Gas, Electrical Problems?

[terrylee2u]

Just had my bike tuned up recently (oil change, plugs, and lubes all changed and replacement of rear splines)
We rode down to Dal's Gap, on the way down I felt my bike ''miss'' a couple times at hi way speeds.. nothing serious I thought and it seems to clear itself up and run fine. On the way back home it did the same thing a few times.. just random sputter or miss and then back to it's normal smooth purr.

Now that I'm home the bike seems to be getting progressively worse. I was thinking maybe some dirt maybe got into the carbs as the bike would run great until I twist the throttle a little harder and wind it up some and it would start sputtering or missing around 4000 RPM's.

Last night a friend wanted to go for a little ride. My bike fired up normally and revved freely. Then as we took off the bike just fell on it's face and was bogging big time and wouldn't rev. We pulled in at a car wash a few blocks away and the bike died. Started back up but was still bogging and would not rev up. My friend said to him that it sounded like plugs was fouled. I started to turn the handle bars to leave the car wash and the bike just suddenly started running great again. I stopped in mid turn and straightened the bars, it immediately started bogging down again. Turned the bars and right back to smooth rev. After that it kept the smooth revving. So we just continued along with our ride. He followed me so he could listen as we went through town. Fine.. sounded great again. Then after our stop for some coffee and some BS'ing, the bike started fine again, but it was back to the missing or sputter during 4000+ RPM during acceleration.
As I am on a limited budget (disability) and can't do very much wrenching myself due to said disability, Could any of you great trouble shooters give me an idea where to start or maybe a direction to give someone that can wrench as to where to start looking.
Bike is 82 1100L.. 13,000 miles. Carbs were gone through last year (aug) and new K&N filter and Vance n Hines 4 in 1 added then. Bike has ran perfect until after this last tune up with new plugs and then the 930 mile trip to Deal's Gap and back.
Sorry for the book, just want to give as much info as I can.
And thanks for any help you can give.

Terry

 

[Guest]

Open up that headlight bucket and check the connections from the kill switch and ignition switch.

 

[terrylee2u]

Hmm.. ok as you have now jogged my brain... when the bike got it's recent tune up the guy also installed a new headlight bulb for me (Silverstar 9003/HB2 ST/2) I had seen recommended on here. I will give it a look. Thanks Bill.

 

[Dave8338]

Hmm.. ok as you have now jogged my brain... when the bike got it's recent tune up the guy also installed a new headlight bulb for me (Silverstar 9003/HB2 ST/2) I had seen recommended on here. I will give it a look. Thanks Bill.

Yet another fine reason to wrench your own.

 

[terrylee2u]

Yet another fine reason to wrench your own.

I wish I could Dave... but I have severe neuropathy (from diabetes). I have no feeling in my fingers and some of the hands.. I drop everything small and can't manipulate (dexterity) very well. You don't miss these abilities untill they are gone. Some day the time will come I won't be able to enjoy riding the bike at all as I don't want to be a danger to myself or others.

 

[terrylee2u]

Took the bike in to be checked out.. it ''acted up'', sputtered (doesn't do this all the time) on the way to the guys shop.
He took it for a test ride to see what it felt like to him. Long story short... it ran great. He rode for about 10-15 minutes and it never acted up at all.
I told hm what was recommended here and he took off the headlight and checked the wiring.. all seemed to be fine. And he said that since is isn't doing it all the time that it is probably a fuel problem.
My question is... could I have sucked some dirt down into the carbs? Or maybe the petcock is clogging up?
Any ideas is appreciated...

 

[Darkchyld]

If this is onyour GS 1100, check the two vent lines from the carbs. Spiders like to hide in there an plug them off or restrict them.

DC

 

[earlfor]

My inclination is that the problem may be caused by a loose electrical connection. That the problem 'fixes" itself if you turn the handlebars
makes me consider that the wiring harness may be routed tightly and turning the bars could be pulling on the connectors in the wiring.

Earl

 

[slip]

My inclination is that the problem may be caused by a loose electrical connection. That the problem 'fixes" itself if you turn the handlebars
makes me consider that the wiring harness may be routed tightly and turning the bars could be pulling on the connectors in the wiring.

Earl

I agree, I had the same sort of problem, and it turned out to be a bullet connector for the contact points and coil. This connection had been wrapped in black tape, but when I unwrapped the connection, it was barely connected, meaning it was making and breaking over heavy acceleration and any bump encountered. I would check out this connection under the seat, as well as the ones under the tank.

 

[terrylee2u]

OK thanks guys.. will look under the tank next.
For what it's worth it only did the turning of the bars the one time.. all the other times are during highway riding and around 3800 rpms and up.
But I will look under the tank in hopes of finding the problem there...
Sure wish one of you GS luvin mech's was a little closer to me

 

[terrylee2u]

We pulled the tank off today.. the bike was missing and bogging so badly on the way over to my friends garage I was thinking it wasn't going to make it...it has gotten steadily worse.
We pulled off the tank and looked at all the connections.. everything looked good and clean and tight. Nothing burned anywhere or melted even.
Then we went back to the headlight again and checked out all the connections in there.. again it all looked good.
Fired the bike back up.. sounded good so I took it or a short ride.. 4 blocks and it was ok, then turned onto the highway and started up through the gears and it started back on the missing or cutting out again... not as severe and earlier but still I could hear and feel it.
Went back to his garage to let him take it for a short ride to see what he thought... (darn clutch cable broke off at the handle! Just glad it was in his garage and not down the street)!
Could this be a spark plug wire or wires going bad or getting a bad connection? They are original with 14,000 miles on them.
Please help a dummy that really wants to enjoy riding again...

 

[Texas Don]

Sounds electrical to me. I would look hard at the ignition switch. Remove it and clean the contacts and connectors thoroughly. When you move the bars, it is either pulling or releasing tension on your wires that go to the ignition switch. Electrical problems like this are usually taken care of by just cleaning and renewing the switch contacts and all of the connectors (4 on my GS1000) that go to the switch. The connectors are accessed by removing the headlight on my '79. May be the same or not on your '80.
Don

 

[Guest]

Clean and squirt dielectric grease in those connectioins.

 

[bwringer]

Unless you pull apart each and every electrical connector to look for corrosion and verify solid contact, you haven't "inspected" anything.

You very likely have an electrical problem that is cutting off voltage to a coil.

 

[81gs1100]

I'm thinking choke cable....

Make sure it moves smoothly and isn't pulling when turning the handlebars.

If it's sticking some, vibration can sometimes free it, making it hard to find.

Again, trying to add something not already mentioned, so be sure to check the other things mentioned already.

- JC

I second this... When it is riding down the road fine and without problem, pull out the choke eehmmm, enrichiner... Does this produce the same problem? Pull it out a little and then a little more...ect...