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Electrical failure on GS1100ED

  • Thread starter Thread starter Flaming Chainsaws
  • Start date Start date
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Flaming Chainsaws

Guest
As the title says, my 1983 GS1100E's electricals do not work. Only the headlight (both low and hi-beam), hi-beam indicator light on gauge cluster, starter motor, coils, and igniter work. Everything else is dead which is the turn signals (all 4), brake/tail/license light, and the entire gauge cluster (except for hi-beam).

All fuses are good. The oil temp and oil pressure switch is connected. I bought a working check panel control unit from a member here and installed it but that didn't do a thing. OK... Pulled the gauge cluster off to check all of the bulbs and wiring but all was good. Checked the turn signal and rear light bulbs and those were good as well.

Now with the wiring diagram in hand, I traced all of the wires and they are in the correct places. No frayed and broken wires. All connections are clean.

Here is the weird part. There are these two ground wires that is connected to the starter motor relay's left mounting bolt. If I pull one ground wire, the oil, side stand, and neutral light work. If I pull both ground wires off the headlight turns off and the hi beam light no longer works. Also, the oil temp gauge goes all the way up to 360 degrees. :confused: Damn! It's like the bike is telling me to choose between the half of the gauge cluster or the headlight!

I tried shifting it into gear to see if the neutral light is working as it should but the oil, side stand, and neutral light all turn off!

Next I tried testing the side stand. Flipped the side stand up but the light was still on...


This has really gotten me stumped. What else can I do? This is the only thing that is stopping me from registering the bike :(.
 
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I can answer one of these mysterys.

Flaming Chainsaws said:
..
...
Next I tried testing the side stand. Flipped the side stand up but the light was still on...
.
..
Click to expand...

If bike was off, engine not running, that would be normal, becasue the low oil pressure switch lights the low oil light AND the sidestand light (or at least it does on 850G and 1100G).

All that other stuff sounds quite strange. And will take some seroius troubleshooting.

ANd I dont know what you mean by "check panel control unit".

On 850G and 1100G there is only one ground wire on the solenoid bolt, is there to ground the battery box so the R/R and solenoid has a ground. Is a black/white wire that comes out of the wiring harness and in the wiring harness is connected to all the other black/white wires, one which goes to batt- and one which is connected to the frame. DOes one of the two wires that you have seem to match that description?
And the other one seem like something someone has added?, if so track down that one and see where they connected the the other end.

>>later note:
Oh, is the check panel control unit have to do with that graphic thing of the bike with the indicators lights in it...?

.
 
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Redman said:
I can answer one of these mysterys.



If bike was off, engine not running, that would be normal, becasue the low oil pressure lights the low oil light AND the sidestand light (or at least it does on 850G and 1100G).

Al that other stuff sounds quite strange. And will take some seroius troubleshooting. ANd I dont know what you mean by "check panel control unit".

.
Click to expand...
Check panel control unit is the black box under the gas tank. It controls all of the gauge cluster lights.

All of these tests were done with the engine NOT running. I will try again with it running to see if there is any difference.
 
I know that it may hard to picture this with words but I will make a video of it tomorrow to show you my problem... Or maybe tonight.
 
I guess you guys are all stumped too :(. I'm thinking about just shelling out the $200 and buy a brand new wiring harness, which is still available.
 
The red circle are the ground wires that I am talking about. If I unplug them, then half of my gauge cluster works but my headlight turns off. It's like its telling me to choose between the headlight or the gauge cluster :confused:.
 
The side stand light is configured to be a fallback for the oil pressure light in some models. The particulars are in some post on here.
 
Does the bike have to be running for the lights to work? I know that the check panel control unit depends on the oil pressure switch...
 
Flaming Chainsaws said:
Does the bike have to be running for the lights to work? I know that the check panel control unit depends on the oil pressure switch...
Click to expand...


Someone must have a rundown on this bike.
I think posplayr has one.
Do a search under his posts mebbe?
 
OK. I downloaded the factory service manual from BassCliff's site. I'm on page 75 right now and am currently looking at the flow chart.
 
Flaming Chainsaws said:
OK. I downloaded the factory service manual from BassCliff's site. I'm on page 75 right now and am currently looking at the flow chart.
Click to expand...


Odd how so many ends of the flow indicate a defective panel.
Surely Suzuki did not inetgrate teh functioning of the whole systerm with the display unit.

Twould be insane.
 
Wow! This manual is so much better than the Hayne's. I will follow all of these flow charts tomorrow and see what I find.
 
Again, this is a short passage from the GS1100 Hayne's manual.

First of all I know that these tests are for the earlier models but it should be the similar, right?


Page 174, section 15.
15 Check panel assembly: description and testing - T, ET, EX

1. A comprehensive check light display is incorporated in the instrument panel. It monitors the status of the brake fluid level, battery electrolyte level, headlamp high and low beam and the tail/brake lamp bulb. If a fault occurs, the appropriate warning lamp is switched on the panel. When the ignition is turned on, the warning lamps in the check panel are illuminated. When the engine is started, the warning lamps should extinguish as soon as the the oil pressure light goes out. Any remaining warning lamps indicate a fault in the relevant circuit. The check light display circuit is shown in the accompanying diagram.

2. The check panel is dependent on it's supply from the oil pressure switch. If this fails, the check panel will not operate normally. If this condition is suspected, remove the oil pressure switch lead and connect it to earth (ground) with the ignition switch on. If the check panel now comes on, the oil pressure switch should be tested by temporarily disconnecting it's lead and connecting it to earth (ground).If when the the ignition switch is turned on the check panel operates normally, the oil pressure switch is faulty and should be renewed.

3. If the check panel is still malfunctioning, check the associated wiring for continuity, using a multimeter set to the resistance (ohms) scale. Refer to the circuit diagram and the main wiring diagram for details. If the wiring, fuses, and warning lamp bulbs are in good condition, check that the headlamp and stop/tail bulbs are are working. Note that if the fuses protecting the check panel are renewed, use only Suzuki genuine parts to ensure full protection of the check panel circuit. If this fails to resolve the problem, check the rear brake fluid sensor and battery electrolyte sensor as described below.

4. Disconnect the sensor leads from the rear brake reservoir and connect to them the probe leads of a multimeter. Set the meter on it's resistance range and note the reading. If the sensor is working correctly, no continuity should exist when the fluid is at the upper level mark. If the float is pushed down, continuity should be shown to correspond with the lower level mark. If the sensor is faulty, renew the reservoir assembly.

5. The battery electrolyte sensor can be checked by measuring the voltage between it and the battery positive terminal. If the battery is fully charged, a serviceable sensor will indicate 1.5 - 2.0 volts. If this is not the case, renew the sensor. If the above tests fail to locate a fault, the check panel must be considered faulty and should be renewed.
Click to expand...
So I hope you guys read that :).

Now with the testing, I have tried grounding the oil pressure switch and nothing has happened. My tail light does not work either and I guess the check panel won't work unless I fix that tail lamp. My bike doesn't have a brake fluid level sensor :confused:. My battery electrolyte sensor is disconnected and the wire is just taped up.

I will try grounding that electrolyte wire, I guess.

What do you guys suggest I do?
 
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I found more. This is from the factory service manual I downloaded from BassCliff's site. Page 268.
 
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Page 18 of factory service manual (from BassCliff's site).
 
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