| |
| Page last modified: 09/03/08 ElectricalNote: Email addresses and links listed in this Q&A section may no longer be valid!
DATE: March 19, 2000 I just bought the Dyna S Ignition - The complete self-contained electronic ignition system - for my '83 Suzuki GS1100G. There is no mention on the Dyna web page or GS Resources that I'll have to fit a mechanical advancer from an earlier model. Gotcha. RIDER: Gene Burles REPLY: Joe Amidon Call Dyna. I've found them helpful over the phone. DATE: March 19, 2000 The igniter box seems to have dropped 1 set of cyl and I think it is cheaper and better to use the Dyna S. Do I need to have the old igniter box in line or is the Dyna S a stand alone unit? Thanks for your site and your help. Charlie. Ride Safe and Often. RIDER: Charles Applegate REPLY: Joe Amidon DATE: March 19, 2000 I have a 1980 Suzuki GS1100L. The Ohm reading on my signal generator is 220. One of the books I have said it should read 250-360. The other 290-350. Nevertheless, my reading is outside the given spec. Is it possible that the signal generator could be causing my plugs to foul due to carbon deposits; i.e. weak ignition? My local Suzuki dealer quoted me a price of $498.00 for the new part. Does anyone know of any tricks to remedy the low Ohm reading so I don't have to blow my budget? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!! RIDER: HOWARD BALL REPLY: Joe Amidon DATE: March 19, 2000 I previously submitted a question concerning removal of the starter motor, which I have now solved. The problem I have now is this - I have fitted new brushes (it is the Denso type motor) and refitted the motor. but it now turns over slower than it did when the old brushes were fitted (before they stopped working altogether due to wear). Subsequently, the bike is not firing. Any ideas? I'm quite baffled on this one - I've checked all the relevant connections, it's a new/fully charged battery and the engine oil has been recently changed. Thanks. RIDER: RALPH DAVIS REPLY: Chris Hunter Answers gratefully accepted. DATE: March 18, 2000 My kickstand indicator light is constantly lit. I took the switch off and even with the plunger all the way in, the light stays on. Is there a way to bypass the switch so the light will go off? I already took the switch assemble apart and even tried touching the two leads together, but the light stays on no matter what I've tried. RIDER: Jim Kroon REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: March 3, 2000 I am starting out in motorcycling and a looking to buy a good first bike, something that I can work on myself (I have good mechanical skills, at least on cars). I have been reading up on the GS series of motorcycles, and have seen a 1986 GS550ES with 27,000 miles for sale for $500. Problem, no spark. The current owner thinks it is the CDI and some other parts. Is the CDI the stator? RR or RG or is this another part? How much would it cost me to just replace the electrical parts with new Electrex ones? Should I bother buying it? The engine turns over freely when cranked so it is not seized. RIDER: Ryan W. Vallieu REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: January 29, 2000 I have got the 1150 in your picture gallery (from South Africa) My problem is that the 2 tail lights(2 globes in the tail light) blow the whole time, I have a friend with the same bike and his does it to, if u replace a bulb it lasts about 3 or 4 days then it's blown, I have now put in 24 volt globes but they also last only a week or two. Have u heard of this problem before or know where i can look for the problem ? RIDER: Antony Engelbrecht REPLY: Malcolm Evans So, working on the logic that the front one was not blowing, I cut and sealed off the live wires to the tail lights (not earth or brake) and ran a wire from the pilot bulb in the headlight. I was ready to do new earths as well but no! Success, never blew a bulb again. You have to take the seat and tank off to do it. Hope it works for you. REPLY: H.J. Buitenweg Greetings from Holland, DATE: January 29, 2000 When I bought my GS850, the turn signals weren't working. Sometimes the left signal would work, but the right signal would just make the flasher buzz. After checking all of the bulbs, I jumped the gun and bought a flasher unit, having had similar problems on cars and trucks in the past. Needless to say, the flasher didn't work, or I wouldn't be writing this. I got out the Clymer manual and the VOM, and went through step-by-step. I don't think it is a short, because everything in the switch checked out perfectly, with one exception. The manual cancel switch only sent a "bump" on the VOM's needle when pressed, instead of the .6-1.0 volt that the book says it should cause. However, the manual cancel feature seems to work -- it stops the blinking or buzzing or whatever else the blinkers are doing at the time. Another odd thing is that if I leave the flasher connected, and don't touch the switch at all, the left blinker will come on for a few seconds and then stop for a while, and then come on again by itself. My questions are: 1.)Does this sound like a problem with the manual cancel switch, or can I assume it is ok since it does its job? 2.)Could the automatic cancel feature be causing this? 3.) Is the signal sending unit the most likely culprit? 4.) Any other advice or tests? RIDER: David Witt REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: January 29, 2000 I am considering upgrading my ignition components to high performance aftermarket items. Coils, plugs, wires, etc. I hoped to gain more horsepower. However, I read in a book called "Sportbike Performance Handbook" that even a very weak spark will ignite a proper fuel-air mixture, and that upgrading this sort of stuff is essentially a waste of time and money. However, it seems a very popular upgrade. Does anyone have any real, dyno backed data confirming the superiority of high performance components versus proper functioning stock pieces? Thanks. RIDER: Tobin Henderson REPLY: Frank Perreault If that is the case, then to buy Suzuki replacement parts will probably put you in the poor house and only give you stock performance. The smarter decision then is to buy aftermarket parts like Dyna. The parts will cost less, give you better performance and with aftermarket coils, you can replace the sparkplug wires, something the stock units don't allow you to do without changing the coils at the same time. DATE: December 27, 1999 My #2 cylinder does not appear to be firing. The problem started out only at low RPM (below 3000) the bike felt rough, but smoothed out as I accelerated. The problem has progressed and now runs rough even at higher RPM. I checked the plugs #2 was black, and wet. I installed all new plugs, there is spark, compression, and fuel on #2, new plug is also wet, pipe is cool while engine is running. I'm not sure if I quite understand how the ignition system works on these bikes yet, but I suspect that the spark plug fires prior to both the power and the intake stroke (which I think would be power stroke for #3), that being the case I suspect that the plug is only firing prior to the intake stroke. Any ideas on how to test this, or am I way off the mark? RIDER: Randy Spaulding REPLY: Frank Perreault (*) This originates from the very simple design of the ignition system. DATE: November 27, 1999 Excuse my incredibly simple question, this is my first bike. I just bought an 83 GS450L with only 3600 miles on it, and the turn signal lights don't work. When the switch is pushed they don't light up, there is no clicking or anything. I think I need to look at the relay, but...where is it physically located on the bike? I know I need to get a manual, which do you recommend? Great site, thanks for the help. RIDER: Mike Fox REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: November 7, 1999 I'd like to know how difficult it is to install a Dyna S or Dyna III ignition on an 82 gs1100g/gs1100gl. any gotchas? any surprises or problems with the installation? on the GL, I think the ignitor is shot, and i know that the Dyna is MUCH cheaper.. anyone done this and would like to explain the difficulty to me? it would be much appreciated.. thanks RIDER: brian zimmerman REPLY: Scott Horner DATE: November 7, 1999 I recently acquired the bike for $20. :-) All of the separate components to make the bike run operate fine, except for the fact that when in neutral, the bike does not acknowledge the fact, so will not start. I know the light works, and have had it lit once, and the bike operated fine. But most of the time it doesn't think it is in neutral. I know little of the switches related to the transmission. Any help would be appreciated. RIDER: Jake Orange REPLY: Julian Girardin Good luck, and sorry for my English, I speak Spanish. DATE: November 7, 1999 Just bought this bike, Definitely a GS1000. Shaft drive, (is this a G?) Haynes manual talks about four fuses. A 15 Amp and 3 times 10 Amp. My fuse box has Five fuses fitted, no cover. So question What fuses should be fitted and what do they protect? Thank you. RIDER: Dave Painter REPLY: John G. Bloemer I have this complete fuse box for sale (including the cover and fuses) if you think it will fit your bike pleas e-mail an offer. Thanks, and good luck..... DATE: November 7, 1999 A strange idea: Any one have any idea how to wire a car-type stereo in a GS through a Vetter fairing? i.e. Where do I run the power wires to and such. Note: 12v plug-jack does not work RIDER: Nich J. Weidman REPLY: Paul Holman DATE: October 17, 1999 Every time it rains or I give my bike a good thorough wash, it blubbers until it dries out. It seems to get to the point that it is only running on 2 cylinders or something. What do I need? Coils? Any ideas? I ride with a couple of friends that ride Harleys and this is getting embarrassing. Thanks guys... love your site! RIDER: John Prososki REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: August 8, 1999 I own a 1986 GS550L that only recently (very hot local weather) began exhibiting the following. When cold, the bike starts and runs fine. After riding for about five minutes the engine dies just as if the ignition were turned off. Immediate attempts to restart fail. If the bike sets for a while (30-60min), it will restart, but will again die within minutes. Initially I though fuel system as I had planned to rework the carbs and ran the tank very low prior to the first occurrence of this problem. This board, however, has led me to believe the problem to be more electrical in nature. Following a few suggestions, I proceeded to take a few things apart and test components following the Clymer manual. I have found the following: The charging test (per the manual and this site) appears to check out. I have never had a charging issue unless I ran the battery dead. The ignitor test seems to fail. Unless I am doing something wrong, I seem to get no spark when crossing the proper leads. If I remove the plugs and connect all components, when starting the bike, all sparks fire. If I disconnect the Signal Generator and cross the b/w and green or b/w and o/w leads on the ignitor side of the ignitor/signal generator connection, I get no spark. SUSPECT IGNITOR The Signal Generator test seems to fail. Again, unless I am doing something wrong, I have disconnect the signal generator from the ignitor and switch my multimeter to ohms. I connect the leads to the appropriate wires on the signal generator side of the connector and get a value of about .35 (should be 250-500). SUSPECT IGNITOR. I did test for continuity between all signal generator wires to the connector. All good. I then bought a can of freeze and ran the bike till it dies. I then sprayed the ignitor, no luck; sprayed the signal generator, no luck; the coils no luck. Sprayed again. After spraying the signal generator... BANG... it starts right up... SUSPECT SIGNAL GENERATOR. Called Dynatek... they do not make replacements for a 1986 GS550L. This leaves me with stock... Luckily Suzuki Signal Generator is only about $135. Question: Is it likely both parts are bad? Or, could the faulty SG be causing the ignitor to not work right... Lastly, when cold, since the bike starts fine, shouldn't the ignitor test pass? The Signal Generator is held in by a 6mm Allen bolt housed within a larger 19mm bolt. The 6mm is recessed. This bolt was so tight, it stripped and didn't even budge. I was rotating the 6mm counter-clockwise while holding or turning the larger bolt clockwise... Now I must have it machined out... $$$. So I guess my main question is would one failed component fail the other? The ignitor is expensive $350+ for Suzuki and nobody else manufactures a replacement. Being a starter bike that I bought for $1000, I hesitate to put much cash into repairs. Any advice? Buy used? Part it out? Note 2: I posted a previous message to this to which I have not received any replies. This following is an update and the current state: My 86 GS550L would run fine for a 15 minutes or so and then abruptly die. Attempts to restart would fail until the bike cooled for a while. It appeared to be electrical and I tested the ignitor and signal generator (as well as a charging test). Both the ignitor and SG test did not produce the desire result, but I may have done them wrong (don't think so though). A can of freeze revealed that spraying the SG would permit the bike to start, but shortly after it would again fail. I purchased a salvage replacement for the ignitor and SG. Replacing the ignitor and then test-riding resulted in the same original problem. Replacing the SG corrected the problem. Having taken a local test ride without incident I later took a longer 30 mile ride. No problems. Went home, parked. Next night, I attempted to start bike... no luck. Pulled the plugs and checked for spark-- no spark... Check all connections, removed plugs and reseated-- no spark... Occasionally I will get a single spark, but then none. Battery is fully charged. Could the replacement SG have been faulty as well? Could there be another component that would case the SG to fail? I purchased the SG at a shop that stated if it die shortly after installing, they would send another. I will try that route, however, I am concerned that another component could be killing this part. RIDER: Larry Eichenbaum REPLY: Roland Hauff My ignition system blew out due to a faulty regulator, replaced regulator w/ aftermarket, replaced ignition signal generator & ignitor w/ Dyna S ( I was lucky, I guess, mine is a 1980 GS550L). Now the only thing original was coils, and the problem still existed so I bought a set of used stock coils. Problem still existed. I have verified that the signal coming from the DynaS is good, but the coils still drop out. I am planning to buy a new set of coils from Dyna, but don't have the bucks yet! Let me know how yours goes! REPLY: Larry Eichenbaum DATE: September 18, 1999 What sort of Dyna coils do I need for my bike and are there any tips on fitting? RIDER: Neil Beck REPLY: Joe Amidon DATE: August 15, 1999 I have 4 dangling spark plug wires and don't know which cylinder each goes to. The bike does not have points, so I do not know how to figure this out. I am just learning about bikes, so I can not tell what type of ignition system it has. But on the end of the crank shaft is the disk with a notch on it with the marks labeled "t" and "f". To the left and right of that are basically magnetic pieces of metal with wires going to them. One is labeled "1,4" the other is labeled "2,3". Spinning the crank shaft around with a wrench does not cause a spark, but whipping a screwdriver between the disk and magnetic piece does. But it does when I do it to the "1,4" and the "2,3" side. RIDER: Jason McLaughlin REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: August 21, 1999 Just got hold of a GS750, mechanically good, but wiring loom completely shot and looks as if bits missing, does anyone have a good diagram??? thanx for your help.. RIDER: Chris Nash REPLY: Sandra Whitney Remove your harness and compare it to the one at the salvage yard. It's not to hard to swap out the plastic connectors (if they don't match yours perfectly). Just insert a fine pointed object into the connector from the front to lift the retaining tab and slide the wire out the back of the connector. DATE: August 8, 1999 I needed to clean the contacts on the horn button of my 1980 GS850GL. When I took the assembly (which also houses directional & high beam controls) - about a million parts came out, and quite frankly I don't know how to put it back together. If anyone can steer me in the right direction as to where to find a good diagram, I would greatly appreciate it. I tried the CLYMER manual, but no luck. RIDER: Jason Green REPLY: Joe Amidon If you get real frustrated, you can send yours to me and I'll put it back together. I was so terribly pleased with myself for getting it back together I was hard to be around for a couple of hours and I welcome the opportunity to do it again. On the other hand, if you buy a replacement from a salvage dealer, maybe you can send me that spring I'm missing. DATE: August 8, 1999 Just bought a gs1100e (according to the manual) Owner said the dealer did not have the battery with the internal hookup to the battery check dash light. So now the light stays on & there is a green wire at the battery with no home. Any comments on what to do with the light etc? Thanks... RIDER: Michael Hassion REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: July 31, 1999 The 1983 GS850GL has no points and I can not find a way to adjust the timing on this bike. The maintenance manual does not tell how I should time this engine. I have rebuilt the carbs but they still need some work, they are still running rich and the bike runs hot, I have not been able to get it running to ride it yet, if you could help it would be very good thanks. LOST!!! RIDER: Odell K. Patterson REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: July 31, 1999 Great site! I recently replaced my stator and regulator/rectifier with the Electrex units (thanks Ritzo!) along with a rebuilt starter motor. The bike now seems to be running OK and charging the battery OK. So what's the problem?...according to one of your FAQ's voltage levels seem to be a little bit lower than spec. The battery shows ~12.5 volts with the bike not running. At idle (no lights) it shows ~13.2 volts. Running it at 4k rpm the voltage seems to jump around between 13.2 and 13.6 (I was hoping for something between 14 and 15 volts). Are these low readings any cause for concern? I followed directions with installation of new parts by the book and cleaned all connections and grounds. RIDER: Paul Updike REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: July 31, 1999 I have an 81 GS550E that was, until recently running well. Now, when I get up to about 6,000 rpm (65-70 mph), it starts to hesitate and the power drops off. After reading some of the other Q&A's, I'm wondering if this is a problem with coils?, ignition? The carbs have been cleaned and shouldn't be a problem. Also, is that about the speed I should expect at that rpm? Great Site! Thanks, Jason RIDER: Jason Ward REPLY: Gary J. Ward Did you clean the carbs and then notice the problem? If so, you might have damaged the carbs while cleaning them. If not, here are a few tips... Check your vent hoses coming from the carbs, etc Check that fuel flows freely from the fuel tank petcock. Check your spark plugs to see if your engine is running rich or lean. Usually a problem like this that affects the whole engine can be traced down by looking for problems with items your bike only has one of...like petcock, vent hose on the air filter assembly etc. I hope this helps. DATE: July 6, 1999 So glad you're here I'm having bad luck with my dealer (no big surprise). On 4/1 I bought a 1982 Suzuki GS300L with about 15000 miles. It ran perfect for 2 months then fuse blew after $300 new stator at dealer and after 3 weeks downtime ran perfect for 3 days, then fuse blew again. Dealer says ignition switch is OK. I'm beginning to suspect a source problem they are not diagnosing after reading some Q&A on your site. I can see a bit more of the picture. I'm no great mechanic but I do have a service manual and would try myself. I love the bike. Should I continue to try to tackle the problem? I appreciate your thoughts as I only have the bike now for transportation RIDER: Daryl Wonderly Jr. REPLY: Frank Perreault This in itself doesn't point to a faulty charging system (especially since the bike will run for a few months. It is always worthwhile to follow the troubleshooting chart... but I suspect that the problem could also lie somewhere else -- I would suspect a ground problem. What this DOES show is a faulty dealer, though. Next thing he says it may be the kill switch (which may be right). But I'd start checking the ground for conductivity. What type of fuse is your main fuse? and what electric accessories are there on the bike? In this case I would replace the regulator/rectifier with a quality unit and keep the whole charging system separate from the wiring loom. You plug the stator output straight into the regulator/rectifier inputs. Connect the ground lead from the regulator/rectifier to the battery negative terminal (that's the best ground you can have) and hook the positive (red) output straight to the battery positive. I think your problems will be over then. For this application we sell the RR10 regulator/rectifier. DATE: July 6, 1999 I have inherited this bike because the two previous owners couldn't resolve this problem. The bike will run fine then all of a sudden die. After a varying amount of time the bike will restart, but then the problem gets real regular. It can happen after as few as 2 miles or you may be able to ride for hours without a problem. After reading the electrical section I was wondering if this could be related to a bad regulator. The battery does lose water "rapidly". I had checked to battery voltage and got a reading of about 14v @ idle, but saw that I should also test it @ 5000rpms. Would a failed regulator cause the dying, or does it point to other parts that are failed? All the talk of igniters and stators and stuff leaves me confused, but if I could get pointed in the right direction I might get over that. I just can't seem to associate the dying to any common riding habit or weather condition. Things that have done to solve this include new plugs, cleaned the carbs and petcock (they seems clean tho), Kreemed the tank (it didn't), and a bike shop thought the prob was because of bad intake rubbers, so he changed them w/ used parts and charged me $40 for the parts. When I took the bike apart to deal with the fuel system I got a look at these multi-million dollar rubbers he installed. Besides having a tear in the side of one, it looked as if a blind drunk guy installed them. While I have nothing against blind drunk guys, that boy and I are due for a conversation. More to the point, does his theory that excess air getting to the carbs makes the bike overheat hold any water? PS. While I have never had the battery go dead on me, I still feel as it may be wise to buy a new one, this bike has had it's share of sitting over the past few years and has never been trickle charged and the battery is at least 4 years old and getting fried could not have helped it any. Does anyone have any thoughts on battery quality? I can buy one for as little as $30 to as much as $70. I don't want to make the dealer rich, but I don't want to be so cheap I just end up with new problems. I live in New England if anyone knows of a good source that would be kind enough to sell a battery with a lifetime warranty for like ten bucks. RIDER: Matt Greenhalgh REPLY: Frank Perreault Try the troubleshooting steps in the Stator papers section. Sounds like a electrical problem of some sort. As for good batteries cheap, go to Wal-Mart. They aren't $10 bucks but they are pretty cheap and they work just as good as any other battery out there. DATE: July 6, 1999 Hi, I've been having problem starting my 81 GS750 when the engine is hot. The bike had some electrical problems when I first got it, and I've replaced the batter, starter and regulator. I've also yanked the starter and cleaned the brushes and bushing (it had starting problems also). Now the bike charges fine, and starts great when the engine is cold. But after running the engine for about 20-30 minutes, it's nearly impossible to start without bump starting it. The starter doesn't seem to be able to turn the engine when I push the start button, but if I pushed the start button as I bump start it the starter turns great and I can hear the engine turn. Would a new starter fix this? Why does it only happen when the engine is hot? Help! RIDER: Will Luo REPLY: Chris Skanderup DATE: June 18, 1999 I am working on getting this bike back on the road. It has a points/condenser ignition system. I have access to an electronic ignition system from a 1982 GS750T. Can I replace the points/condenser system on the 850 with the electronic system from the 750? Anything special I should do or look out for? Thanks. RIDER: James Riddle REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: June 18, 1999 I recently brought this MC back from the dead and have had a few ignition problems that I can't solve. Prior to beginning my restoration, I pulled each of the 4 plugs and checked for a spark. Each gave a zap and I continued to work. I eventually got it running after doing some carb work, but it soon began to run roughly and I then discovered that cylinders 1 and 4 were the only boys getting a spark. No problem, I thought, just a coil issue. I swapped the coils and checked all the connections and found that cylinders 2 and 3 were still not getting a spark, even with a known good coil. I then ran the Ignitor test as outlined in Clymer and found that it was bad. Interestingly, the ignitor would get very hot to the touch whenever the ignition key was on and the kill switch was placed on "run." I figured that there was a fried circuit somewhere within (causing an electric-blanket effect) and proceeded to purchase a used ignitor from a junkyard. I then plugged the new-used ignitor into the system and re-ran the Clymer test. I got 4 sparks and was happy. Interestingly, the new-used ignitor also got very hot to the touch. I checked to see what voltage was getting to it and found that when the kill switch was placed on "run," my voltmeter said that the ignitor box was getting 12 volts (and, as I said before, began warming up). If I put the kill switch on "off," the voltage dropped to zero and the ignitor box would cool off. I checked the Reg/Rec. unit as per Clymer and found that it maintained a steady voltage (within spec) to the battery at all RPM's -- IOW, it passed per Clymer's test. I bolted everything together and rode the bike for exactly 1,200 miles. The Ignitor then failed again after a mild ride of 180 miles (same ignitor coil circuit went bad, that for cylinders 2 & 3). Prior to replacing the Ignitor I cleaned up all the ground wires that ran from the R/R and ignitor -- I fused most of them together and ran them directly to the battery. Does anyone know what's going on here? Does the ignitor box heat up like this always (could someone check this? Ignition key on, kill switch on "run." You could stick a finger down there and find out). Thanks to anyone who can help. RIDER: Matthew Lai REPLY: Joe Amidon DATE: May 21, 1999 Before I rattle off the questions, let me say that your sight has been a God send. I recently got my 1982 GS1100E out of storage, (after 7 years!), and have found a ton of useful advise on these classic machines. Great job. Like I mentioned, the bike is a 1982 GS1100E, 13K miles, V&H pipe, stock air box. I had the carbs cleaned and the engine tuned recently. For the first 100 miles, the bike was running like a champ. Soon after that, I noticed that after about 45 minutes on the road, and at low speeds, (not necessarily low RPM's, though), that the bike would start to bog down and sputter a lot. It also sounded as if I had a wet rag stuffed in the pipe. Now, the bike runs bad right from the start. I also smell gas frequently with no apparent leaks. Is the bike running lean? If I replace the stock air filter with a K&N filter, will I have to re-jet? I have also heard conflicting opinions in regards to removing the air box and installing individual K&N filters and a stage 3 kit. Some say it is the way to go, while others say that the bike will never run right after the modifications. What are your thoughts? Lastly, the engine is looking shabby and needs some spit and polish. Any suggestions on a product or procedure to not only remove grease/grime stains, but that white build up as well. I've tried a de-greaser and scrub brush, which did OK, but the aluminum is still darkly stained. I did remove the coating from the cases and polished them, (as per advise from GS Resources), and was quite pleased with the results. OK Frank, thanks and keep up the good work RIDER: Tom Ross REPLY: Frank Perreault As for cleaning the engine, I've used mag wheel cleaner in the past. It isn't something that you want to use all the time but it does a good job when things get real grubby. Try a test area first and ake sure that you don't get it on anything other than what you are trying to clean. DATE: May 21, 1999 After reading the questions and answers, I have come to the conclusion hat electrical problems are very common on early model Suzuki's. My QUESTION: I have owned my 1983 Suzuki 1100 G for 4 years. I have had to replace the stator and rectifier twice so far! Is this what I can't expect to happen about every two years from now - until I sell the bike. I only put about 1500 miles a year on it (but I keep the battery on a trickle charger year round). When/what year did the charging system get fixed so I know what models to look at for my next "used" bike. Thank you for your time. P.S. You have a great site! RIDER: Mike Dieckhaus REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: May 21, 1999 I just purchased a mint condition GS1100GL with 17,000 original miles on it and I am totally hooked on this bike. Because I will be using it daily in city traffic I want to be as visible to the four-wheel crowd as possible. I have noticed that the front turn signals do double duty as both running lights and signals. I would like to get the extra rear visibility by converting the rear signals so they do the same. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to go about doing this? RIDER: Scot Lowery REPLY: Frank Perreault You would need to replace the bulb socket in the signal with a 2 element bulb socket and then wire it into the electrical harness. You need a manual for the electrical wiring diagram and 2 two-element sockets, bulbs, wiring,, connectors. The tricky part is mounting the socket into the signal since the original sockets are held in there by melting prongs which pertrude through fins on the socket. You would probably have to use a 2 part epoxy to mount the new sockets in. DATE: May 21, 1999 I recently replaced my 3 yr old battery on my 1982 GS850GL. I decided to check the wiring and connectors as I've seen advised on your site. Two of the four wires coming out of the reg/rec showed signs of being hot. Connections were black. I cleaned and tightened all connections, started the bike and they still got warm. I checked stator according to stator paper instructions, and it's ok. Bike also seems to be charging good. My question is, is this normal? I'm going to run a ground wire from the regulator to the battery and attach the red wire from the reg/rec straight to the pos. terminal on the battery. I'm also considering mounting a volt meter gauge straight to the battery to monitor the charge system at all times. Am I right in assuming that a bad regulator would show an over charge on the volt meter? Thank You Very Much RIDER: Jay Baxter REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: April 23, 1999 When trying to sell the bike I had a potential new owner drive it. He drove a nice restored GS1000 so it looks like he knows these bikes. After driving it he said the bike has a problem with the starter gear, just like his GS1000. He tried to explain, this is what I make of it: The freewheel mounted on the crankshaft doesn't free the starter gears. These gears are not made for this continuous fast spinning, and will wear out and cease, causing a lot of trouble. He said he noticed from a whining noise when revving up from low revs. Is this a common GS problem? Should I be worried? REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: March 28, 1999 Going left to right Cyl. #1 almost never fires and cyl. #3 is off and on depending on the rpm's and it's mood I guess. I've been told that my coils maybe bad. Or perhaps my carbs need work, or maybe I need a new bike. Coils are hooked up 1and4 2and3 so it doesn't make any sense to me as far as coils are concerned. I've changed plugs twice and have cleaned up all the electrical connections. What should I be looking for? RIDER: Tim Hovey REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: March 28, 1999 I have a '83 GS1100E, the tabs are sheared off the end of the mechanical advance unit. Will it still work ok? RIDER: Dennis Ecklund REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: March 28, 1999 This is a question on behalf of friend. He owns a gsx250ez I actually own a gs550e, which I am rebuilding (slowly.) Anyway, my friend was having trouble with his bike constantly getting a flat battery, sound familiar? Not being too knowledgeable about bikes he went out and bought a new battery. Everything seemed fine for a few weeks until eventually it again had a flat battery. This is where I came in. The charging system is basically the same as my GS as far as I can tell. So armed with a Haynes manual I proceeded to test the system as per the instructions. Everything checked out fine At 5000 rpm I was getting 80-85 volts from the stator but the voltage across the battery was only showing 11-12 volts. Everything pointed to the regulator/rectifier after testing as per Haynes manual. So a new unit was purchased and fitted. Two weeks later another flat battery. This is when I discovered your web site. I have followed the instructions in your "stator papers" All earth leads and connections have been checked and cleaned. I checked as per your recommendations. More bad news it appears the RR has again blown.The plot thickens, While testing I removed the "new battery" to re-charge and noticed that a couple of the cells had a large amount of white build up on the plates .Normally a sign that the battery is defective. Also it would not fully charge. My question is could running the bike with a defective RR and a new battery resulted in this defect or could the battery have been defective when bought. The dealer It was purchased from says the battery is fine,but it don't look to clever to me. Next question would a new battery and RR sort out the problem? RIDER: Martin Schrader REPLY: Frank Perreault My favorite method is as follows: 1) Cut out the plugs, sockets, and bullet connectors. 2) Slip two pieces of heat shrink tubing over the wires. 3) Strip the wires back about 5/16 of an inch and connect them using non-insulated splice type (these are the ones that look like a tube and a wire goes in each end) crimp connectors. 4) Thoroughly SOLDER the connection being sure that the solder completely fills the splice. 5) Rub some silicone grease on the splice and slide one of the heat shrink tubing pieces over and shrink. Do the same with the second piece of tubing. 6) Make sure there is no metal showing and dress the wires to avoid abrasions. The above method will provide a connection that will probably never fail. I have done this to several GS bikes and have never had a charging system failure after this RX. DATE: March 22, 1999 My charging system is fine. I have a GS 650 G brought here from Germany. Given to me by original owner. Electrics never touched. This bike has an oil cooler. He swears it's factory. Should I just go ahead and change the reg. rect. with the Electrex unit? Or will the oil cooler make some kind of difference? This will be my only form of transportation this summer and I really don't need to get stranded. How much is the Electrex unit? I checked their website, no prices. I ALWAYS SUSPECT A CO. THAT DOESN'T PUBLISH PRICES FOR THE PUBLIC. RIDER: Arthur Wamback REPLY: Frank Perreault The reason Electrex doesn't publish prices is that they are a European company therefore they have to deal with the European currency conversion. That means the price fluctuates quite a bit. Trust me, it's a good unit. And no, they don't pay me to say that. I bought my unit with my own cash. ;-) DATE: February 28, 1999 I got a GS450 that I really would like to ride but my problem is that I don't get any spark although I've got a new battery, plugs and I've tested the leads and everything.. I got juice up to where they plug into the coils and the coils feel warm when I turn .. the starter turns the igniter works and I get a signal from the signal generator.. Could it perhaps be the HT-Leads or the coils, but how could both of them not be producing a spark, since a month back both of them still worked. RIDER: Robert Lishman REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: February 28, 1999 I bought my 1978 Suzuki GS1000C new. In restoring the bike to like-new condition over the last several years, I have encountered one problem that has me so frustrated I could scream...the charging system. About 9 years ago with about 20k miles on the odometer, the stator and rectifier went up in smoke with no warning. I replaced both with stock Suzuki items and had experienced no further problems except short battery life. When I started reading the GS Resources articles a couple of years ago, I became aware of what the problem seemed to be: flawed charging system design at the Suzuki factory. I resolved to buy the Electrex regulator/rectifier and did so this spring. I carefully installed the unit this April following the instructions that came with the unit...
I have a Clymer shop manual with a color wiring diagram for my Suzuki, so I am sure I connected the regulator/rectifier to the correct stator wires: one is yellow, one is striped blue/white, and one is striped green/white. The unit seemed to be working fine during short (5-10 mile) rides. On June 29 I went for a 40-50 mile ride during which the bike ran fine. I parked the bike in the garage until last week when I went to start it. When I turned the ignition key the dash light came on momentarily then went dead. This had happened before once with the stock regulator/rectifier and indicated that the battery was shot (shorted out internally). But I checked all fuses and connections anyway. During my inspection, I noticed silvery-colored plastic drops on the floor beneath the chainguard. On closer inspection, I traced the silvery goo to the new Electrex regulator...it's the stuff the regulator/rectifier parts are sealed in. My new Electrex regulator had done the very thing I had bought it to prevent! Overheated and possibly ruined the charging system. I bought a new battery and charged it. After replacing the Electrex regulator/rectifier with the stock Suzuki unit, the bike seems to run fine. But here I am back with the original problem...an unreliable, possibly dangerous, and certainly expensive charging system! What would you suggest? RIDER: Jon Snyder REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: February 9, 1999 Multi-meter lead polarity. When used as a voltmeter the multimeter leads receive electric power as marked. (-) to the negative lead and (+) to the positive lead. When used as an ohmmeter the polarity indication of the leads is misleading. In fact because the meter is now a source of electricity and since the current must still travel through the meter coil in the same direction the polarity of the leads is opposite of that indicated by color or polarity mark. I mention this because I have wondered about the ignitor test. What does the manual mean when it says the "positive lead". Dag Stenerud Electrical instructor. BCIT. RIDER: Dag Stenerud REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: January 26, 1999 What is the gap size for the plugs? RIDER: Jason Stasio REPLY: Bill Patten DATE: January 3, 1999 I love the site, has helped me heaps but this problem has me beat. My 1983 GS1100G has started boiling its battery and I can't figure out why. I have checked everything electrical as per the excellent flow chart in the website and it all checks out. Stator, near new) regulator, everything checks out. I use the bike every day for courier work so would love to get this problem sorted, so I'm not using my wife's Honda 250! After half a day on the road, not even hot weather and she's got no battery water left! Please help me, I am open to any advise. Especially since there appears to be nothing wrong with the bike. All voltages and resistances are within spec. This is a real hassle, Christmas is real busy for couriers. Thanking You. Great Site. RIDER: Martin Kopp REPLY: Frank Perreault Since the regulator job is to do just that, regulate, I'd have to aim toward that direction. Apparently it is failing to detect voltage correctly and continues to charge even though the battery may not need it. I would replace the regulator/rectifier with an Electrex unit. Since you'll have it all apart anyway, make sure to ohm out the stator windings to ensure that there are no shorts their also. DATE: January 3, 1999 The headlight fuse on my bike started blowing out on me. When it first happened I found that there was a 20amp fuse in the 10amp headlight spot. So I replaced the dead one with a 10 amp fuse but that blew out within an hour. So I replaced it with another 20 amp fuse. It does not occur regularly so I was wondering if it may be short somewhere. Another possibility is that I have after-market hardbags that have brighter than normal lights. Actually they are indicator lights but I cannot get them to work properly so they are continually on. What do you think the problem may be? Got a keeper here, just want to keep her running. RIDER: Ki Yamaguchi REPLY: Frank Perreault Run the tests in our Stator Papers section. If the voltage in the battery drops too low you end up increasing amperage load in the circuit. Since the headlight has a high current load already, lowering the voltage below normal values increases the amperage load even more. You can confirm to see whether it is an electrical short or over current situation that blew the fuse by 'reading' the fuse. If the blown fuse looks like it melted at the break in the fuse's link then this indicates that high current blew the fuse. If it has a blackened burn mark on the glass of the fuse or link in the fuse then this indicates a short. If the electrical system checks out fine, then you may need to a bigger battery (higher amperage) or may have to remove some of the lights. DATE: January 3, 1999 I can safely say this is "The Best Suzuki Online site I have ever visited" !! I recently purchased an immaculate 1984 GSX 750es from a dependable Dealer/Importer close by. The Bike is a Japanese Import and is a Very Clean Machine with only 18,000kmh ! Yea I know It sounds a bit Suspect, but Listening to the Engine with Exhaust pipes blocked with a soft cloth tells the truth of the matter….it Purrs ! All original parts still on it and No Grubby "Vice Grip" marks on any part what so ever…. On leaving the Shop it had a new battery, new oil and oil filter, I know cause I done it myself with the Dealer and Brand new Metzeler's front and Back……the usual things like Bulbs, brake Pads, Brake Fluid checked and/or replaced…. On collecting the Bike I decided to take the long way home to get aquatinted with it… Listening out for any Rattles or Hums, anything that could be counted as suspicious.. Nothing what so ever and ,after about 20 miles 30 odd Km/h…nice and warn kept around 4kRPM.Feels Good!, Lets Drive it on then and see how it pulls…… It zipped up to 120Kmh about 75mph and then U can hear it Flooding or Starving . No Power beyond 6000 RPM…… Just Dies ! and u get that "Moaaaaa " effect Happens in every gear ……perfect power delivery all the way to 6000 and SUDDEN DEATH….. Take Out Plugs ! Completely Black all of them….(Not Oily),, Ok either filter Gone or Chokes Sticking ….Further Check reveals the Air Filter is Disintegrated due to age.. OK Time for A complete checkout…After each step taken the Bike was taken for another Blast 1 Replaced Air-Filter, No Joy 2 Replaced Plugs (tried 2 types "DR8ES and DR8ESL), No Joy 3 Plug Caps Replaced Make NGK TYPE - SP05f (5Kohm) (Old one’s were all different impedance), No Joy 4 Measured Coils OK ,checked wiring loom to CDI OK, No Joy 5 Stripped Carburetors down to individual units… Needless to say Diaphragms were Perfect, Needles Straight, Float pistons free moving spotlessly clean inside . Stripped Chokes …they needed a cleaning all right…… Completely Cleaned and Reassemble with No Spare parts , Carbs Rebalance, No Joy….. Plugs still black…..???????????????????????? Checked for blocked Orifices from Airbox to carb and from carb to Head Ports…nothing….. Strip Check Clean and Balance Carbs again…..Same Result…Black plugs … PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME I AM DOING SOMETHING WRONG Genuine Suzuki "Cylindrical type Foam Air Filter" should I try something else ? Are these BIKES restricted ? I don’t think so.. then Again? Are there any Sneaky Restricting Washers in the Engine or Exhaust ? Do I need to change the jets ? Any Information or help in this area would be much appreciated and it would help keep a perfectly sane Human Being away from a Shrink ! RIDER: Owen Coughlan REPLY: Ken Taaffe You may want to try with just the signal generator first. Since it is RPM dependent, that is your best bet. I had to replace the ignition module also (I also wasn't getting enough spark), but you should hold off on that unless really necessary. My bike runs great now. DATE: December 5, 1998 I have an almost completely (oil cooler, replacement battery and beefed up clutch) stock 1982 GS 1100 EZ with 8200 original miles that has developed a peculiar problem. It starts normally and after a warm up runs flawlessly until I've gone about 20 miles or so and then it starts misfiring under moderately hard acceleration and progressively gets worse until it begins to misfire with just a mild throttle "roll on" from any RPM. I've changed plugs, checked the wiring for any bad connections, checked the charge status on the battery, drained the carburetors looking for contaminants but it still hasn't changed the results. It does seem to get a little better if I stop and let it cool down for 5 minutes or so but resumes just a few miles further down the road. Does it sound to you like it might be a bad coil that is starting to breakdown when it gets warm? Hope you can give me some ideas on what it could be and where to start looking. Thanks for your help. RIDER: Jim Harrison REPLY: Frank Perreault If the voltage looks fine then change the coils. I would go with Dyna coils. They are sturdier than stock units. DATE: December 5, 1998 I have an 82 GS 1100G. I love this bike, but recently I believe that it is feeling the cold. The battery went out and I was forced to 'push' start it down a hill. I ran great, then the two right cylinders went out. I’ve replaced the battery but it still runs rough. The plugs look fine. The wires to the plugs look pretty old however. After reading the GS resources Q&A's, I decided to look at my coils. I also have a Clymer manual. Now I am very confused. I am counting the cylinders straight across - as sitting on the bike looking down, the left cylinder is number 1 and the far right cylinder is number 4. In this case cylinder 3 and 4 are not firing, but the each cylinder is connected to a different coil. Does this mean that both coils have gone out? Any suggestions on what to look for and new parts to buy? RIDER: Bill Jarrett REPLY: Frank Perreault You mention that you have the Clymer manual. Following the troubleshooting steps outlined there to figure out whether it's the ignitor or the coil. For this you'll need a volt-ohm meter. They sell them real cheap at Radio Shack. DATE: December 5, 1998 Great site! I spend a lot of time browsing here for solutions and ideas. I've got a 1982 GS1100GLZ and this past summer I fried the stator. After discovering this site and learning about the ELECTREX products, I replaced my reg/rec and stator with their new and improved version. Everything works fine except since I fried the system, my gas gauge hasn't worked right. At first, it just stayed on half-tank all the time no matter how much fuel was in the tank. I got tired of this and tried to order a new gas tank innards (sensor etc.) from Suzuki, but most of that stuff has been discontinued, so I had to go the salvage yard route. The new innards work somewhat better, but cause the gauge to be very erratic. So now I have a gauge that registers all over the place, depending on its mood. It is at its worst on a full tank and gets a little more stable as the tank empties. Am I simply the victim of two bad sets of tank innards, or is there still some left-over fried component in the electrical loop that I am unaware of? RIDER: Robert Krieger REPLY: Frank Perreault If not, then something is electrically wrong. Checking the connectors and making sure they are clean is cheap and easy to do, so tackle that first. Make sure all your grounds are good and clean. Put an ohmmeter on the fuel gauge sending unit and make sure the electrical resistance is measuring between 1 and 120 ohms. You should get 100-120 ohms for an empty tank. DATE: December 5, 1998 I have a question about my GS 400. Since I bought it 3 years ago, I had no problems with except for one - when I tried to disconnect the battery from the working bike the bike went idle. If you try this with a car, the car will still be running. Does this mean that my generator isn't working and that my bike runs of the battery. RIDER: Alex Firioubine REPLY: Henry Dedrick Y'all please correct me if this is wrong, but your alternator generates abnormally high voltages without the battery loading the circuit. This can damage the semiconductors (diodes, transistors, etc.) in the regulator/alternator/rectifier. I suspect that you've gotten away with it so far because the alternator isn't putting out enough juice to do any damage when you pull off the terminal at idle. I suspect your GS400 dies at that point for that reason. The voltmeter I have on my GS550 indicates that even with the lights off, my alternator isn't bringing the system above 12.5V until about 1500RPM or so. That means it's not really turning fast enough to charge at idle. So without the battery, it won't allow the bike to run at idle. DATE: December 5, 1998 I'm having starter problems, and I'd like to rectify the situation myself. I replaced the starter relay this morning and that wasn't the problem. It clicks just like the old one did. I also checked all my fuses- no trouble there. I had the crank case off, tried to start the bike, and the starter wouldn't budge. It doesn't even make a sound. Help! I refuse to buy a new starter (for $400), and don't think I can handle a rebuild myself. And I'm definitely not having the bike towed anywhere! If you can offer some suggestions, I'd appreciate it. RIDER: Jim Hunt REPLY: Frank Perreault Seriously, you need to see if you are getting voltage to the starter. Buy yourself one of those 12V test lights for $4 or so. Connect the alligator clip to ground and the tip of the probe to the terminal on the starter. Pull in the clutch, place the starter switch to 'Run' and hit the starter button. If the light goes on, the starter needs a rebuild or replacement. If the the light doesn't light, then you need to trace back with the tester to find the break in the circuit. DATE: November 1, 1998 I just bought a battery for the bike because I , like many of you couldn't start my bike . The starter turns good for awhile . the bike will not even fire then the starter starts to die down . Ok now a dead battery! now I charge my new battery. Pull the choke and it doesn't take a half second and the bike is running. I can ride all day!!!! Then it happens again. I've cleaned all the connections and grounds then recharge good for another day . Do I now belong to the stator gone to *hit club? Also when I bought the bike I noticed when I gas it hard somewhere in the 6500 to 8000 rpm range at night all my instrument warning lights start to light up. Where do I start???? Please someone help ASAP I miss my bike!!!!!! Also where do I get good reliable parts at a reasonable price. RIDER: Brian Underwood REPLY: Frank Perreault Thanks to everyone who help me save hundreds of dollars not to mention the fact that I know the bike is fixed right! One more thing for anyone working one electrical charging systems, GROUNDS are a key factor! Clean bare metal - thick wire ( Make your own, ask Ritzo how and where) Happy riding. DATE: November 1, 1998 I just stumbled across your Suzuki GS bike web site – I think it is GREAT someone is coordinating this information. Thank you! I never previously thought to go looking for advice on the web, but checked it on a whim tonight. I have a 1980 GS550E which I have owned since 1982. It’s been given me some ignition problems over the last couple of years. I now think my ignitor box is shot (or at least one half of it) - two of the cylinders (both from one coil) aren’t getting spark. Last year, this problem appeared intermittently – now it seems to be a permanent condition. Yesterday, I tried isolating the problem by "jumpering" the two halves of the system. By systematically cross wiring the two coils, two "halves" of the ignitor unit and the two signal generators, I believe I have isolated the problem to one half of the ignitor unit. In other words, I was able to get spark at all plugs by systematically jumpering in the good half of the ignitor unit. Similarly, I was able to prove both signal generators work by routing them through the "good half" of the ignitor. 1. Does that seem like a probable failure mode? (It is common for one half of this unit to go bad – or does it typically go all at once?) 2. Do you think it is worth trying to get one used at a parts salvage place or am I likely to get another problem part? 3. Is there an aftermarket replacement part available that might be cheaper than the $270+ from the local Suzuki dealer for a new part? 4. Do you recommend any particular salvage shops or mail order places? 5. What can I expect to spend for the used part? 6. Is there some kind of easy "field test" to check the part with a DVM if I find one at a local salvage yard, so I don't take home a bum part? Your insight will be greatly appreciated. RIDER: Mark Chuchra REPLY: Zack Schultz I can't vouch for it, but there's another source. As far as a field check, I can email you the page out of the 84 manual if you like. DATE: November 1, 1998 Same problem as Ralf Seyer but you don't say what resistance I should get from coils. Is it 3 ohms? I've got a basket case cbr600 that I've been scrapping case bolts from, do you think the 3 ohm coils from that will work? They are nicely sealed from the elements, and swapping the plug boots is no big deal. RIDER: Ryan Thomas REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: November 1, 1998 Found your page by accident and it is very informative. I have a 11/79 GSX1100. My problem is the Blinker/Hi-Low beam switch. The hat broke on a ride from Townsville to Cairns (I am in Australia) and had to do the rest of the trip in pouring rain, middle of the night on low beam:- bummer of a ride on Australian roads. I cannot repair the switch and cannot find a secondhand one anywhere here. Am told a new one will cost a mint and that this is an inherent fault. Also cannot seem to source a new one. Has anybody tried wiring in one from another model or another bike? RIDER: Phillip James Stokes REPLY: Scott Horner DATE: November 1, 1998 My recently rebuilt (with some extra) '78 GS1000 is blowing main fuses. Twice the fuse failed at low engine speeds after a couple of hours of riding (the bike simply drops dead), and twice a new fuse has failed at 7000 RPM (the bike drops like a rev limiter has been hit, catches, and stops dead 30 seconds later). I have run through the charging system diagnostic procedure as listed on the web site (thanks), and everything is fine. I have a new Electrex regulator to replace the no-name aftermarket unit in it now, but is there anything else I should check before something major fries? RIDER: Joe Lanfrankie REPLY: Malcolm Evans Sounds like you have been lucky so far as the fuse is limiting the damage and the fact that you already have a non-stock reg/rec helps. To cheaply junk the electrics, simply replace reg/rec with a Honda Superdream item (this is a standard mod in the UK!!!), I have a GSX 750 alternator in mine but a GPz 550 Kawa will also fit. DATE: November 1, 1998 I took advantage of taking off my quarter fairing to change the Halogen to a 100/65 watt bulb, and to replace the "aftermarket" mini turn signals with full sized one's. Once the turnsignals changed they quit "signaling or blinking" the lights turn on and stay on. There is a satisfying clack when I actuate the switch. The "mini" signals weren't without fault. They only blinked above 2500 rpm's or so. A dealer mechanic, (a loose term!) claimed that the smaller bulbs had less "resistance" so they wouldn't work at idle (14.9v) I didn't buy it. Because I was going to replace them I wasn't concerned. When I re-connected the mini lights they worked as before, probably ruling out additional drain from the brighter headlight. Before I buy alot of $100 per ounce electrical stuff I was hoping for some advice. RIDER: Jim Thacker REPLY: Frank Perreault I'm not familiar with the plug arrangement of your current turn signal relay but it seems to me that it should be standard enough to replace with another model relay. Mine has 3 prongs if I remember right. I would go to your Suzuki and see if they have a unit available from a bike that uses regular bulbs (my 81' GS1100 does). Remember, that dealer parts are more expensive and typically you can't exchange electrical parts. For a cheaper deal, you could try matching up something from a local auto parts store also. This is basically have to be one of those buy and try deals. Good luck! DATE: October 4, 1998 The problem I am having is the bike misfires at low idle, between 900-1500Rpm and won't idle steady anywhere in between that.. I put in fresh plugs (I've tried two different heat ranges 8ES and 9ES), new oil, tighten all feasters and bolts, new air filter, attempted to balance the carbs with a mercury carb sync to no avail.. I've also noticed, only at night that the battery, headlight, brake light and sidestand lights all start to very dimly light up, the headlight itself dims when I accelerate or at curtain speeds. I haven't run a compression check recently, because let's face it with the carbs not being set right I doubt I'd get an accurate reading... I'm starting to think it's an electrical problem rather then mechanical although, before this, not realizing that the fuel switch had been switched to PRI (how that happened I still wonder) when I went to start it I heard an odd clunk then the starter quit, it took another attempt to get it to turn again, possible hydraulic lock in the cylinder? Although the problem started before this happened, although outside of idling and when I first start to accelerate it runs perfect. When I first start to accelerate it runs very poor unless I bring it up to 5,000 RPM and slowly release the clutch, past 2,000 to 2,3000 RPM it runs okay... RIDER: Chris Goacher REPLY: Frank Perreault DATE: September 26, 1998 I currently own a 1978 GS400X which I am performing a total rebuild/modifications on. Reading some of your electrical notes and Q & A's, I'm led to believe that I should toss any old wires and get a new harness made up, buy a new stator, etc., etc.. Is it normally a starting point on old bikes to simply eliminate old wiring due to age, thus solving many potential, later problems (if so, who supplies a harness & diagrams?). RIDER: John Lima REPLY: Frank Perreault Harnesses are only available from Suzuki (not needed) and the wiring diagrams are in the service manual for the bike. DATE: September 26, 1998 HELP!!!! Bike will not turn over. I have continuity from handlebar switch to solenoid. I have replaced solenoid. I can hear it clicking in. Bike won't crank. Starter not turning. I have pulled starter and inspected visually. Brushes and armature look good. This was an intermittent problem for the past few months but now it won't crank at all. Any suggestions? RIDER: Mark Hydrick REPLY: Frank Perreault Once the battery is confirmed to be OK, take a voltmeter and place the black probe and ground it out on the bike and place the red probe on the terminal of the starter relay that goes to the starter. Make sure the clutch is pulled in and hit the starter switch. You should see voltage. If not, the relay or the wiring is bad. If you do see voltage, the starter needs to be rebuilt or replaced. DATE: September 26, 1998 I recently bought a 1979 GS550L from a fellow for a reasonable price. The bike was in excellent physical shape despite the burgundy paint being faded but not running at the time of purchase (I know why would you do that?). He said that he had it into a shop and they said that the coils were shot. I put in a brand new completely charged battery and tested the spark which showed one weak spark from #3 cylinder.
I have read about the stator /rectifier problems. Would this effect the performance of the coils? RIDER: Garth Wintle REPLY: Michael Saxon One option is to replace the coils with stock units. New coils from Suzuki are very expensive (like, $300 something last time I checked). Used coils can be had from a salvage yard or classifieds, but you run the risk of paying for coils that are little better than your own. The other option is to go aftermarket. Dyna and Accel make good replacements. The Accel kit costs about $160 from a dealer, you may be able to get it a little cheaper mail order. FWIW, I have had good experience with the Accel coils on a GS750E. I tried to replace the coils on my current GS850G with Accel units as well, but the coils I received were mislabeled at the factory and did not work properly. I wound up obtaining fairly good stock coils from the classifieds for $25. Ignition draws from the battery, so I don't think its a charging problem (yet!). DATE: September 26, 1998 I've got a '79 GS1000S with a buggered Automatic Timing Unit (bent shaft and worn out springs) and currently have point ignition. I want to convert to electronic. Is there a conversion kit that includes everthing so I don't need to buy a new ATU as it is expensive and hard to find second hand. RIDER: Ben Green REPLY: Scott Horner |
