• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

1983 GS550E, No igniter unit!

  • Thread starter Thread starter flyhunter3825
  • Start date Start date
F

flyhunter3825

Guest
I recently traded a few airsoft guns for an 83 GS550E. Now I have to get it going. The kid I got it from had no idea what was wrong with it. First off, no spark. After a couple days of wire tracing, multimeter using, and researching, I figured out that the the igniter unit/cdi box was completly missing. Now I know I can get one for about $500 and I am having a hard time locating a used one with these particular #s (32900-43402). Is there a way I can use one off a 94 katana? Or what can I do to make my problem less expensive?
 
Post in the parts wanted section and see if a good used one turns up, or roll the dice on an eBay one. The 83 uses an integrated advance curve in the ignitor, as opposed to the mechanical advance of the 82 and earlier GS550s. There are also a number of threads on the matter for various alternative solutions. Try some forum searches. Here's a good recent thread about a member who repaired a failed ignitor (I know, yours is missing but if you can find a used one and it doesn't work...)

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=177631&highlight=gs550+igniter

If/when you get the bike running, make sure the first thing you do is check the charging system. A lot of these bikes will over-charge and that's very hard on the ignitors.
 
flyhunter3825 said:
I recently traded a few airsoft guns for an 83 GS550E. Now I have to get it going. The kid I got it from had no idea what was wrong with it. First off, no spark. After a couple days of wire tracing, multimeter using, and researching, I figured out that the the igniter unit/cdi box was completly missing. Now I know I can get one for about $500 and I am having a hard time locating a used one with these particular #s (32900-43402). Is there a way I can use one off a 94 katana? Or what can I do to make my problem less expensive?
Click to expand...


When you do get your igniter make sure you do all possible tests to avoid frying it. If you just plug it in you are asking for sorrow.
Of course the bike you got may have been a donor but I doubt anyone would part readily with an igniter and keep the bike.
Heck it may have been stolen.
 
I am seriously contemplating to upgrade to a Dyna 2000 and do the necessary mods to make it work. If I do this move. I can sell you my unit. I repaired the unit myself by replacing the main transistors on the board.
IF you find one and its not working, dont toss it. I can help you fix it. Once I get done with these stupid summer classes I will be able to post a guide on what I did.
Good luck man
 
victorgallas said:
I am seriously contemplating to upgrade to a Dyna 2000 and do the necessary mods to make it work. If I do this move. I can sell you my unit. I repaired the unit myself by replacing the main transistors on the board.
IF you find one and its not working, dont toss it. I can help you fix it. Once I get done with these stupid summer classes I will be able to post a guide on what I did.
Good luck man
Click to expand...


He snagged on off EBay. Alas my efforts to lowball the seller were in vain.
Looks sweet 7k miles on it.

Now back to this dyna 2000 thing. If you can get it to work you would free a lot of folks here from the pain and suffering and have a means to make some money for yourself.

Dyna would never be interested in this but there seems to be a rash of failures of late. This is no doubt exacerbated by the heat and by acqusitions of old bikes that were parked because of the sundry electrics issues common to the 83-86 bikes.

Its a beautiful day to sit on the deck and look at the motorcycle.
 
Hey thanks guys. Ok, so i got the unit pretty quick. I did counter offer and get it for a little less. And i also got the Haynes manual for the bike the day before. I tested each tab but got different results, or none, from what the manual states. Now what?
 
Also, the coils are new. The mounting bolts are nice and shiney. My gut feeling is it was originally an ignition issue but they figured it was the coils & replaced them. With no luck, they went on to replace the igniter but saw how much a new one is and quit the project. I am pretty electrically literate and work with quite a few electricians that can give me a hand if needed.
 
The resistance check on the manual is not bulletproof.
Have you tried to just plug the unit in and see if you get any spark?
I never had any readings on my CDI that matched the book.

Also,make sure youre coils are getting proper voltage.
If the switch or any connectors are dirty you wont get full 12 volts at the coils and it wont work.

Good luck.

PS: If the CDI unit you got does not seem to work, dont trash it. Mine quit on me and after replacing the transistors on the board she works great.



flyhunter3825 said:
Also, the coils are new. The mounting bolts are nice and shiney. My gut feeling is it was originally an ignition issue but they figured it was the coils & replaced them. With no luck, they went on to replace the igniter but saw how much a new one is and quit the project. I am pretty electrically literate and work with quite a few electricians that can give me a hand if needed.
Click to expand...
 
It may have a bad voltage regulator ? Disconnect the regulator until you get the bike running and can check it..
 
Hmm. I did try it, no spark. How do I check the coils? They look new but I guess it wouldn't hurt to check.
 
You need to check the primary and secondary resistance of the coils against the factory recommended specs.
The primary resistance should be around 4.5kohms, and you measure this by using a multimeter and measure the resistance between the positive and negative prongs on the coil that the wiring harness connects to it.

For the secondary, you measure from the coil wire end and the ground prong. This should be a much higher value of 30Kohms I believe.

But just so you know, these tests dont really mean if the coil is 100%.
Reason for that is because you are only measuring youre coils resistance. But you can have a situation that when the coils gets charged it can arc to the frame in case there are any weak spots on the insulation body. My first set of coils did this. I only noticed one day when i didnt botter to turn on the lights on the garage and I saw this nice blue spark coming from the side of the coil...




flyhunter3825 said:
Hmm. I did try it, no spark. How do I check the coils? They look new but I guess it wouldn't hurt to check.
Click to expand...
 
Ok, got the handy dandy multimeter & checked it out. Right on specs. I also checked on the loose spark issue. I tried it in the dark garage & that came out clean too. Its gotta be a wiring issue. The side stand light is on. But the switch broke so the wire is just soldered & taped out of the way. Should that be an open or closed circuit? Cuz even if its apart the light is still on.
 
]

hey,
the side stand lich will stay on even if the stand is up but the engine is not running, this happens because inside the dash there is a diode that will light up both the oil pressure and the side stand. once the engine is running and youre side stand is up, they should both be turned off.

flyhunter3825 said:
Ok, got the handy dandy multimeter & checked it out. Right on specs. I also checked on the loose spark issue. I tried it in the dark garage & that came out clean too. Its gotta be a wiring issue. The side stand light is on. But the switch broke so the wire is just soldered & taped out of the way. Should that be an open or closed circuit? Cuz even if its apart the light is still on.
Click to expand...
 
Did you check the resistance on the signal generator coils.?
If that is not working then you will get no spark.

Also the coils looking new may just be a product of having been stored in a nice environment. It isn't the coils if the reistence reading are correct and if the casing are not cracked etc.

So you have no spark but you have voltage going to the o\w wire that connnects to the coils and the ignitor?
 
Victorgallas,
Thanks, now i know thats not gonna be an issue.

JEEPRUSTY,
I havent checked the signal gen coils. Ill do that as soon as im done with work. I havent checked if i even have signal going into the coils. I didnt even think of checking that. That should just be 12 volts right?
 
flyhunter3825 said:
Victorgallas,
Thanks, now i know thats not gonna be an issue.

JEEPRUSTY,
I havent checked the signal gen coils. Ill do that as soon as im done with work. I havent checked if i even have signal going into the coils. I didnt even think of checking that. That should just be 12 volts right?
Click to expand...


12 ish it will be dictated by however hight the voltage at the battery is minus losses through the wiring harness and switches etc.

Do a full run through you grounds and connectors because this is a bike that folks were messin with so nothing can me taken for granted.
 
Alright, I checked the voltage at the coils. Its at about 9.88 volts. And my battery is at 11.86 volts. So I'm losing 2 volts somewhere. Now I know that's not enough for what is required but does voltage at my coils mean my igniter unit is working?
 
flyhunter3825 said:
Alright, I checked the voltage at the coils. Its at about 9.88 volts. And my battery is at 11.86 volts. So I'm losing 2 volts somewhere. Now I know that's not enough for what is required but does voltage at my coils mean my igniter unit is working?
Click to expand...

That battery voltage is too low. Should be at least 12.4 volts.
 
flyhunter3825 said:
Alright, I checked the voltage at the coils. Its at about 9.88 volts. And my battery is at 11.86 volts. So I'm losing 2 volts somewhere. Now I know that's not enough for what is required but does voltage at my coils mean my igniter unit is working?
Click to expand...


You can clean the switches. The kill switch is nasty as it basicallly sits there without being used and corrodes.

You cant disassemble the beastly thing either just spritz it with contact cleaner. Do that and check the voltsge again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top