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Ignition Issues (80 GS450L)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ecks
  • Start date Start date
E

Ecks

Guest
I have a 1980 GS450L that I've been tinkering on, it was up and running last season, even if she was a little sluggish on the start in 50 degrees or below, but nonetheless running. I've however run into a little snag after winter storage.

My issue is after taking her out of storage she was still a little sluggish on the start (expected) however I managed to get her going and out for one ride. After I brought her back to the garage and parked for the night, I went to go out again the next morning, but she wasn't even turning the startor motor over. I popped a new battery in because my last one was crap. Currently with the bike off it runs 12.4v~. So I know that's the not the main issue here. I worked on checking the wiring running back into my ignitor and the 12v is coming along the wiring (can't remember the colors off the top of my head, currently at work... shhhhhh) and it was getting the voltage back to it. Sadly it looks like the previous owner(s) of this bike went a little nutso on the wiring harness. My headlamp is a rats nest of crappy connectors so I'm working on rewiring all of that and sautering the lines together properly. I was looking for the infamous "Stator Pages" to run through those tests (if they even apply) and could not find them. I would greatly appreciate a link to his or any other advice on testing to check exactly what my issues could be, considering a new CDI Ignitor runs 500 bucks OEM.


Thanks,
Ecks
 
Have you seen Pete's thread on building a 450 ignitor from two GM HEI modules and a simple circuit? Something to consider if you can't find a cheap ignitor on ebay or the parts forums here.
 
Nessism said:
Have you seen Pete's thread on building a 450 ignitor from two GM HEI modules and a simple circuit? Something to consider if you can't find a cheap ignitor on ebay or the parts forums here.
Click to expand...

I have not, but I will look this up. Thanks for the tip.
Ecks
 
Ecks said:
...........
........... I was looking for the infamous "Stator Pages" to run through those tests (if they even apply) and could not find them. ...
Ecks
Click to expand...

Ecks,
Welcome to GSR.

The stator papers are back on the GSR homepage, not the forum. If you are on the forum (reading this) look down to bottom of page for link to the homepage. Then look over to left, and down.
Stator papers are very detailed and have you check lots of things.
First maybe just check battery voltage with engine off (as yhou have already done) and again with engine riunning at mid rpms (4 - 5 thou).

But...are you saying it still doesnt turnover the starter with a new battery? If so, that isnt a charging system issue. THat is more a problem with the starter itself or maybe the solenoid. Or maybe the new battery did not have a good charging before you used it.
New battery get a good charge?

Dave

PS Maybe put your bike model/year in your signature line, then it shows up on each post. Goto UserCP.

.
 
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Hey I think your battery need a good charge. I am sure that 12.4 is not a full charge. It should be higher. did you trickle charge it at low amps to bring it to life?
If your oil is not new it may have degraded into waxy thick crap as well.
 
Redman said:
First maybe just check battery voltage with engine off (as yhou have already done) and again with engine riunning at mid rpms (4 - 5 thou).

But...are you saying it still doesnt turnover the starter with a new battery? If so, that isnt a charging system issue. THat is more a problem with the starter itself or maybe the solenoid. Or maybe the new battery did not have a good charging before you used it.
New battery get a good charge?

Dave
Click to expand...

Can't do the check at mid rpms due to the starter not turning over, I have not however attempted a rolling start on it recently. Also, thank you for the directions to the stator papers.

JEEPRUSTY said:
Hey I think your battery need a good charge. I am sure that 12.4 is not a full charge. It should be higher. did you trickle charge it at low amps to bring it to life?
If your oil is not new it may have degraded into waxy thick crap as well.
Click to expand...

Right a "Full Charge" is 12.7v according to literature, however 0.3v should not cause the starter to *not* turn over. And yeah trickle charged at 1A. Regarding the oil, while that's possible, I changed it a few weeks before I put it into storage, but worth a check at some point. My main worry at the moment is that I can't even get the starter to turn using the switch. I've checked over all the connections and the actual contact of the switch and push button in the handlebar and they are all making good contact.

posplayr said:
You might also find this helpful

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=152769
Click to expand...

Some sexy info right there. 'Preciate it.
 
Sounds like a starter solenoid or starter motor issue at the moment, althouth I could be wrong of course.

Is the solenoid giving a click when you hit the start button?

If you short the two big terminals on the solenoid, doesn't that fire the starter motor?

And, as Ed said earlier, I'm working on an ignitor replacement at the moment, but it's not fully tested yet. Linkage is in my signature below.
 
Nah I'm not even getting a click from the starter trying to turn. It's just not doing a thing right now. Also as far as shorting the two big terminals... I'm not 100% on what that references, rather, I understand the theory, not the execution.
 
Yep makes sense. Gonna run through those here in a bit. Appreciate the info :) Used to working on cars, bikes are still a little tricky for me, everything's so small XD

And as far as the switch, I've pulled that apart and it's good to go, kill switch and push button. I need to do some checks on the solenoid, but I know where it is :).

again, appreciate it

Ecks
 
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Heh, did step #1, bike fired up like it was brand new XD. So from my understanding I need a new ignitor... fun fun :P
 
Started as in vroom and I had me a nice ride in this 50 degree weather XD

So it's between the solenoid and the switch along the orange wire then? I need to read my circuit diagram some more and trace on that then
 
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Yarp it was a nice ride, I'll have to look into that switch, but last time I checked it that little push button was still making connection, but I can see about testing that, manually closing the circuit etc. I've opened it a few times, and yeah for a typical backyard mechanic the ziploc thing is a good tip :) Thankfully I have my Snap-On magnet dish right next to me I can just dump the stuff into :P
 
Nice!!!

Not too long back I pulled apart my right control to clean all the connections seeing as it had sat for so long.

One thing when I used to ride it was that the starter button was a bit finnicky and sometimes I had to hold it in and wriggle it before it would start.

So, when I pulled it apart recently, I paid close attention and sure enough, the back of the button which is the contact was black as, so I gave it a good liberal spray of contact cleaner and a good wipe over with a rag and it came up all shiny and now has perfect contact. Every time I push the button, the starter cranks. It never used to do that.

That'd be my first port of call for sure...
 
Yeah, tore the controls apart and it's making fine contact, using a screwdriver to manually close that circuit didn't even do it for me, so I just need to spend some time tracing wires with my voltmeter and seeing where the power stops *shrug* Probably gonna do that this weekend, after turning wrenches on cars all day I just don't feel like turning wrenches at night on my bike :P
 
Ecks said:
Yeah, I got my Haynes for it, just need to figure out if it's a LT, LZ, LD etc etc. I haven't done a VIN search on it yet, but as far as I know it's just a L. Oh well, joys of a 30 year old bike w/o a title.
Click to expand...

the second letter is the year designation, If it is a 1980, its an LT. (fellow LT owner here).

I'd also add, check the clutch switch first, and then inside the headlight casing. Lots of connections in there to go bad. Mine had seemed to have trapped moisture and I had a corroded wire-fest going on in there.
 
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ferguson30 said:
the second letter is the year designation, If it is a 1980, its an LT. (fellow LT owner here).

I'd also add, check the clutch switch first, and then inside the headlight casing. Lots of connections in there to go bad. Mine had seemed to have trapped moisture and I had a corroded wire-fest going on in there.
Click to expand...

Good call Ferguson! I keep forgetting the clutch switch because mine doesn't have one...
 
ferguson30 said:
the second letter is the year designation, If it is a 1980, its an LT. (fellow LT owner here).

I'd also add, check the clutch switch first, and then inside the headlight casing. Lots of connections in there to go bad. Mine had seemed to have trapped moisture and I had a corroded wire-fest going on in there.
Click to expand...

Awesome to know, Thanks :) Also, I'll work on tracing the clutch switch this weekend too then. Again thanks to all for the info and I'll put what updates I can after sat/sun :)
 
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