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1982 GS1100GLZ won't start :(

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

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Hey guys,

I think this is my first Post! There is alot of Awesome info on this forum.. You guys are awesome.. keep up the good work!

I have a 1982 Gs1100GLZ. It has about 25,000 miles on it. the battery is new. i rode it about a month ago. The bike took along time to start. like maybe 5 mins. so that means 5 mins of on and off cranking. As i read on searches ive done, my bike also needs about 5 mins to warm up, then its ready to go.. I am sure my carbs need to be synched. i did rebuild the carbs with new gaskets a year ago .but anyway, i tried to start it a couple of weeks ago and it would not start. I was then thinking it was spark because i smelled the fuel and made sure there was fuel in the carbs. anyway.. all the spark plugs are good.. i have good spark.(i bet it could be better) i checked out all the wires, and made sure every thing was pluged in.. And i tried like i always did.. try to start it for 5 mins and this time it just wont start.. i never changed any other electronic component. rectifier/stator etc... so not sure if it is them that is the problem. i dono where to go from here.. any suggestions? please let me know
thankss
George
 
Hi there and welcome aboard!! :)
Loads of real experts here.
Until one comes along....
Is the spark big and fat and blue?
Is the gasoline an ancient blend left over from a previous season?
If so, did you add stabilisor before storage?
You rebuilt the carbs...
Has it run well since the rebuild?

The pros might need this kind of info.

By the way, very good first post!!
Model, displacement and year of the bike and a detailed description of the problem.
 
Welcome.

You say battery is new. What can you say about initially charging the new battery? Then say you rode it about a month ago. So it sat for that month?

You didnt mention any battery voltage readings or battery trickle charger. Do you have a volt meter? Or a small battery charger?

Let us know about that also. (a lot of the more knowldgable guys come on in the evening or late at night.)
 
Thanks guys for all your input! Its awesome to know that there are people willing to help!:)

For the First Reply.
The Spark is BLUE.. but not sure if it is fat. Being in the auto industry its looked fine.
The gas is brand new.. maybe a month old now.

Before i did the carbs(more than a year ago).. the bike would start but the fuel will just come out of the over flow. so thats when i rebuilt the carbs and the bike was running fine..
it was just recently that the bike was giving me problems.. I mean even when i rebuilt the carbs, the bike still needed about 5 to 7 mins to warm up before i took it and went. and thats still the case now.
but now the bike takes a while to start.

For the 2nd reply,
the battery is 4 months old. but on the charger once a week to make sure it maintains it charge. and it reads good!

I dono what to think. I mean Give me a car and i can diagnose the problem in an hour(usually :) ) But man i am stumped. Motorcycles are not that compliated at all. yet they are! :oops:

Well you need three things.. AIR, FUEL, and FIRE. and it seems it has all. when the bike was running i know the stator was working fine cause i checked the voltage going to the battery and it was within spec. and that means the rectifier was also good
Maybe i just have to get my carbs synched. or maybe i need new coils. i dono..
i will try to take a picture of the spark see if you can see the issue. i will try next week. after i fix my starter
the starter is making funny noises now (probably because i cranked it too long) but thats in the process of getting fixed. so here is my life on a platter guys.. what else do you think it is?
maybe TIMING? hmmmm

let me know
George
 
Have you checked the air filter? On my GK it uses a foam filter that needs to be cleaned and oiled at least once a year. If you haven't checked it I would start there. Also when you cleaned the carbs did you blow out all of the passage ways with compressed air. It sounds like the pilot circuit may be clogged up. The pilot jet is the one under the rubber cap
043_Pilot%20jet%20plug%20pointed%20out.jpg
Check out the carb clean up article on the front page under the technical section. I know how you feel about bikes, I started working on cars when I was 11 but never worked on bikes much until I got my 83 GS1100GK. The carbs on these bikes are a lot different then the ones on cars lots of smaller passages that can get clogged up very easily.
 
Mine gets hard to start after sitting for a while. I use a little starting fluid and once I get it started and running that first time, it starts OK--until I let it sit again. I pull out the air filter and give it a couple shots, it starts right up, I let it idle for a minute or so, then shut it off and reinstall the filter.

Here's my theory: The cranking speed doesn't create enough vaccuum to open the pet cock, while the level in the float bowls has dropped some from evaporation and there just isn't enough mixture to fire. Once it starts, the pet cock opens, fuel flows, and all is right with the world.
 
Hey guys,
thanks again..

DGeorge, I have checked my filter and its been recharged.
My carbs have been totally rebuilt (BY ME.. 8O ) And i did hit it with air if i remember correctly. I did it at my shop so i know i have.
Its crazzy.. I can totally fix a car with out a doubt. but this bike thing man.. its kinda nerve racking! Thanks for the help

Karl, I never tried the starting fluid really.. i still think my carbs need to be synched.. i mean i read on the board serveral times where people need like 10 mins to warm up there bikes and after they synched the carbs they where fine..
BUTTTT your THEORY seems very promising.. BECAUSE... Let me start here.. I remember when i rebuilt the carbs a year ago i forgot to put the "VACUUM" line from the carb to the petcock. Because i had to take the gas tank off and before i fixed the carbs the bike started.. then i tracked back and noticed the vacuum line was not connected. then when i connected it the bike started instantly but still needed to wArm up for about 5 mins..
SOOOOOOOO with all that said.. I pray thats what it is! Since i kept on taking the gas tank off and looked under there over and over again.. i might have just missed that vacuum line..
MAN.. THAT SUCKS.. i am so glad you guys are out there.. kewl..
i won't be able to check till i get the starter back from this guy in Lewisville texas. But i am pretty sure thats the problem..

But.. if you guys have any other suggestions... PlEASE tell me! hehehehe

Again.. i want to thank you guys who replied.. and everyone who looked at the post.. THIS IS AN AWESOME WEB SITE.. AND I THANK YOU ALL!
 
Hey guys,

Well... i am back at the shop.. and i noticed the vacuum tube from the valve to the carbs was connected.. so.. that means i still have some sort of problem..i just put in my starter.. and i tried to crank it and still no go.. i dono where to go from here. I made sure all the wires are connected.. the battery was fine but i put it on a trickle charge a couple of mins ago... just do not know..
let me know what you guys may think.

here is the situation for those of you who do not know whats going on..
More than a month ago i was riding my bike.. it would take 5 mins of cranking to start the bike.. after its started it would take like 5 to 7 mins to warm the bike up and then its ready to go... umm.. now i crank it and the bike does not turn over..
there is good Spark, there is fuel..(new fuel) air filter is recharged, plugs are new, coil seems fine, good voltage..
a month ago when the bike was running it was charging and the bike ran awesome. so any body want to add on to the troubleshooting please doo! heheh

thanks
George
 
hey guys,

Well i am posting again.. you guys are probably tired of me! :) :)

anyway. i got the bike started i just tried to shoot some starting fluid.. and when it started it finally continued..
thank you karl_ibsen

So now the bike runs.. but also i have a better knowlege of my bike thanks to all of you who helped me through this. its funny how somthing so simple as starter fluid can get the bike to lite off!

thanks again everyone and thank you GS RESOURCES

George
 
choke

choke

did u ever try using the choke or is it working right
 
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