1980 GS450E wont start

[pete]

I cleaned up all the connections and performed the tests for the ignition in the manual.

Signal generator is good.

Coils tested fine.

Ignition is not good. I can't get a spark at the plugs, consistently. After I had a spark at the plugs I fumbled with the starter solenoid connections and it went away. So I cleaned up those connections and still I did not get a spark.

If my igniter was going out would it sometime give a spark and sometimes not?

Can I pull out the igniter and test it?

Im about to buy a new igniter and starter relay and see what happens.

Oh yeah, I have 12v power everywhere.

Crucial one... how's the ground lead for your ignitor? Made sure it's actually grounding well and not corroded etc.? Also, triple check your signal generator connections etc. as FC found at one point that he had gunk deep down inside the connectors that he found by accident when he stuck a multimeter probe down there.

From what I've seen so far, inconsistent means something connection wise isn't right, rather than a faulty ignitor.

Finding a good replacement ignitor for these can be tough.

[CycloneGS]

my igniter ground is grounded to the same metal plate that theigniter, solenoid, and R/R are mounted on. I took the ground all the way to bare metal.

My signal generator tested perfect through the connector and both ends of the connection are clean.

[pete]

Hmmm...

It certainly could be the ignitor, I'd just hate to see you go to all the trouble of finding a good replacement only to find out it's something else.

The problem I'm having is that it's intermittent, but when it is working, it sounds like it's working correctly.

Have you tried short circuiting the clutch switch and/or sidestand switch if you have one? I've seen numerous times on here where they've been proven to cause this sort of thing. Mine has neither so I can't confirm that.

[CycloneGS]

Yeah, I bypassed the clutch switch.

I have more problems. My carb bowls were full of fuel! so full that it leaked out. when I tried to start it. This is good and bad, good because it means my petcock must be ok since it only leaks when I try to start it, but bad because now I have fuel in my oil! This damned bike...

I'm going to pull the carbs and reset my float height and drain and refill the oil. I might make time to pull the carbs tonight. I have to remove the exhaust to change the oil too.

How bad is it for the engine wil gas in there? I have been cranking it like this...

[pete]

Bugger! I can't imagine fuel in the oil would be that good but I guess it depends on how much too.

Personally I'd probably lean towards the paranoid side though and get some fresh stuff in...

[CycloneGS]

So I changed the oil and filter.

Then I pulled the carbs to check the float height and one of my floats had a leak and filled up with fuel. Thats why it was flooding like all hell, it couldnt shut off the gas flow.

I found a float at motorcyclecarbs.com for $25.

Thanks for the help, I will keep you updated.

PS: my spark is good now!

[pete]

Aaah another problem solved! Nice one

Any ideas on how you got spark to be reliable?

[CycloneGS]

Not really sure on how the spark came to be reliable Pete. My best guess is that the plugs were just getting really wet and saturated with gas.

[pete]

To me that makes sense, to someone more knowledgeable who knows

[CycloneGS]

All right, I have new floats installed and that wasnt the problem.

So I decided that I would look at the ground on the engine block coming from the Neg. battery terminal. I loosened the bolt on the engine to remove the ground wire but I couldnt remove the bolt because it wouldnt clear the frame. The bolt looked rusty around the head and near by threads so I clipped the ground wire and regrounded it to the frame behind the battery box on the right side of the bike. Still no spark.

I have checked the actual starter button on the Right control and its super clean and all intact.


I jiggled the Yellow/Gr wire from the starter solenoid to my ignition and then my starter button woulnt cause the starter to crank. I didnt do much more than just jiggle it so I think the soldering was poor. I will fix this soon as I get a soldering iron but Im hoping this is the weak link.

Any advice would be appreciated. I have gone through the electrical testing in the manual but its tough when the spark is inconsistent.

[pete]

Going by the sounds of that I'd be revisiting every ground connection

[CycloneGS]

I havent been on here in a grip, but I still have some problems I hope you all can help out with.

First of all, I replaced the Igniter and I now have a strong spark at both plugs! whoo hoo

Now, it still wont start. The starter turns over strong and the engine cranks but wont fire. When I hit the starter I get a really loud CLACK sometimes and from doing some searching on here it sounds like the starter clutch. So I went through some of the causes for this and nothing helped. I have 13v at my battery, it was new in October. I dripped some oil in the plug holes to loosen it up. Then I tried to spin the engine with my wrench and I encountered a bit of resistance, the resistance is not constant but more in one spot of a turn. Is that normal or should it be smooth the entire time?

I think that this is my problem but I need some confirmation.

Im thinking that when my floats leaked fuel into my crankcase this was destructive. Could it have damaged a bearing? It sat for about a month with fuel in there.

If this is my problem, which bearing is damaged and is it something I should tear into?

[pete]

Do you have fuel? If you've got spark and your grounds are good, you need a good air/fuel mix going in there to feed it.

How long has it sat now with fuel in the carbs? Could it be long enough to block them up maybe?

As you turn the engine by hand, it will get stiffer as the pistons get towards TDC and builds compression, quite normal. If you want to prove it, take the spark plugs out and it should get a lot easier.

I'd be highly surprised if fuel in your oil damaged any bearings, although I can't claim to be a guru on such things...

[CycloneGS]

I just found an air leak on the top of the airbox. The top cover is cracked.
Would this prevent it from starting though? seems so minor.

[CycloneGS]

I think it has set 1 month or so with fuel in the carbs. I should prolly just rebuild them again to make sure its not the carbs.

Where should my idle screw be set to get it started? does it matter too much?