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1980 GS550 contact breakers/condensor setup? Different than manual!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter gs550marc
  • Start date Start date
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gs550marc

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I've been doing some research on what lies behind the right hand side cover (DOHC) on my 1980 GS550L. The contact break points? are not what my manual shows which I assume is for the other years.

My bike's issue:

Loss of power at high speeds/temp. Broke down in Mass from NY (this hasn't happened before). I was able to get it to a mechanic in Mass where he replaced a dead spark plug cap. The bike ran for another 100 miles and it happened again. I'd only be able to go around 40mph and the bike wouldn't hold it's idle. The mechanic's best guess was a faulty signal generator.

I was trying to check each of the components, but being that I am not too good with electrical stuff and that the manual is showing a different lay out with actual points, I am sort of lost.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Mainly due to the fact that you have an electronic ignition. Behind the cover is the signal generator, not points.
Get a manual from here: BikeCliff's website
 
Your bike doesn't have points and condensers. It has an electronic ignition. All this is detailed in the factory service manual available on Basscliff's website. Look for the 1980 year supplement section, which is located after the basic 550 manual in the front.

As for the problems with your bike, it's very difficult to diagnose problems like this until all the basic maintenance is performed and up to date. Please check the newbie mistakes thread and carb rebuild tutorial linked in my signature. I suggest you start by servicing the carbs, petcock, adjust the valves, charging system, etc. After everything is up to date then start focusing on any running problems that may still remain.
 
How would I check to see if the signal generator is working well?
 
gs550marc said:
How would I check to see if the signal generator is working well?
Click to expand...

Look in the service manual. There is a section detailing how to check the ignition system.

BTW, the signal generators are very reliable. I doubt that is the problem. The ignitors on the other hand sometimes fail, but not often.
 
Nessism said:
Your bike doesn't have points and condensers. It has an electronic ignition. All this is detailed in the factory service manual available on Basscliff's website. Look for the 1980 year supplement section, which is located after the basic 550 manual in the front.

As for the problems with your bike, it's very difficult to diagnose problems like this until all the basic maintenance is performed and up to date. Please check the newbie mistakes thread and carb rebuild tutorial linked in my signature. I suggest you start by servicing the carbs, petcock, adjust the valves, charging system, etc. After everything is up to date then start focusing on any running problems that may still remain.
Click to expand...


The carbs have been completely cleaned out, new petcock, new ignition coils were installed (all in the past 6 months), fuel tank cleaned out.
I set out on this trip knowing that I had checked as much of these things as I possible could check. I took a small 3 hour trip a few months ago with no issues. I am basically asking for help because the bike was running flawlessly until now. I had a mechanic check the charging system and tell me it was charging very well too. New Spark plugs, caps, wires.

The supplements section of my manual only talk about the ignition timing and does not mention anything about the signal generator for the 1980 model.
 
Just looked though the 550 manual and couldn't find anything specific about how to check the signal generators. The GS850 manual does have details however, and the ignition system is same as the 550. Look in the 850GT supplement for these details.

Diagnosing intermittent running problems is difficult unless the problem is happening at the time you are investigating. When the bike acts up you might want to pull off one of the spark plug caps, install a plug, and lay the metal section of the plug against the engine and hit the starter while looking for spark. If the plug is sparking the ignition system is working, or at least that section anyway.

BTW, did you adjust the valves?
 
In your other post , you said you were running petcock in "prime" spot- your problem still returned after a few hours of running. Is this the famous leverless petcock or something else? My understanding is that the leverless unit needs to be burped to get flow started even in prime spot. To me, your problem sounds like weakening fuel delivery- I'd suspect a faulty petcock, even if new and you believe it's in prime spot.
Check out the ignition system from Basscliff's

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/electrical_odd-n-ends.html#A17
 
Thanks for posting that nessism.

And yes, the petcock is lever-less. I will check fu:)el filter (maybe remove it), inspect petcock and run it for a while.

Yesterday we checked electrics from coils back and everything checked out fine.

We did notice a bit of melted plastic behind the top most fuse holder. Could that be getting so hot it shorts? My bike completely shut off though which it doesn't.

When I cleaned the tank, I left the tank bare (no Kreme or POR and always make sure to have full tank.

I wasn't aware of the fuel cap vent either.

Thanks for the help and this truly is tough to tackle because its hard to replicate.
 
Fuel filters sometimes cause fuel starvation. Best to run sans filter, and clean/seal the tank as needed.

You didn't answer my question about the valves. Please tell me you are not neglecting this bit of critical maintenance.
 
I did not do the valve adjustment. I guess that can be tackled as well being that I now have plenty of time.
 
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