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Bad to. Please Help.

  • Thread starter Thread starter JStones
  • Start date Start date
J

JStones

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Okay, heres the rundown...

I got a 1980 Suzuki GS550L. Had not been on the road in 4 years but was garage kept. I took the bike home, got carbs off and shined up. Cleaned the bike from headlight to taillight. New battery. Every light, horn, etc worked great. Hit the start button and nothing. Could start right up by touching both terminals on the relay.

After a few weeks decided to get a Solenoid/Starter Relay. No change.

So last night I am at it again turn the key and then everything goes dark. Blew the 15 A fuse sitting atop my black cluster of 4. One is seperate from the unit in a clear container (Still good). I kept checking wires and adding fuses to it. Went through 5 fuses and finally have reached this point.... I turn the key and fuse does not blow however, I only have the red light in upper left of my instrument panel that works. No Headlights, no signals, no taillights. No Neutral indicator.

I am defeated. I was looking forward to finally taking this thing for a ride and feel like I took 100 steps back.

Please Help.
 
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Have you checked all of your fuses (not visually but with a power light)? How is the battery right now? Is it fully charged and registering 13v on your multimeter? Have you cleaned all the wiring harness connections and visually ensured you don't have any bare wires anywhere they should be?

Do that and I'm sure you'll start getting there.
 
Your electrical system obviously has a short somewhere. When you blow a fuse, and then another, you should stop. Your continually replacing the fuse may have completely cooked the harness somewhere.

I suggest you open up your service manual, find the wiring diagram and start tracing wires. You will have to remove the gas tank and side covers to gain access to the harness. Look for visibly melted sections. It's not rocket science, just takes some meticulous work to see what circuits have conductivity and which don't.

BTW, what does "Bad to" mean?
 
Thanks guys.

Bad to Worse, must of not finished it or something.

The only reason I was replacing fuses was to see if there was any change. I wasnt blowing it, replacing it, blowing it, replacing it. I was blowing it, tracing wires, cleaning connections and then trying a new fuse.

To answer Cowboy up. Battery is good, checked that. All fuses checked out with light.

I took my tank off and I spent a couple hours trying to trace according to my wiring diagrams. Ill get back into this evening when I get home. I am sure its just going to take some time. Electrical is frustrating.
 
I spent 4 hours last night on this. Any tips as to where I should be looking? Ive rechecked fuses, traced wires. cleaned connections. Im just not finding it.
 
JStones said:
I spent 4 hours last night on this. Any tips as to where I should be looking? Ive rechecked fuses, traced wires. cleaned connections. Im just not finding it.
Click to expand...
Take out all fuses except for main (15 amp), turn on ignition, - does fuse blow? No, put in ignition fuse- turn on ignition again, if doesn't blow yet, then proceed to turn kill switch on, then starter button to see if one circuit is causing the main fuse to blow.
What kind of starter solenoid did you get? doublecheck your wiring, since your fuse blowing started with this replacement. Remove the solenoid and see if fuse blowing stops.
 
First place I'd check is the connector where the LH hand control joins the main harness. There is a stupid out and back stator wire loop that quite commonly cooks the harness at that connector. Cutting out that unnecessary wire loop is highly recommended regardless of whether that is the problem or not.
 
Uhh did you check ALL of the grounds?

I thought there was someone with a similar problem last week, and it turned out to be a bad ground?

Also, I thought a bad Rectifier can cause blown fuses too.
(something about it not regulating the juice, and it overloads)
 
95% Solved, still no start button

95% Solved, still no start button

I took apart and cleaned at almost every location. Took both handle controls apart. I removed all grounds and cleaned them up. I have everything back I lost. (Lights, horn, signals, indicators)

The reason why I say 95% is the Start Button. This all started with me trying to fix the electric start. Still after all this cleaning and work (estimated 10 hours), I have no start button. Thoughts?
 
JStones said:
I took apart and cleaned at almost every location. Took both handle controls apart. I removed all grounds and cleaned them up. I have everything back I lost. (Lights, horn, signals, indicators)

The reason why I say 95% is the Start Button. This all started with me trying to fix the electric start. Still after all this cleaning and work (estimated 10 hours), I have no start button. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Yeah, it takes time to clean all those connections- fortunately, it doesn't have to be done that often.
You replaced the starter solenoid, which is connected to starter button, so suspect that connection. Power passes thru kill switch and down to solenoid which has to be grounded to make it work.
 
You have to pull in the clutch before the starter will turn. I'd check the interlock circuit and the starter solenoid itself as tom suggests. Maybe put a volt meter on the green/yellow wire on the solenoid and see if it is triggering when you push the starter button?
 
I need some more understanding

I need some more understanding

Nessism: Tested yellow green wire and nothing changed when start button pushed.

I dont hear a click. Its as if pushing the start button does nothing at all. I've traced this wiring from solenoid to headlight bucket to clutch switch to handle and I am sure its good. Does this mean start button or does this mean solenoid?

Ive already replaced this solenoid so I find it hard that it could really be 2 bad solenoids.

Ive taken this handle apart and cleaned connections at button and kill switch. Do they truly just go bad?
 
JStones said:
Nessism: Tested yellow green wire and nothing changed when start button pushed.
Click to expand...

not nearly enough info to help us help you

tested how? voltage or ohms? what was the result of the test?

put meter in DCV mode, 20v scale. put black lead on battery -. touch red lead to batt + to confirm at least 12v on the meter display. once you have 12v on the meter display then you know you have a good ground. now put red lead on the solenoid lug with grn/yel, pull in clutch handle to override safety switch, and push the start button. what value does the meter show with the button depressed?
 
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Meter in 20 DCV.

Battery test checked out.

Positive wire on Solenoid matched battery.

Green wire test resulted in 0.00 with clutch engaged while pressing start button.
 
let me trace that green/yell wire out tomorrow for you, believe it goes back to the start button. if you still have the throttle housing apart on the R handlebar you can check to be sure you have 12v on the kill switch (key on, clutch doesn't matter) and then 12v on the other side of the kill switch with the kill switch on and key on, then power to the start button, then power out of the start button with the button pushed. the wildcard is the clutch safety switch. at least that is how my 1100 is wired, hope yours is the same. more in the morning once I have had a chance to look.
 
Miked-
Thanks. My understanding is the yellow/green wire traces solenoid to headlight bucket to button. I know there is a clutch switch but Ive cleaned that up real nice.

If I can start it up with a screwdriver across the solenoid does that make the solenoid good or bad? I have a hard time with it being as I have already replaced it. Should I get another right hand control?
 
morning

>> My understanding is the yellow/green wire traces solenoid to headlight bucket to button

yes, it splits in the bucket. you can test for 12v on either of the green/yellow bullet connectors with the key on, clutch in, start button depressed

take the run/start handlebar assy apart, and pull the metal cover with 3 small screws it off. turn the ign key to on. you should have 12v on all 3 possible locations -- the top pin of the run/stop, the lower pin on the stop/run assy and the rivet with orange white

I've rigged up an extra 5' length of wire with an alligator clip on the end to one of those $4 12v test lights. alligator clip goes to batt -, use probe on test light to hunt around for 12v. easier for me vs using a meter, I can walk all around the bike without having to worry about meter lead lengths, and I'm only testing for 12v. If I need resistance checks then I crack out the meter.

>> If I can start it up with a screwdriver across the solenoid does that make the solenoid good or bad

neither, the screwdriver is making a direct connection between batt and starter motor effectively taking the solenoid out of the circuit.

a better test is to disconnect the red cable to the starter motor at the solenoid side (10mm nut). put a jumper with 12v on the soldered spot where the green/yellow is and listen for the click. click = solenoid good, no click = problem. iirc solenoid is grounded thru the frame, bike not in front of me, someone would need to confirm/deny this. ie. no click = either a bad solenoid or a ground problem preventing the internal solenoid relay from working.

>> Should I get another right hand control

no, lets figure out what the actual problem is vs just throwing parts at it. this is pretty simple, but you just need to be methodical and walk your way thru the circuit
 
Miked,
Thanks for the excellent reply. When I get home tonight I will test and post results!
 
I had 12 v at all 3 locations within the switch.

Cable running to the starter from the solenoid on mine is black... dont think that matters but thought Id note that.

SOLENOID SETUP


Left side contains power from Battery and Main Fuse

Middle is the green/yellow wire soldered.

Right is a black cable running to the starter.

Black/White Ground wire coming from wiring harness to right of solenoid and connecting to solenoid to frame screw.

Had bike idling last night but thru use of screwdriver.

I wanted to do your solenoid test but I didnt fully understand it.
 
The solenoid is a high current relay. The green/yellow wire is the trigger to engage the solenoid/relay, and allow current to flow to your starter. If you don't have any power at the green/yellow when pressing the starter button the solenoid/relay will never engage.

I suggest you trace the green/yellow circuit starting at the starter button. There needs to be power at the switch and then it flows from there. Tracing the circuit with your volt meter shouldn't be too hard.
 
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