Very weak spark

[dthorp71]

I hope someone can help me with this. I purchased a 1980 GS1000G not running. The carbs were so bad that the throttle was stuck and wouldn't move. I removed the spark plugs, added some starting fluid to the cylinders and hit the start button. It started immediately and idled for about 15 seconds.

Knowing that it would run i removed and rebuilt the carbs, did some frame work, etc. When I finished it and wanted to start it before final paint, it would not start. I tried the starting fluid to no avail. I installed some new DYNA coils and new wires thinking that maybe the coils just went bad. The spark is still so weak that I can hold the plug in my hand while cranking and barely feel it, but there is something there.

When I check for power going into the coils, they each have 12 volts...until I crank the bike. Once i engage the starter the the voltage drops to 2.

This bike has no points, do you think the battery is bad, the CDI box is bad, or maybe something else is wrong??

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

[posplayr]

I hope someone can help me with this. I purchased a 1980 GS1000G not running. The carbs were so bad that the throttle was stuck and wouldn't move. I removed the spark plugs, added some starting fluid to the cylinders and hit the start button. It started immediately and idled for about 15 seconds.

Knowing that it would run i removed and rebuilt the carbs, did some frame work, etc. When I finished it and wanted to start it before final paint, it would not start. I tried the starting fluid to no avail. I installed some new DYNA coils and new wires thinking that maybe the coils just went bad. The spark is still so weak that I can hold the plug in my hand while cranking and barely feel it, but there is something there.

When I check for power going into the coils, they each have 12 volts...until I crank the bike. Once i engage the starter the the voltage drops to 2.

This bike has no points, do you think the battery is bad, the CDI box is bad, or maybe something else is wrong??

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

I'm not sure if you are you actually measuring voltage while cranking? I normally don't do this.

You can do a "Quick Test" as described in the link in my signature. Make sure the battery is charged.

Once you start pulling full current through the ignition switch is when the voltage will drop to the colis. It should not be less than about 11 volts or it will be hard to start.

[cowboyup3371]

If you are dropping down that far, what's the voltage at the battery during this time? It sounds to me like that battery is bad and not recharging properly. Verify a good battery under load (parts houses will test it for you) and then go through the stator papers.