1983 GS550ES Upgrading to Electrical Ignition from stock, please help

[speakfor]

I am attempting to install a Dyna S (model DS3-2) on a 1983 550ES and I did not consider one very important question:
Is this possible?

I tried following the guide located here:
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/cbsaunders/gs/upgrade_to_electronic_ignition.pdf
However using this guide I am unable to close the cover after installing the advancer, as well as I am unable to mount the DynaS base plate due to lack of screws (I do not have the original base plate).

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

I am attempting to install a Dyna S (model DS3-2) on a 1983 550ES and I did not consider one very important question:
Is this possible?

Skreemer a member on here has accomplished this with some mods.

 

[speakfor]

Skreemer a member on here has accomplished this with some mods.

To clarify, he has written a tutorial/put all information in a central place about this or he has done this and I should contact him?

I searched and although he mentions this more than once, I was unable to find a tutorial, hence I thought I would ask.

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

To clarify, he has written a tutorial/put all information in a central place about this or he has done this and I should contact him?

I searched and although he mentions this more than once, I was unable to find a tutorial, hence I thought I would ask.

I would PM him as I do not recall enough details for a proper search.
It involves leaving the cover off the timing end of the crank but hell it works.

 

[speakfor]

I have thought of doing this but currently I am weary, I have contacted Skreemer as per your suggestion and I will update this thread with any new information, or my (most likely failed) attempt at doing so myself.

 

[skreemer]

the 83 550e/s/en/es/ef(I could go on), didn't have a mechanical ignition. True it was mounted on a manually moveable plate but it was already and electronic ignition.

Mine died and I replaced it with an OEM unit from another bike.

 

[spyug]

Thank you for posting that guide. I've been looking for something like that for weeks. I too am going through the pooched igniter issue and considered the Dyna installation but lacked the information provided in the guide.

As far as I can tell from my research this can be done but you will need to create a spacer and use longer bolts if you want your cover to go back on. Whilel I still may have to consider this option the re-engineering is a bit more than I want to bother with at the moment.

I have found that Boyer Bransden in England has a solution but its costly at around $270 or so. There is also an outfit in New Zealand that makes something but it too is pricey.

While I'm not keen on putting old used equipment in the bike the easier solution is to locate a used oem igniter....but as they say good luck with that. In the meanwhile I am looking to try and retrofit an igniter from another model of 83/86 GS and in this regard I've got igniters from a 700 and 750 coming from members on this forum to test. As the stock signal generators will likely not work the best bet will be to pair them with their own signal generators ( which in the case of 700/750s are different).

I am using the 700 series parts as I can refer to my 83/750 for the wiring colour codes as they and the respective pinouts on the 550 boxes to harness are different. It should make matching things up a tad easier. The ignition advance curves might be slightly different than those of the 550 but I'm hoping close enough to work. I'm hoping to find out soon.

If you go ahead with this installation I would be very interested in how it turns out so I hope you will share. I will be posting my findings too of course. I know there are a lot of interested folks around with 83 and up 550s sitting and rusting away for lack of spark. I'd like to remedy that.

Good luck with your project.

Cheers,
Spyug

 

[koolaid_kid]

You might try another search in a different forum here. I remember someone (from Down Under?) trying to do this. A spacer for the cover was required, and a base plate needed to be found/modified IIRC.
It can be done, but it takes a bit.

 

[BassCliff]

Thank you for posting that guide. I've been looking for something like that for weeks.

Hi Mr. spyug,

If I may toot my own horn, be sure to visit my little website periodically. There's new stuff being added all the time.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff