• 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.

ignition coil smoking on 1980 GS400

  • Thread starter Thread starter dbill
  • Start date Start date
D

dbill

Guest
Just bought a 1980 GS400L with electrical problems and am trying to get it working.
- bought a new battery - fully charged.
- with the key in and ignition switch on, the left ignition coil is smoking and getting hot.

Based on research I've done on this site and looking at a Haynes manual I thought this bike would have all electronic ignition, but I noticed that it uses points ignition. It seems to me that I need a new ignition coil, but I'm wondering what is causing this coil to heat up and smoke? Is there something else that is damaging the coil?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I'm far from a guru on this stuff, but given a coil is, well, a coil... I would suggest it possibly has a short or something in there, so I would definitely replace it.

It's been years since I played with resistance etc. but in theory you should be able to measure the resistance across the coil to see if it has a short, and if it does it would read a low resistance compared to what it should have.

I hope that makes sense and I'm not leading you up the garden path...
 
Is this a 400, 425, or 450 model? doublecheck date/model on steering stem?
If points and they are sticking closed, the connected coil could get very hot. Check resistance of both coils and compare.
 
If the OP is in Canada it's a 400.Had a couple,same body work as a 450 with a 400 TSCC 8 valve engine.
 
Thanks for the input. I checked the resistance in the coils, the problem one has a resistance of about 1 ohm and the other has a 5 ohm resistance.

I can't find one that looks like it. Someone told me that I can use any coil that has two wires coming in. Is that true?

The bike is a 1980 GS400, bought in Canada. The serial number starts with GS40X.
 
Ok now I'm a little confused... :cool:

I can't see a model anything like that on www.alpha-sports.com, but I would imagine a coil from a similar model GS450 would suit maybe? Not really sure though as the 450's of that age didn't have points.

Someone who knows that Canadian model may need to chip in here...
 
One other question. I'm trying to adjust the timing now that I've adjusted the points. I'm trying to get the markings right on the flywheel.

Besides the F and T, I also see an L on one side and an R on the other side. Does the R refer to the right Cylinder? If so I'm assuming that when the flywheel is turned to where I see the R, that the points that are linked to the right cylinder should be making contact. Is that correct? I'm trying to make sure I don't have my wires going to the ignition coils mixed up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Chuck78
GS500 electronic ignition into GS400/425?
Replies
9
Views
261
kochic
kochic
M
Ignition and charging system refresh.
Replies
7
Views
190
Grimly
Grimly
K
Sparks, Zats, Ignition Coils, and Gas Mileage
Replies
4
Views
166
kemp
K
Syd
Ignition Coils
Replies
8
Views
374
tom203
T
X
Won’t rev past 7000 rpm
2
Replies
24
Views
387
dgates1
dgates1
Back
Top