81 850 g

[almarconi]

Reading through all your post, you never mentioned getting a wiring diagram. The electrical system on these bikes is not that complicated once you see it all laid out on a diagram. You will be able to trace your wires and see where they are supposed to go. It's not practical to try and learn how to rewire your bike by posting on an internet forum. Perhaps you could find a member close to you that could help you figure out what the PO did to your wiring harness.

 

[ron bayless]

Reading through all your post, you never mentioned getting a wiring diagram. The electrical system on these bikes is not that complicated once you see it all laid out on a diagram. You will be able to trace your wires and see where they are supposed to go. It's not practical to try and learn how to rewire your bike by posting on an internet forum. Perhaps you could find a member close to you that could help you figure out what the PO did to your wiring harness.

I agree with you about learning on the forum.Basscliffs site is helpful, but his wiring colors do not match mine.basically I think what happened is for one he admitted he didnt know what he was doing, the bike quit on him so he assumed it was electrical,didnt know what, so he started disconnecting things.I have most things reconnected.I am waiting for screws to come to remount the igniter.Those kind of problems I dont need help with.Obvious to remount umounted key components.I did find the small vacuum tube from the petcock to the carb bank off,that is probably all that was wrong in the first place.I have a friend working on a rebuild of a cb 750 that is a whiz so he will help me get it sorted out.I didnt think since the cut wires were obvious and the disconnected components were obvious i would have trouble.There is a starter disconnect switch between the start button and the solenoid i want to remove, but do not see it inline.I am wondering if its in the left hand control,also named the clutch switch.If so, that doesnt show on a colored square diagram of wires,but its route is easy to follow on paper.

I do appreciate your input.

 

[Steve]

I agree with you about learning on the forum.Basscliffs site is helpful, but his wiring colors do not match mine.

Back in post #7 I gave you a link to a very good wiring diagram. The notation on the diagram says it's for a 1980 GS850, but your '81 is the same, electrically.

I have now, or have had in the past, both, an '80 and an '81 850, and can verify that this diagram works and is accurate.

Incidentally, Suzuki was very good at keeping wiring colors rather consistent throughout the years. The only times you will find something 'different' will be when they have added a feature. For example, I don't think any of the bikes below 850 had self-cancelling turn signals, so you won't find any of those wires (or their colors). A side stand warning light was added in the '82 models, so that wire does not show in the diagram linked in post #7, but on any bike that has that light, it will use the same color wire.

Either go back to post #7 and click on the link or save yourself the effort of going back one page and just click HERE.

.

 

[ron bayless]

I know that diagram,and thanks for the help.But it, it shows a green wire with yellow stripe from the starter button to the solenoid.A starter disconnect down near the solenoid.I dont see that on my bike. My wire is yellow with a green stripe,if that is the same, I have the wire correctly attached.

 

[Steve]

..., it shows a green wire with yellow stripe from the starter button to the solenoid. ...

When I click on it, I see a yellow wire with a green stripe. :-k

A starter disconnect down near the solenoid.I dont see that on my bike.

You can't use the location on the diagram to locate a device on the bike.

That "Starter Disconnect Switch" is in the clutch lever housing.
That is why you have to pull the clutch lever to start the bike (unless that has been bypassed).


What is the current status of the bike? If I remember correctly, you were in the process of re-wiring an ignition switch.

.

 

[ron bayless]

thank you,I am in need of help.The locksmith guy got the ignition switch to work, he made 2 keys,both of which when you turn on the ignition dash lights come on.I got the replacement solenoid today.I put it in the way the other one was in, even though it was a car and the new one was for a bike, it did say 82 model though..The solenoid is mounted by 2 screws to a metal backing plate.I know you know this, but I am telling you about my personal bike.The fuse box mounts by 2 more screw holes, I dont have any screws, and the igniter mounts by 2 more.I can see where they mount, dont have the screws.I dont know what metric size but i would assume they are the same size as the ones holding on the solenoid.The wire that was under the large post of the removed solenoid was on the left side.the post on the right had the red wire from the igniter and a red wire going up to positive side of the battery.I reconnected them that way.There was a small black with white stripe wire that had been under the negative post of the battery.I replaced it there.The wire that had been under the large left post of the solenoid seemed disproportionately big. It looked to be about 6 gauge.It required me buying a wire end loop connector with 5/16 inner diameter for the wire to go in there, and then only half of it would fit.The car solenoid had small posts too, and the former guy had used a 3/8 diameter connector over the post.The 3/8 was way too big so he had used washers to make it fit more tightly.The new connector i used was a closer fit,no washers needed.I turned the switch on,pushed the start button,nothing happened.

You remember in my earliest post about his having cut the yellow wire with green stripe, and the 2 orange white wires.The new solenoid had one terminal, a red wire.I connected the yellow/green to it.With all posts occupied and the orange white wires from the kill switch connected to the orange/white he had cut nothing happened.I reversed the places of the orange white wires.Nothing happened.There are only 2 choices for them.i know one goes to a 10 amp fuse,number 3, and the other to the igniter.So one way or the other should have done something.I was looking at the killswitch start button assembly on the right handlebar.Underneath it says gs 450.He must have taken it from that bike.Dont know if that matters.I tried taking a piece of 12 ga wire and jumping across the solenoid and it created a direct short, the left big post was smoking, so I quickly stopped touching the terminal and turned the ign switch off.With or without the igniter making a spark, the starter button and solenoid should work.Something has created either a short circuit or open circuit.Or both.My electrical genius friend is not available.All teaching appreciated.

I did pull in the clutch lever,and the bike is in neutral.

After attaching the new solenoid and nothing happened I took the piece of loose wire and tried going across the posts, to see if starter would activate.This caused 2 black wires with white stripes, assuming they are ground wires, I had them under the negative battery poss, and much of their insulation burned off. Something is seriously shorted out.This is a brand new 1 hour old solenoid.I disconnected the battery.I give up for today.I did get the igniter box solidly mounted before I quit.

 

[Steve]

OK, I had a little difficulty following what was there, what is there, etc., so how about I just tell you the way it's supposed to be?

One large wire (usually black, but apparently red in your case) will come from the battery + terminal to one of the large posts of the solenoid (it does not matter which one). Yes, you have a small red wire there, too, that will be what will feed the MAIN fuse, then on to the ignition switch and then the rest of the bike.

From the other large terminal of the solenoid should be a wire of similar size (larger does not matter) that goes to the starter. Make sure it goes to the power input terminal, not the mounting bolts, which are grounded.

Apparently your solenoid has one small terminal, that is where your yellow/green wire will attach.

The plate to which the solenoid, fuse panel and ignitor all mount is attached to the battery box, which is rubber-mounted. That means that one of your black/white wires (which is a ground) needs to be under one of the mounting screws for the solenoid to ground it. The ignitor also needs to be grounded, it should manage that by mounting to the same plate that is now grounded by your solenoid mount, but a second black/white wire to the ignitor mount will not hurt. If there is a black/white wire coming from the ignitor, you can route that to the ignitor mouning screw that is grounded.

There should be NO orange/white wires anywhere near the solenoid, let alone attached to it.

To determine which orange/white wire needs to be connected to another one, you will need a test light or a multimeter to determine which one is 'live' when the key is ON and which one goes to the coils.

If everything is connected somewhat correctly in the starter circuit, you should be able to use an old screwdriver (not a 12-gauge wire) to bridge between the two large terminals on the solenoid to get the starter to turn. Note that it will not start the engine (unless the key is ON and everything else is connected properly), but it should turn.

.

 

[ron bayless]

Thank you very much.The large black wire seems to be the key.My red wire from the igniter goes to the terminal of the solenoid which has the other red wire going up to the positive post of the battery.Both start out under the post of the solenoid.The one goes from that common connection up to the positive post of the battery.So I will have to see where the big wire starts from.I know where it ends.That is in the air, near the solenoid.I am going to connect it to the other post,the one that doesnt have the red wires.The red wire from the igniter is factory, it has cloth wrapping on it.The other piece, about 12 gauge from the solenoid post up to the positive battery post looks like it was made,not factory connections.Thank you for your help.It will be 2 days before I can try this. I do appreciate it.I have connected solenoids on cars so many times, it is a simple procedure.But I have something wrong, causing the ground wires insulation to burn off. Another thing I will do if necessary is take a 16 gauge wire from the yellow/green wire at the kill/start switch and run it to the small post of the solenoid.I see where it ran to the clutch lever area.It has been cut in half there too.

 

[ron bayless]

Steve!!! You're a genius!!! I hooked the wires up like you said.No more smoking or burning, engine turns over good.Wont start. The start button does nothing, I was using a screwdriver.I need to remount the igniter.It was secured by only 1 screw, I saw in my manual I have it on right side, should be on the left, with fuse panel on the right.Anyhow, now gas is pouring out on the ground when on fuel setting.On reserve it stopped.I had taken the tank off, may need to reclamp the line.But hey, it turns over without catching fire, that's a start.Thank you so much.

 

[Steve]

Sometimes you just need to step back and start over.

.

 

[ron bayless]

help! My bike is totally screwed electrically

help! My bike is totally screwed electrically

I thought I was done electrically, was down to fittingairboxes etc.My battery went dead yesterday while trying to restart the bike.I found a inline fuel filter the po had installed.I removed it and put new fuel line on.The autozone gave me a new battery since the other went dead in 10 days.I let it charge over night.Now here is what happened, 3 times.As I got the leads back on-positive and neg cables- it started smoking where the tach cable goes into the instrument panel.I unhooked the wire from the rr to a grounded place thinking that was it.No.I unhooked positive lead, smoking stopped.I tried again, started smoking again.Unhooked, smoking stopped.I tried pulling out 3 rd fuse down in the fuse panel, thinking that was the right one.Reconnected the terminals.This time it started melting all the coating off my tach cable, really bad goo.I quickly removed the cables again.problem stopped.This is with no ignition key in place.Just 3 days ago I had the bike running.That is what I now assume killed the battery, this short of some sort..But the bike sitting with the battery in place and the bike was no longer smoking,plus when i tried starting it yesterday it was not doing this.I had found a ground wire loose from the r/r and had grounded it as stated.I didnt have that wire grounded the other day when the bike started, because it was down under the battery tray.But this bike is doing this with or without that wire connected. Please tell me what to do.

I am so bummed out.So close to riding.Bike is 81 850 G. Also the fuse panel is not grounded,but I heard that didnt matter and none of the fuses blew, including the one I removed.

 

[ron bayless]

I found one wire, yellow with black stripe, disconnected and some bare copper showing.I see on cliffs site it is for the fuel sendingunit,which I am guessing is for the fuel gauge.I covered it with black tape.I reconnected the pos cable.Then I merely touched the ground cable to the post and it felt hot.I reattached it completely and the smoking rseumed, this time smoke was coming out from the entire instrument panel.Can the r/r do this without the ign turned on?Steve, you know I dont know this stuff.Cliffs website tells me where things go, but not why the bike is doing what it is doing.

I just took the tank off, to look underneath it.The entire length of the big wiring harness as it follows along under the tank has all the plastic wrap split in half and bare wire showing everywhere, as if all of it was shorted out and burning when the smoking up front was going on.Now i will need a complete harness and i have no clue how to go about putting all that back in.

 

[ron bayless]

basically one particular wire is bare front to back, it melted wiring insulation off other wires some too.I cant even tell what color it was originally. IMG_20130925_124747 (1).jpg (

 

[ron bayless]

Another view.It wont do to replace harness if underlying problem isnt solved,else the new harness will be ruined too.I would imagine another harness is expensive.

 

[ron bayless]

Trying to post this IMG_20130925_124758.jpg (34.4 KB)

 

[ron bayless]

Inside intrument panel.Is it possible the ignition switch I had so many problems getting to work could have caused this? IMG_20130925_141018.jpg (49.2 KB)

 

[ron bayless]

best picture I haveid file extensions: bmp gif jpe jpeg jpg pdf png
connector.jpg (36.7 KB)

 

[almarconi]

Please tell me what to do.

Did you try praying? That might help get your mind right.

Did you get a wiring diagram yet?

I would start at the headlight bucket and work my way back to the taillight. Take apart every connection, clean and/or replace every connector, damaged wire as needed until you have your wiring straightened out. Depending on how damaged your harness is, it may be cheaper to replace yours with a good used one than trying to repair what you have. You may want to keep a fire extinguisher handy. Don't be in such a hurry to ride the bike until you get the basic maintenance done.

 

[ron bayless]

Did you try praying? That might help get your mind right.

Did you get a wiring diagram yet?

I would start at the headlight bucket and work my way back to the taillight. Take apart every connection, clean and/or replace every connector, damaged wire as needed until you have your wiring straightened out. Depending on how damaged your harness is, it may be cheaper to replace yours with a good used one than trying to repair what you have. You may want to keep a fire extinguisher handy. Don't be in such a hurry to ride the bike until you get the basic maintenance done.

I have several wiring diagrams at my disposal.There is no headlight bucket per se.This isnt the original headlight, it is some light he took off what looks to be a dirtbike, with totally different colored wiring than the original had going who knows where.I am trying to buy one harness off ebay, I hit buy now, then it said no longer available.I am going to try pulling the harness out today.Wish me luck.I appreciate your input.