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Bike stopped. Bike diagnosed. Need a 2nd opinion.

  • Thread starter Thread starter manimal
  • Start date Start date
M

manimal

Guest
I have a 1980 GS1100L that is having trouble. Always been a hard starter, especially when sitting for a week or more. Been replacing batteries for one reason or another once a year or so for 5 years(mostly from not charging batt over winter storage) . Last replaced 2 months ago.
A few weeks ago my carbs started purging gas as I left work an hour from home. I pulled em and checked for anything obviously wrong. Everything looked good except the junk in the float chambers and valves. I cleaned em up and reinstalled with an inline filter. It started after some coaxing and no gas spillage. I gave myself large backpats and headed home. She ran fine for about 5-10 miles, and then power loss and dead as I was pulling off the road. Again, no evidence of gas overrunning the carb. Tried restart and failed. Let her sit and tried again, only to hear battery dying. Left her for 20 min. and tried again and got her to start with the choke open full, but since she was still hot, she turned over and shot up to 5000 rpm in a flash, so I killed the choke, and she died. Tried more to start her up but killed battery. Towed her and left at shop for two weeks before they got to her.
Shop says battery dead, but they got her to start and run fine in the garage, no issues, but won't drive her too far or long, expecting she could conk out anytime and have to tow her. They suggest the stator has gone bad. Does this sound like a good diagnosis? I understand the stator recharges the battery. If it was bad I realize it would not recharge the battery, but would it also cause the bike to cut out after it was already running fine? They quoted 3-400 bucks for a new one and then suggested a salvage yard. Does this sound like the right diagnosis to anyone else? I appreciate any advice anyone can give. I am still new to the ignition system on my bike. No troubles till now.
Thanks for reading.
-Manimal
 
Ok I am not an expert at ignitions my self but, from what you said the bike died but the would turn over. So i know that if your alternator in your car goes the car will run off the battery untill if drains out. If you could turn over the bike (even if it doesnt start) then it didn't shut off b/c of lack of electric.

I would check fuel out of the petcock and a carb cleaning befor spending 3-400 bucks. again i'm not expert.

Oh, and get it out of the shop. good luck
steve
 
I just got a cheap filter from Autozone and tossed it in. I could see the fuel moving around when trying to start it, and after giving up, I opened the float chaber and a few tablespoons at least spilled out. So I think it was getting gas. The shop got it to run as well, they just expect it to die at any point, so they advise against driving it home.
I will rebuild the carbs, replace the petcock and study the stator papers. Until then, however, my bike is 50 miles away in a shop. Do you suggest I find a stator and have them replace it, as they suggest, or tow it home and pick away at it myself?
 
Thanks for the advice. I think I'll take it. Gonna wait for my AAA upgrade to take effect and then try and ride her home. If she breaks down again, I can tow her for free. I paid 100 bucks to tow her 10 miles last time. Argh.
 
Found a stator. Not sure if it'll fit my bike though. Anyone know if this will also fit a 1980 gs1100L?
 
If you have a trailer hitch go to U-Haul. For about $20, one-way, one-day, they'll rent you a trailer designed specifically to haul motorcycles. You'll also need several tie-down straps. Even a Corolla can pull one of these things.
 
With a friend following you and a set of jumper cables, you could limp that thing home with no problems. Every 20 to 25 miles, just stop & take a break while the bike battery gets a snack.
 
I've run into this before myself, and I'll bet it's the (automotive) fuel filter you installed. About 4-5 miles was all I'd get with the gas in the bowls (and the minimal amount passing through the filter) before it'd die due to lack of fuel.

Just to see if it's an issue, remove the filter and try riding for more than 5 miles. Don't worry so much about the carbs overflowing, unless really bad. If it doesn't die on you anymore, than you'll have that part solved.

The carbs purging fuel will most likely mean crud stuck in float valve(s) (or bad float, or bad float height adjustment).

It also sounds like you have a weak battery if it's going dead on you that soon.
 
Before you ride anywhere, check the crankcase for gas in the oil, which is possible from the sound of the condition of your carbs. Do you have a GL or L
V
 
It's a GS1100L. I changed the oil after cleaning the carbs. I'm convinced the carbs are fine, since they were spilling large and then after I cleaned a lot of gluck out of em and reinstalled there was no gas spillage even at idle for 15 minutes or so. It ran beautifully for 5-10 minutes on the highway at 70 mph and then cut out. I don't think I could have gotten that far with no fuel flow, but I may be wrong, and I could see the gas moving around in the filter when running and trying to start her up. I will think about getting a hitch on my car. That's a good idea.
Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll let you know the situation after I get her home.
 
manimal,

Before you start replacing one thing after another, use the "process-of-elimination" approach to narrow down the possibilities.

1. Disconnect the charging system altogether and disable the headlight circuit. Now, with a fully charged battery, go and ride the bike for an hour. The bike will run for several hours before depleting the battery. If there are any problems with the bike then it has to be your ignition system or fuel system, and move on to step 2 below. If there are no problems, then your charging system was at fault, and you need to diagnose using the stator papers - in many cases the R/R is faulty.
2. Use the search feature on this forum and the manual to diagnose the ignition components (pulse generator, ignitor, coils, plug wires/caps). If all checks out OK move on to step 3.
3. Verify compression. If OK, move on to step 4.
4. Verify the carbs are not messed up - this is very extensive - use the search feature. If all is OK here, move on to step 5.
5. Verify NO air leaks and no exhaust leaks.
 
A fully charged battery should get your bike home no problem even if it's not charging (wouldn't hurt to disconnect the headlight as nabrams suggested first). I'd pull out that fuel filter as well just to make sure - the symptoms you discribe sound very much like fuel starvation.

Charging system problems could be either the stator or the R/R. One problem with a failed regulator/retifier is that the stator will overcharge the battery causing damage. Look at the battery, assuming it has a semi-transparent casing, and if you see a white chalky apperance on some of the grids inside the battery you have cooked it by overcharging. If this is the case, you may not make it home since the battery will not hold a proper charge. Time for plan B - purchase yet another new battery and disconnect the charging system completely before driving the bike home.
 
Last edited:
Listen to us. Lose the fuel filter from Autozone and ride that baby home.
 
Did you know we have a rare bike? gustovh has one too. The sixteen valve 1100L model was only made one year. What's cool is parts are easy to find.
 
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