wiring renewal - how deep should I go?

[Jagir]

or,
how deep would you go?



If you started to pull your wiring harness apart and simply exposed all the wires and connectors and upon inspection, realized that the whole system looks pretty good:

• wires clean and not brittle
• all wiring coverings are in fine condition
• connections seem fine
• a few wires that were questionable have been replaced
• a few connections that don't look stock (but how would I know) around the system, but they actually look pretty good - no shrink wrap, but really solid 2 into 1 crimps with a few layers of quality tape over them.
• bike was mostly stored indoors for its life (according to PO's)
• you had pulled apart every connection a few years ago and dielectric greased them all...

How much deeper would you go?

• Replace everything anyway?
• If it aint broke don't fix it?
• Trace every wire from the front to the back and inspect everything and decide to replace wire by wire (and do all the connectors too)?
• test continuity in every wire?

Some history - seems like my system is undercharging, but UNTIL I have total faith in my wiring (and battery), I don't want to blame the stator. This problem is not a major one - a new battery every 2 years and: the turn signals don't blink unless the revs are high. Unless I'm above 3000 rpm, the signals are solid (when I have the left or right signal switched on).
I think I may have already solved the problem with a couple of sketchy looking wires that I've replaced, but I don't know for sure.

The truth: Some dark night a few years ago there was a bit of fry in the system - can't remember what I was doing other than pulling the battery in or out and I think the positive off the battery somehow came in contact with the frame while it was still connected to the negative. I found some fried wires after that and replaced them. Also, there were one or two funny wiring repairs from a PO, but most connections look as good or better that what I'm doing with heat shrink tubing and decent connectors. Most of the connections (3 into 1's, 2 into 1's) could be from Dr. Suzuki himself in the 1980's.

According to the PO, the bike was always serviced at the Suzuki dealer and it really seems close to stock.

advice?

 

[Nessism]

Sounds like the harness is in pretty good condition. I wouldn't mess with it beyond what you've done other than streamlining the charging system circuit and replacing the R/R with something more modern. The stator wires route up to the hand control so I like to bypass that and wire them straight into the R/R. If you do a search on FET you will turn up lots of good info on how to wire one of these into your bike. Well worth the effort and cost in my opinion.

Good luck

 

[gearhead13]

The stator wires route up to the hand control so I like to bypass that and wire them straight into the R/R.

What bikes route the stator wires to the hand control? Is that for the older ones that have a switch to turn off the headlight?

 

[Guest]

Get a wiring diagram and enlarge it into a useable size . Bell each wire with a multimeter and colour in the diagram with a highlighter as you go . You'll soon see what you have, or have not , got .

Inspect/replace , clean and lube connectors and you're good to go .

Harness routing , especially around the steering head and headlight bucket , is worth mucking around with so you don't get anything pinching or pulling tight as you turn from lock to lock . I use plastic spiral wrap around the harness in this area . Good abrasive qualities and tidies everything up .

I replace ( don't cut them out , just run another with it ) all the earth ( ground ) wires with larger ones . Voltage drop can be a problem in DC systems and manufacturers only put in the minimum sized wiring possible . Bigger IS better . Make sure ALL the earth connections are GOOD as many later electrical problems will relate to earthing . Eliminate them now and you'll enjoy years of trouble free ( electrically ) riding .

Harnesses usually don't give trouble , it's the $hit connected to it that does . Good luck . Cheers , Simon .

 

[Steve]

What bikes route the stator wires to the hand control? Is that for the older ones that have a switch to turn off the headlight?

As far as I know, all the GS bikes have the third stator wire head up toward the headlight area. On the bikes that have an operating headlight switch (mostly those before 1980), that wire will actually go to a second set of contacts in the headlight switch. On bikes that don't have an operating headlight switch, that third wire only goes to a connector, where it turns back and heads to the r/r. It is better to avoid all the connections and their potential problems by simply routing all three wires directly from the stator to the r/r.

.

 

[gearhead13]

Both my '82's, the 750 and 1100 have all three stator wires going directly to the regulator.

 

[Jagir]

Get a wiring diagram and enlarge it into a useable size . Bell each wire with a multimeter and colour in the diagram with a highlighter as you go . You'll soon see what you have, or have not , got .

Inspect/replace , clean and lube connectors and you're good to go .

Harness routing , especially around the steering head and headlight bucket , is worth mucking around with so you don't get anything pinching or pulling tight as you turn from lock to lock . I use plastic spiral wrap around the harness in this area . Good abrasive qualities and tidies everything up .

I replace ( don't cut them out , just run another with it ) all the earth ( ground ) wires with larger ones . Voltage drop can be a problem in DC systems and manufacturers only put in the minimum sized wiring possible . Bigger IS better . Make sure ALL the earth connections are GOOD as many later electrical problems will relate to earthing . Eliminate them now and you'll enjoy years of trouble free ( electrically ) riding .

Harnesses usually don't give trouble , it's the $hit connected to it that does . Good luck . Cheers , Simon .

thanks for all the tips so far.

Right now, there is no extra crap attached to the system, but once its all squared away and my charging issues are figured, I may look for some heated grips or a stereo, seat warmer, running lights, CB radio, battery powered air freshener and electronic windshield (with LED fuzzy dice)

I'm following your suggestion with the wiring diagram although I have not enlarged it, but what a great idea. I have been colouring along with my changes/replacements. I still don't know enough about wiring to determine which wiring diagram I should be looking at between the 2 that could be MY bike (in my Haynes manual). As far as I can tell, they are both the same wiring with the same components, but with those components in different locations. I hope that as I go through, I'll figure out the difference.

I've kept all the original wiring housing - except for those that were all taped, of course. Plan to replace some of those taped sections with large shrink tube (but not heat it) or something similar.

Been taking lots of before pictures so that everything is back to normal when I'm done.

I'm working wire by wire through the harness and I'll do all the grounds at once. After that, I'll rock out to the stator papers.

As it is, I have little time each day to work on it between getting home from work and darkness. That said, it's great to put in 10 minutes here and there and only focus on one wire at a time. At this rate, I'll be done in a week or 2.


a couple of questions for you Simon:

What does it mean to "bell each wire"?

What do you mean "replace the ground"? Do you cut the contact points of the original and render them useless, but keep them where they were OR do you simply run an additional ground wire alongside? Or something else?

Thanks again all.

 

[Steve]

What does it mean to "bell each wire"?

The term comes from the practice of connecting a battery and a bell, then using the wire in question to complete the circuit. If the bell rang, the wire was good.

In today's shops, we tend to use a multimeter with a "beep" function for continuity. Same general idea.

.

 

[Guest]

I've had my bell rung a few times. :hand:

 

[Jagir]

Sounds like the harness is in pretty good condition. I wouldn't mess with it beyond what you've done other than streamlining the charging system circuit and replacing the R/R with something more modern. The stator wires route up to the hand control so I like to bypass that and wire them straight into the R/R. If you do a search on FET you will turn up lots of good info on how to wire one of these into your bike. Well worth the effort and cost in my opinion.

Good luck

thanks. Do you think I should replace the R/R regardless? If so, what do you suggest? Should the stator be replaced if the R/R is or is that the other way around?

 

[Jagir]

wiring - putting it back together

wiring - putting it back together

I've been exposing, inspecting, testing and replacing parts of my wiring system. I'm feeling pretty confident and began putting it back together tonight. This is what I've done so far:

• Inspected every wire

• Replaced about 8 wires and connectors. I added about 15 connectors with heat shrink tube. 3 of these were the stator wires and I replaced them all with yellow wires.

• Cleaned and (Dielectric) greased every connector.

• 'belled' about 10 wires from front to back, more to go...

• checked, belled and greased 4 grounds. Are there/should there be more? Any advice specific to grounding your bike?

• put the battery back in, tank back on and fired her up
• 

Sounded sweet. Almost everything works. Hi/low beam worked (and seemed miraculously brighter on a cold dark night). Fuel stabilizer did its job - it was like a warm summer morning.

I forgot to test the horn and I did not put the bike into gear.

The taillights and front and rear signals would not come on. I suspect that I did something wrong on tail cowling day. Neither brake lit the taillight. Also, one of the connectors on the left taillight is kinked against the taillight. Should probably replace that connection with solder. :-k

 

[landshark]

If it isnt too late, or too much trouble, could you post a few more pictures of your wiring route?
Or if anyone else could it would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Jagir]

heres a few pics...

heres a few pics...

behind the airbox

 

[Jagir]

more pics

more pics

wiring under tank

 

[Jagir]

3 greens

3 greens

I shoved them all into the connector on proud display.

 

[Jagir]

rear brake switch wire

rear brake switch wire

is orange.

Do you need/want any more? I'm happy to post as many pics as you want me to. Be specific.

 

[Jagir]

back end

back end

this is the part that i most likely messed up.

I disassembled, labeled replaced cruddy looking wires and (incorrectly?) reassembled.

Did a bit more testing tonight before I began sampling new beer.
The horn works and the shift indicator lights work fine. So wiring is almosy back to normal, I hope.

The plastic plug at the back needed some re-wiring and I thought that my re-wiring may have been the issue regarding the brake light/signal lights not working, but it is not (tested without the plug, ensuring that each 'plug wire' is making perfect contact).

So, having looked over most of my wiring system, but only really replacing wires and connectors from under the seat to the tail cowling (especially the stuff under the tail cowling), I somehow managed to make the taillight and signals lights cease to work.
The issue now is: the Rear brake pedal, front brake lever (with brand new switch) do not engage the taillight and the signal lights don't go on at all.

Because it all worked before i started, I am wondering what i did wrong. I still suspect that I may have incorrectly reattached the rear wires. Would this also affect the front signal lights?

Bear with me, wiring is new to me.

 

[gearhead13]

Did you have your headlight out and contest with the rats nest of wires there?
Do you have a manual with a wiring diagram? Helped me when I tore apart my headlight bucket wiring.

 

[Jagir]

i did pull the headlight bucket apart, but everything in there looked pretty good, so i mostly left it alone.

I've got the Haynes manual, but have been unable to discern exactly which wiring diagram belongs to my bike. Was hoping that i would figure it out during this project. I know that its one of 2 in there, probably the one for "GSX400 ET and EX (UK)" models as it has 2 "tail/stop lamps". My bike does not have the "license plate light" referenced on the "GS400 EZ (UK model)" diagram.
I have no experience with wiring besides this so admittedly, the wiring diagram isn't really doing me too much good.

 

[gearhead13]

there is a link to an actual sevice manual here:
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/