https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/ Place your GS electrical or ignition related questions in this forum. en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:03:07 GMT vBulletin 60 https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/images/misc/rss.png https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/ https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786590-mechanical-ignition-advance Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:20:25 GMT Hi, I have a 1979 GS750, and am still running on breaker points. I was experiencing some back-firing during acceleration and decided to look at the...
I put in new points, set them, and did the static timing without issue. The bike starts better now than it did before. But, I am still getting the backfiring on higher rpm. So, I put a timing light on it. The timing is perfect at idle, but when I bump the throttle it essentially does not advance at all.

So, I took the plate off to get the the timing advance thingy. Not sure what it is called, but I it has the two springs, and looks good. I am able to push either arm to simulate centrifugal force and the arms move and the timing cam advances.

Has anybody run into this before? Could it have been an installation issue, something binding that I have released by taking it apart? Or, are my springs so weak that they are "advanced" all the time? I do note that I can push the arms of the advance mechanism out with very little force.

I guess I could go all electronic, but I really want to keep this bike period correct if I can.

Thanks,
Andy]]> Electrical/Ignition tobaccorancher https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786590-mechanical-ignition-advance https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786585-wiring-ignition-for-1979-gs750en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 22:19:12 GMT Electrical/Ignition Badguybootss84 https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786585-wiring-ignition-for-1979-gs750en https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786305-what-plugs-for-1980-gs550e Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:19:31 GMT Electrical/Ignition snake89 https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786305-what-plugs-for-1980-gs550e https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786286-dyna-s-vs-chyna-s-ignition Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:30:50 GMT I purchased one of the knockoff Dyna S systems a while back and have been very pleased with the purchase. The only thing that stands out to me...
The only thing that stands out to me about it is, how far I have to set the advance. Its about a hairs width from being maxed out. Anyone else have this issue? Or is that pointing at another gremlin rooting around in there somewhere? ]]> Electrical/Ignition EmmCee https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786286-dyna-s-vs-chyna-s-ignition https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786263-starter-motor-needs-a-tap-to-work-recently Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:05:50 GMT I have a GS550e 1980. No kick start. Since not using the bike for a month or so it now when cold needs a tap from a hammer to turn over and start.... Since not using the bike for a month or so it now when cold needs a tap from a hammer to turn over and start.
Doing this has worked for past 2 days. This has never happened before. The starter may even be the original !

I initially thought it was the solenoid just clicking but no I am getting 12v to the starter. Solenoid checks out ok.

1) I'll test again today to see if it the same but if I need one does anyone know where you can get them in UK ?
Mines - 31100-47010. I was hoping for a new pattern one but it seems that is not be case and only eBay used ones.

2) I think to get this out I have to take the tank and carbs off to get access. Just thinking is removing and cleaning internals a useful next step ?

I'm hopeless at electrics and any info be useful.]]> Electrical/Ignition ukjules https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786263-starter-motor-needs-a-tap-to-work-recently https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786238-1982-gs450-no-spark Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:19:52 GMT Well alas, 15 years after getting my 450 back on the road and over 100,000kms later, it seems the 44 year old ignitor is likely deceased. Amazingly... old rebuild thread on here! Pics are all gone but the content is still there...

Anyway, I'm 95% certain the issue is the ignitor. A few times it has started fine like normal (I ride it to work every day plus some weekends), but then stops and won't start again. Cranking is as good as normal, but I was never in a position to check if it had spark or not. Typically I could smell fuel so thought I had simply flooded it, and usually waiting for a couple of minutes and cranking again got it running.

However on Tuesday this week it stalled at a set of lights and did the same thing, cranking but no fire. Fortunately the light was red and traffic was very quiet so I got it out of the way. RACQ (our local roadside assistance) came to the rescue, cleaned up the plugs, but initially no spark and then it decided to spark and fire up. Rode back to work and it got me home fine again.

Yesterday, however, it would fire for a couple of seconds and then stop, and after a couple of times doing that, no fire at all. Given it did that in the driveway leaving home I was able to check and definitely no spark.

I haven't had time to do a proper, thorough step by step diagnosis yet but this is what I know:

- Ignitor has battery voltage going to it and ground seems good.
- The signal generator pickups both register ~68ohms each which is in spec (60 - 80).
- Both ignition coils measure 4.8ohms (in spec).
- I put brand new spark plugs in Tuesday afternoon after the issues I had.

First question: Does anyone have a definitive method to diagnose the ignitor itself other than proving everything else around it is good? These are now unobtanium so I'd like to be certain it's the culprit before laying out cash for an alternative.

As to alternatives if it is indeed dead, I'm reluctant to go back to the Dynatek modules as the two I've had on previously both failed. I do know the 2000 and earlier GS500 ignition setups are a bolt on but I'm having trouble finding any locally, and I'll need to source the whole thing (ECU, signal generator, rotor, possibly coils).

I looked at the TCIP one from Belgium but can't ascertain if it suits a GS450 or not (can't see it in their list).

If anyone has any insights on the above please let me know!]]> Electrical/Ignition peteGSX https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786238-1982-gs450-no-spark https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786129-cluster-lighting-bulbs Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:05:39 GMT The bike was charging at almost 18volts. I changed the stator, R/R, and fuse box (which had melted the main fuse terminal). All is good charging now.
Next ( maybe its related to the overcharging, not sure) I do not have cluster lighting nor about half of the indicator lights. I pulled the cluster, sprayed lube on the sockets and tried removing the top two lighting bulb sockets. They will not come out more than about an 1/8" and are starting to tear. I immediately stopped.
Am I doing something wrong? How do you get the bulbs sockets out without destroying them. Could they have melted? or is it not bulbs at all but a common (maybe a ground) wire to the unlit bulbs. I walked away as I don't want to ruin anything. (I'm 64 now and have learned to walk away, back in the 80's I would have yanked to sockets out like a gorilla and ruined them). I looked for a thread on cluster bulb changing but wasn't successful finding what I need. Any help would be greatly appreciated.]]> Electrical/Ignition drewandkellie https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/technical-forums/electrical-ignition/1786129-cluster-lighting-bulbs