacement. That said, you could make it work with a bit of work.

I have cleaned my starter switch many times over the time I have owned it (about 10 years as it's the one off my old Open Enduro model). The process is simple-

Unscrew the two Philips head screws that clamp it to the handle bars, chop the tiny cable tie that holds the harness firm, unscrew the tiny Philips head self tapping screws, take the switch out from the switch housing, take the switch apart being careful not to loose any parts (after taking note of how it all goes) and clean the contacts up using metal polish, contact cleaner, or a green scourer and toothpaste.

Make sure that the wires are still solidly soldered to the switch and there is no fraying. Any fraying of the wire will result in the starter relay receiving voltage that is way too low, resulting in stater relay failure (happen to me just recently because I forgot to put the tiny cable tie back on ).

Once the switch is together it would be advisable to check if it is getting full voltage through the switch using a multimeter to check. Simply earth the black side of the multimeter to the frame or motor and testing the voltage that runs through the switch when the start button is pressed.

Good luck!

Jarrah

TT-R250M · Super Guru

superfrog wrote:
Well, apparently these ttr's are cranky. I thought the battery was bad but after charging and leaving on the trickle charge its fine. Now, to the switch. The other day it wouldn't fire. I took it apart and there was some goop on it. I cleaned it and made the connection but nothing. Tonight I just decided to put the spring back in and hit it and it worked. Apparently, the spring is the integral part in the switch. Thanks guys. It works again. Shoulder shrugg lol.

You replied while I was typing that but it may help someone anyway lol (if not you). smile

Gotta love the Yamaha switch springs, they are much thicker and stronger than the Honda ones. biggrin

Glad you got it sorted!

BTW- I re-soldered my switch back up after much trouble lol, put the cable tie back on and all is well for me again (a new switch is just too pricey for me to want to buy yet lol.). smile

Jarrah

BM Steve · Guru

I stripped, Cleaned and a bit of molybdenum disulphide (moly) grease on my blinker, headlight and starter switches ages ago and there still good, I don't think they had ever been cleaned and greased, The blinker switch was particularly bad, wouldn't cancel by pushing it in

Now all good

biggrin

superfrog · Member

So your saying to put a small dab of this grease on thw contacts?

TT-R250M · Super Guru

It's not absolutely necessary to use grease, but it depends whether you want your switch to last. Without it it usually corrodes quickly from the heat generated and dust/water. It will also wear quicker.

The problem with using ''molybdenum disulphide (moly) grease'' is that it is conductive. If you use an excessive amount you could end up with problems.

The grease that I like to use that I was trying to think of is Dielectric grease. This grease is non-conductive and can be used excessively without problems. Although lithium or rubber grease does suffice in small amounts when you can't find the real stuff and Supercheap Auto's is too far lol. smile

Jarrah

BM Steve · Guru

Hey Superfrog, I've used it no problems but see below

my advise is clean the switch, try it dry to see if it starts them put some grease on all the moving parts

Luck

TT-R250M wrote:
The problem with using ''molybdenum disulphide (moly) grease'' is that it is conductive. If you use an excessive amount you could end up with problems.
The grease that I like to use that I was trying to think of is Dielectric grease. This grease is non-conductive and can be used excessively without problems. Although lithium or rubber grease does suffice in small amounts when you can't find the real stuff and Supercheap Auto's is too far lol.
Jarrah

Thanks, I forgot about that, but I haven't had any problems at all, probably lucky I didn't use much on the contacts wink

I use the stuff on everything else though, especially after I remove the axles, clean and grease the axles and they slide out no problems

I had to hammer them out the first time I removed them

Also use it on the speedo drive and drive cable, works a treat

Steve

petenz · Super Guru

i have a start button/kill switch of a chinese pit bike on mine...
kill switch works the wrong way round...but not a issue...

superfrog · Member

Well fortunately I happen to have dielectric grease from the days me and my son played airsoft and I repaired and modified many airsoft guns.

Thanks for the great advice.

It's still running and starting every time.

Im like a kid with a new toy. I go by and start it when ever I go through the garage. LOL!!!!