No power to any electronics on my gs650g

[thadius33]

Just bought a 81 Suzuki gs650g. The first day I went and looked at it the gear indicator light up, and only that. When I went back to pick up two days later to pick up it up, I turned the key on nothing came on. I looked at the battery and it was bought in 2001 so I assumed it used the last of its power on the light that said what gear it was in last time I was there.

But, I just got a new battery and put it in and I am still getting no power. Is there something small and stupid that could kill the power that we may have hit? Or is it more likely that rain did something in the two days? The connections are clean and all the fuses I can find are good. What else could it be?

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. thadius33,

Just because these old glass fuses look good doesn't mean they will test good. Also, the fusebox itself can have issues. You'll have to get a multimeter for testing and then check and clean every electrical connection on the entire bike, fuse box, grounds, blinker stalks and sockets, etc. This will help avoid charging system issues too. The big ground strap from the battery connects to the underside of the engine. Make sure that is clean and well-connected. In the meantime, let me greet you properly.

If you are here you probably have a 30 year old motorcycle that needs about 20 years worth of maintenance. In the links below you'll find maintenance lists, documentation, wiring diagrams, "how to" guides, vendor links, tips, tricks, and a whole lot of GS goodness. This is your "mega-welcome". Let's get started.

Let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'.

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.

If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



Please Click Here For Your Mega-Welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

More links to helpful threads in the forum:
Help! Your Bike Won't Start
DON'T DO THESE THINGS
Help! Your Bike Won't Run Well
Oh God! Pods!


Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Redman]

Hi Mr. thadius33,

Just because these old glass fuses look good doesn't mean they will test good. .......

Cliff,
650G will have the blade fuses (at least my 82 650G did).


Thad,

Welcome to GSR.

Bad connection of the main fuse?
Connector coming loose from ignition switch?
Connector coming loose from fuse block?
Bad Ignition switch?
New battery not charged?

If battery from 2001, must be bike sat for a few years.

Really will need a volt meter (or test probe light) to track down where have voltage and where don't so can find where loosing it.

.

[thadius33]

Thanks for the welcome guys! I am still combing through all the great info!

It does have glass fuses. But I haven't checked a bad connection to a main fuse. (my volt meter died and I haven't replaced it yet, I work at Menards, so I dont have a good reason as too why not )

I did get a new battery and charged it per the instructions, it has good spark so that should be it. Also, the bike was last registered 2 years agp, the previous owner died recently leaving me no history of the mods that may have been done to the bike. But it hasn't sat too long.

[thadius33]

Here are some pictures

[tom203]

Heed these words from Basscliff- or plan on coping with frustration

...."If you are here you probably have a 30 year old motorcycle that needs about 20 years worth of maintenance. In the links below you'll find maintenance lists, documentation, wiring diagrams, "how to" guides, vendor links, tips, tricks, and a whole lot of GS goodness. This is your "mega-welcome". Let's get started. "

Don't assume the PO did anything right; I've looked at lots of these where owners just coped with problems rather than fix them.

[thadius33]

[QUOTE/]Don't assume the PO did anything right; I've looked at lots of these where owners just coped with problems rather than fix them.[/QUOTE]

HA! The air box cover was held on buy wire, I assume the PO had the mechanical skills of a monkey.

[Redman]

.
...
It does have glass fuses. ...

..........it has good spark so that should be it..........

Ok. Glass fuses, I stand corrected.

Good news is that those are easier to get a volt meter probe on.

Yes, will need volt meter.
... or test probe light
... or ... make a test probe light from any tail light or turn signal or something like that you might happen to have around.


Ah, whey you say "has spark" do you mean the battery connections sparked?
or.... do you mean the ignition spark plugs spark meaning the ignition system is working..?

Previously I was trying to troubleshoot "getting no power anywhere".

Thanks for pictures.
Looks fairly stock, and complete, with original paint. (maybe missing a side panel, or just had it off when picture taken)

Dave

.
.

[thadius33]

The battery has spark.

[Steve]

The battery has spark.

Not sure what you mean by this or how you are testing it.

Batteries are usually tested for voltage or current capacity, not "spark".

If you are talking about it being able to produce sparks when the terminals are shorted, that is a totally worthless test.
Even a battery that is beyond any hope of being salvaged can "spark", but is useless for any kind of reasonable work.

.

[tom203]

Sure sounds like low system voltage- i.e. poor charging.tired battery, and/or bad connections. Have you gone thru the stator paper tests ? still have stock R/R ?
The lights not working and "no power whatsoever" stuff probably means the ignition circuit (ignitor and coils) was only seeing about 11 volts- this is not enough to keep coils firing nicely.
Do or redo stator paper tests to pinpoint problem- just because it has been running "flawlessly" doesn't mean you can take shortcuts on maintenance.

[Redman]

Stator papers are good for troubleshooting low charging voltage (like 12.5 instead of upper 13s)

Will not help much with "everything dead, no power anywhere".





Getting a spark from a battery only tells you that it IS a battery, doesn't tell you much about if a poor battery or a marginal battery or a good battery.
I suppose If it doesn't spark, well then you know it is either completely discharged or is completely dead and is not really a battery anymore.


.

[posplayr]

See gs charging health to do the minimum for charging ; there are links to stator pages and revised stator pages.. Then do quick test after charging the battery post the results

[posplayr]

Ok. Glass fuses, I stand corrected.

Good news is that those are easier to get a volt meter probe on.

.

Little tip, I think on the bayonnte type (push in) fuses thee is a little metal exposed at the front so you can touch that and get voltage reading. I figured that out just a while back.

[thadius33]

ok, I got a test light on the fuses finally. The main fuse and the power source have power. But the ignition, signal and headlight fuses don't have any power going too them. I am trying to follow the wires now but would love to to hear any tips or hints about where i should go next. I would look at the wireing diagram but I don't have the manual on my tablet yet.