I had an occasion this summer where I accidently hit the kill switch and after setting it back, the engine would turn over but not start. After a few flips back and forth on the switch, the machine roared back to life. I committed then to have the switch replaced.
Today I removed that switch and explored it with an ohm meter. One set of contacts was 100%, while the other set had values of resistance from 30-80%; clearly no bueno.
I took the switch apart and found it was clean with no corrosion. No signs of water or dust intrusion (and I use a pressure washer after every ride!). The wires were soldered and sealed to the switch. The build looked solid and everything looked good, so what could the problem be?
The switch has two spring loaded rollers that roll over the contacts flipping them from one side to the other.
I can only presume that the spring on the fuel injector contact side was weaker than the spring on the starter relay side, or that the fuel injector side would stick, failing to return and put full pressure on the contact. Either way, it wasn't making a consistent connection, and that multiple switch throws finally made a solid connection allowing it to start. This got me to thinking ....
This machine has had an issue since new. Every once in a while, often when climbing rocks or otherwise bouncing the machine around, the engine would stop dead but then start right back up. Other people have complained of the same behavior with their Zforce machines and no one has ever identified the cause.
Well, this switch, with its marginal contact force, is very likely the cause of that intermittent issue. All the evidence fits.
I'm going to hard wire the harness bypassing the switch for now, until I can find a better more reliable switch.
I also found that the harness is wired for lighted switches, and the switch had lights built in, but that the connection to light the switch was broken or disabled at the side contact spring.