GS1150EF '84, won't start consistently

[shortyo]

Hello All, I am new here and I appreciate all of the info on this site, Thank You.
I have just bought a 1984 GS1150EF, Red & Black with 24,000KM on it. It needs a little TLC on the fairings and such but other than that it is in nice shape.
The issue that I am having is it won't start every time. When it doesn't start, I can hear the starter relay click once every time I push the starter button.
I checked the battery and it is putting out over 12 volts. I also changed the starter realy and it didn't fix the problem either.
I can push start the bike and it runs fine. After I start it, it will start 3 or 4 times. Once I ride it a while, I will shut it off and then it won't start again.
Any thoughts on what a probable cause would be, I would appreciate greatly.

While I am at it, the battery light, the headlamp light, and the tail/stop light come on and go off intermitently. Any ideas on a fix would be great.

Thank You in Advance,
Shorty

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Try checking the starter motor brushes for correct length and spring tension and clean up the commutator of any carbon with emery cloth.
Intermittent lights could be faulty fuse connection or other connection in wiring harness.

[rphillips]

Like Earl said about the starter. The dash lights on one of my 1150's is like yours, sometimes work perfect for a few days, sometimes they just try to come on, sometimes switching from lo to hi beam affects them, sometimes revving the engine, or turning on a turn signal, changes what they are doing. I've had the instrument cluster apart, several times, and by wiggling wires, thought I found the problem, till a day, or possibly a week later, these idiot lights start acting screwy AGAIN. I read once about how this problem could be fixed with diodes, capacitors, transistors, or some other electronic mumbo-jumbo, but mainly what came from this article, you won't need a mechanic, to work on these lights, but an electronic wizz. Good Luck

[Guest]

While I am at it, the battery light, the headlamp light, and the tail/stop light come on and go off intermitently. Any ideas on a fix would be great.

Thank You in Advance,
Shorty

The battery light is for the sensor in one of the holes in the battery. When I replaced my battery, I didn't get one with a new sensor, so I just removed the bulb in the dash. My headlamp and tail/stop warning lights also flicker sometimes. And they have since the bike was new. I am going to check all my electrical connections for any issues. If they still flicker after that, I am going to remove those bulbs, too.

[Dink]

Lights in the dash, is from poor connections.
Check and clean EVERY connection on the bike!!! especially the earths.
Starting issue, check the output from the starter soleniod, is it actually allowing 12v through??
then move onto the starter itself.
Dink

[shortyo]

Thanks

Thank You All, I think I will start at the selenoid and then go from there. I talked to a service guy at a bike shop in Alberta and he said that I may need a starter kit. I assume that it would be new brushes and such.
As for the dash lights, that may have to be a winter project. I think I will just take the bulbs out for now. I am not sure how to get the gauges apart, but I will tackle that next week.
I bought a service manual on Ebay, so that should help me a lot.
Thanks Again.
Happy Two Wheelin,
Shorty