'80 gs550 question

[1980c10]

Okay so I'm building a wiring harness using the minimal bobber schematic. I've got the harness roughly built (everything on the schematic is there and wired like it should be, just not loomed or mounted permenant). Anyway I have a couple questions. I can't get the bike to rollover off the start button, I can jump the solenoid and it rolls over nice and fast, but when I jump the solenoid and roll it over there is no spark. Now I have a set of wires left on the engine that didn't get used, there is maybe 6 wires I think and they go into the engine right behind the cover where the clutch cable hooks up. What are these wires for? Are they for a clutch safety switch I need to splice together or something?

I'm building the harness, just starting with components in the schematic and fresh wires between the plugs. So the only wires on my bike right now are the schematic http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/..._Schematic.pdf

Thanks guys

[tom203]

"there is maybe 6 wires I think and they go into the engine right behind the cover where the clutch cable hooks up. What are these wires for? Are they for a clutch safety switch I need to splice together or something?"

How about a pic of this area, but it might be the gear position sensor wires? Clutch safety switch is not in this area. Jumping the starter solenoid won't power the ignition system

[1980c10]

Okay I'll try to get to the garage and get a pic tonight

[Redman]

.... I can jump the solenoid and it rolls over nice and fast, but when I jump the solenoid and roll it over there is no spark. .....

That whould probably be two problems to answer. 1)why have to jump it, and 2) why no spark.

For 1)
When you say "jump the solenoid" are you refereing to the small terminal (the starter button circuit) or are yoiu refereing to the big terminals (the starter motor circuit)?

You do know that the solenoid case has to be grounded, right? The solenoid is usally mounted to the battery box, but the battery box itself is not well mounted/grounded to the bike frame, which is why need to have a ground wire run to the battery box. Your minimal wire harnes should have a ground wire to go to the battery box right weere the solenoid is mounted. This is for the solenoid and the R/R.

FOr 2)
Lets work on #1 first. Perchance it is the same problem. The ignitor/coil circuit gets its power form same fuse as the starter solenoid circuit.
But, The ignitor has its own ground wire going right to its connector.

.
..

[1980c10]

The solenoid is grounded/mounted to the main ground on the engine case at the moment for testing, the negative cable from the battery is also on this same ground. The igniter is mounted directly to the frame.

When I say jump it, I am supplying power directly to the +12v post on the starter.

[Chaz]

Im in the same boat, I got a basket case with nothing hooked up. I cant get anything off the starter button, but I can get it to run by jumping the 12v post on starter.
The motor (for me) starts rightup, but if I remove the jumper it dies. I didnt run it long (maybe 5 seconds) because it had no carbs and rpms climbed real fast with no throttle blade restriction.

Sorry for the thread hijack. I want to clean the electrics off the handle bars and put them with the battery. ANy info on this? Search came up with nada

[Redman]

Im in the same boat, .......

Welcome to GSR.
Will send PM.
We dont usally talk about boats here (har har)

Some of what I say here to 1980C10 may be usefull to you too.
(although not talking about trucks)

The solenoid is grounded/mounted to the main ground on the engine case at the moment for testing, the negative cable from the battery is also on this same ground. The igniter is mounted directly to the frame.

When I say jump it, I am supplying power directly to the +12v post on the starter.

Good. SOunds like you understand ther situation of the solenoid being grounded thru its case.

When you say that you jump the solenoid by puting power directly to the STARTER. Ah, to the starter. Ah, complety bypassing the solenoid. So that is a good test of the starter.

Try putting power to the small terminal of the solenoid (where the starter button circuit should be connected). If it clicks then, but doesnt click with the starter button, well, then you know the problem is in the starter button circuit.

You said you made a custome wiring harness, so you know more about this circuit on your bike than I do. Time to trouble shoot with a meter or test probe/light.

But on a stock bike the circuit is this:
-ignition fuse to killswitch
-thru kill swtich
-to starter button (and also to ignitor and to coils)
-thru starter button
-to clutch switch (called "interlock" on schematic)
-thru clutch switch
-to solenoid
-thru solenoid to case ground wher mounted on battery box
-battery box grounded thru ground wire in wiring harness.



As another test of the solenoid: If you put power to the small termoinal of solenoid and it doesnt click, well then you have two suspects: 1) the solenoid grounding but you seem to understand that and have that taken care of... and 2) the solenoid itself.

Tell us more what you find.


Oh, You may have the ignitor case grounded by its mount. But I dont know if tghe ignitor actaully uses that or not. The igntitor does have a ground wire in its connector.

.

[1980c10]

The ground wire for the igniter is looped back to the bolt I have the igniter case mounted with. I will get back in the garage in a day or two. I'm gonna go back and double check everything re trace my wires make sure everything it ran where and want it. If that's all good and it still doesn't start then I will bust out the multimeter and start testing.

I've built several wiring harness' before all for cars though to do wire tucks. I have a bit of wiring OCD, I like it to be clean, simple, hidden as much as possible, and functional of course lol.