• 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.

82 GS850G no spark cylinders 2/3

  • Thread starter Thread starter Downs
  • Start date Start date
D

Downs

Guest
Tried swapping coils. No change. 12 volts at coil. Shot wires in wiring harness and they show continuity. Thinking cdi box problem but its an expensive guess if im wrong. Cheapest ones i see on ebay are in the 180 dollar range. What am i missing?
 
The 1100G ignitor is the same. There are several on ebay for about $100. Another option is to install a Dyna S. You will have to purchase an advance governor though so that will further add to the cost.
 
Ive got a Dyna ignition on my 78 1000. Like it quite a bit. Is there anything else i could be overlooking that im not thinking of? The pickup under the right side crank cover?
 
Everything that makes the spark can be tested.
Break out the multimeter and get to it
 
Coils checked good, wiring continuity checked good. How do you test a CDI box with a multimeter?
 
FSM 17-29 has some checks.

Unfortunately, you need a special tool to check spark. May as well just check on the bike...which you obviously have done.
 
Last edited:
I found a test procedure for the signal generator in the GS1100 FSM. As well as the cdi box that involves unhooking the signal generator lead, then grounding the spark plug and jumping two wires on the cdi box side of the signal generator lead that will cause the plug to fire if the cdi box is working right.

Ill test the signal generator before heading off for work in the morning and if that checks good ill check the CDI box if i have time.
 
This may seem like a nitpick but your bike doesn't have a CDI. It's an ignitor and printed as such all over the FSM.
 
Yes ignitior. Ive just called it a CDI box forver. Hard to change my venacular.
 
Did testing this morning on ignitor and signal generator. Sognal generator tested right in the middle of spec. Im not sure if im testing the ignitor correctly as im getting nothing from the 1/4 side or 2/3 side.
 
0f394d59c88457695808c583eea008f3.jpg
 
I pulled the ignitor out and took some pictutes. Im not seeing anything out of the ordinary except maybe some corrosion and old epoxy.

Maybe a burnt resistor but theres only one this size and ohm rating on the board and the 1/4side still works.

1c1a8c24794ee86b901bb905994948b1.jpg


1094e4215dbe4a1b55bf5954b139d881.jpg


009e32674533e6f4129e06d6a8e6cde8.jpg


b0f621098b347acab744ae0c3bbd3425.jpg
 
I found an igniter on EBAY. I now have spark on cylinders 2 and 3 but still don't feel like I'm getting any combustion there. Exhaust port temps as read with an IR temp gun is showing 280 degree temps on cylinders 2 and 3 and 400ish on 1 and 4.

I did the ignition coil bypass and put them on a relay powered straight from the battery. It made the spark on all cylinders much hotter. Still no joy on getting anything from the middle two cylinders.

At this point I'm thinking I may have rebuilt the carbs improperly but I have a hard time believing it would only effect the middle two cylinders the same way.

Not sure where to go from here on this one. Taking off from a stop sign or stop light is a struggle for the bike. Once the revs get up to about 5k or so it feels like the bike gets a kick in the pant.s
 
Pulled the plugs and found the #2 plug to be as new as the day I put it in, not even wet with fuel. #3 plug had some soot, 1 and 4 look like normal for a bike that's been running.

Decided to yank the carbs and see what was up. #2 float bowl was dry no fuel. Found the float needle stuck in the bore. Pulled it free and used a .17 caliber bore brush to clean it out which worked perfect. #3 carb I found the idle/midrange or whatever it is (in front of the main jet under the rubber plug) clogged. So I spent most of the ride today running on 3 cylinders at higher speed and 2 cylinders at low speed. Keep in mind I did a full rebuild on these carbs, all the way down, carb dipped, new orings all that jazz. This is what happens when you loose motivation part way though a project and let ethanol gas ruin your work.

I went ahead and ordered up new carb boots and airbox boots as well today along with all new set of boot clamps. Hopefully I have all this sorted and can move on to the electrics at the end of this month.

 
Nice! I'm glad you found the issue.

Just curious, how long did the carbs sit with the ethanol gas in them after you rebuilt them? Just wondering about the time frame it takes for the ethanol to cause problems.

I've been using an enzyme fuel additive called Startron for years. It's supposed to stabilize fuel and help prevent problems from ethanol. I understand that if the engine has fresh gas running through it all the time, it's not so much of an issue. Ssometimes my bike will sit for two or three weeks without riding so I figured it couldn't hurt to use this stuff.
 
How does that saying go?
something like-
90% of electrical problems are fuel related. And vice-versa
 
Burque73 said:
Nice! I'm glad you found the issue.

Just curious, how long did the carbs sit with the ethanol gas in them after you rebuilt them? Just wondering about the time frame it takes for the ethanol to cause problems.

I've been using an enzyme fuel additive called Startron for years. It's supposed to stabilize fuel and help prevent problems from ethanol. I understand that if the engine has fresh gas running through it all the time, it's not so much of an issue. Ssometimes my bike will sit for two or three weeks without riding so I figured it couldn't hurt to use this stuff.
Click to expand...

I rebuilt these carbs back in Aug of last year and I think I put fuel in them for a test ride in October. They certainly weren't as bad as the 21 year old fuel that was in there but they had gummed up enough to cause these issues. A few weeks at a time in my experience isn't really an issue but when you start getting into multiple months it starts getting a little nasty.

I did find a place local to me about 5 minutes away that sells ethanol free fuel and will be keeping my carbed bikes topped off from that place unless I'm out on a trip and don't have an option.

Rich82GS750TZ said:
How does that saying go?
something like-
90% of electrical problems are fuel related. And vice-versa
Click to expand...

Sounds pretty accurate to me ha.
 
Consider this....you may have done everything perfect. The clog could have been a tiny spec of fuel line that flaked off while putting it on the fuel tee..thus migrating to that carb, Secondly using old line can allow rubber chips to flake off just from rubber being old.....
 
chuck hahn said:
Consider this....you may have done everything perfect. The clog could have been a tiny spec of fuel line that flaked off while putting it on the fuel tee..thus migrating to that carb, Secondly using old line can allow rubber chips to flake off just from rubber being old.....
Click to expand...

I didn't use an old fuel line.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
Sparks, Zats, Ignition Coils, and Gas Mileage
Replies
4
Views
162
kemp
K
Tashields21
New Coils, no spark at 1 and 4. Narrowed down to CDI (maybe?)
2
Replies
33
Views
691
gs scott
gs scott
Kara25
4month nap wake up-Spark only on 2&3!
Replies
14
Views
220
Suzukian
S
C
Dyna S timing cylinders 2-3 '80 GS1000G
Replies
1
Views
73
Chris Bock
C
S
A one year rider and a 46 year old sport touring motorcycle - 1979 GS850
2
Replies
20
Views
481
Grimly
Grimly
Back
Top