C42 Error code - K8

As per title really, have dry garage with room to work on it etc. I've reached the end of the amount of time I want to spend looking at solving an issue on my K8 SV650S.

Getting an intermittent C42 error, from what I think is a loose wire. This prevents the bike from starting and can leave me stranded until it decides to play ball again. I've stripped it, cleaned connectors and put it back together only for it to reoccur.

Its Anti-Hotwire, so its the ignition circuit. So, only does it when I turn the key on, goes through its checks and then says no. If i leave it a while, or wheel it around for a bit, it'll prime and be happy. If it starts, it rides like normal, its a temperamental error that prevents me starting it, and is very much a random electrical gremlin.

Theres lots of stuff after a google which i've tried, just reached a point of throwing a lot of time at it already and just want it working!. Plus side is I know how to strip it down fairly quickly now.

Anyone have any prior experiences, or since we're all mechanical gods care to lend a hand? (Can pay or keep bacon sarnies and tea coming!).

[Bibio]

it's all pointing to a dodgy ignition switch.

it's the wipers in the actual switch (not the barrel) coming apart. if you have checked the green connector and that is fine then it can only be one of three other things, the ignition switch, the ECU connectors or the run switch. i know someone on this forum with the exact same problem and i stripped and checked everything to come to the conclusion it's the ignition switch.

your best bet is take it to your local Suzuki dealer.

Yeah green, black and yellow connections all ok, I checked the connections into the ecu aswell.

Ok will go to a dealer. Thank you

Originally Posted by Bibio

it's all pointing to a dodgy ignition switch.

it's the wipers in the actual switch (not the barrel) coming apart. if you have checked the green connector and that is fine then it can only be one of three other things, the ignition switch, the ECU connectors or the run switch. i know someone on this forum with the exact same problem and i stripped and checked everything to come to the conclusion it's the ignition switch.

your best bet is take it to your local Suzuki dealer.

I am the sad punter with the same problem to whom Lance refers. As he says, he dug in to inspect the green connector which seemed like the likely culprit but it was found to be clean as a whistle and the intermittent fault was still there.

Shortly after Lance looked at it I (very) liberally doused the ignition hole with electrical contact cleaner (actually I used brake cleaner but I believe that is not a great idea around electrical wiring as it can knacker the solder) and once dried squirted in a little dry lock lube. I wasn't too hopeful that this would acheive anything but to my surprise this seemed to virtually entirely cure the fault for about the six months. Makes me wonder if there is some heavy duty gunge stuck in the switch that is jamming up the wipers that Lance mentions or preventing some other connection being made. Might be worth a shot?

It has only just recently started to re-appear with any regularity, albeit worse than before. Last weekend it took about 5+ shots of key fiddling/wire wobbling etc every time i tried to start the bike - aargh. So far this week though, no problems - despite having done nothing else to it. Don't you just hate intermittent faults!

When it first reappeared recently I tried using contact cleaner again but it didn't seem to have as much of a magical effect as before, although that said it does seem to be in partial remission. If it starts doing it peristently again I think I might resort to using brake cleaner again!

If you do resort to getting a dealer to look at it then do let me know what they say!

[Jason H]

I have had the problem on and off this year on my K5. First time was after it was stood around outside for a couple of months when I had a broken ankle. The other times have been after a thorough wash.

Easily fixed in my instance with a lot of WD40 squirted down through the ignition barrel...there are probably more advisable routes from more knowledgeable individuals but this is what worked for me.

J

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[ophic]

Had similar problem on my K3 a while back. Does flicking the kill switch off then on again have any effect?

Kill switch does not affect it. I've even taken the RHS switchgear apart and cleaned it all out with leccy cleaner.

I did spray a little down the barrel and put the key in and out while doing it. May fire a fair bit down when I get home tonight.

Makes me giggle that for being designed to be used in the rain, it doesn't like being wet very much.

[Bibio]

using cleaners is only going to make matters worse in the long run due to the switch having a drain hole in the wiper/contact area which makes them turn dry so using cleaner removes what contact grease is might still be there. wd40 will work but causes other problems in the barrel. only cure is to properly contact grease the wipers/contacts in the bottom of the switch.

use proper electrical contact grease designed for switches.

http://cpc.farnell.com/# part number SGB35SL

Edit; Just saw your wanted post. Hope you find one.

[Bibio]

no do not squeeze down the ignition barrel if anything squeeze it into the drain hole at the bottom. to cure properly you will have to strip the 'ignition' part down then rebuild.

i have put up a wanted for an ignition so i can strip it down grease it and rebuild to show folks on the forum.