1982 gs1100glz starting issue.

[Matchless]

You will not regret going through all the wiring and fixing it up.

I have had a quite a few cases where the glass fuses just seem to make the power disappear. When you move the fuse, power suddenly appears. Make sure you have new fuses fitted and have slightly sanded the brass part that touches the fuse on both sides.
Those clips need to be tightly in place if even one is slightly loose it is due to overheating and melting the plastic base of the fuse box slightly.

[bigdaddygb]

The fuse box on mine has the spade fuses not the glass tube ones. And yes i know what you mean about not regreting fixing it up. I can't wait to get it up and running.

[bigdaddygb]

well another half dozen done tonight before storm hit. man it was all messed up ( not the words I would have used) slow but surely... even in the cold damp air.... yeeee hawwww..... now they are talking possible snow??? huh.. it's almost April..... don't care i'll be wiring in the snow... under a tarp of course...lol

[sedelen]

What alot of work.
Luckily my wiring is really nice, only had to demodify the rear turn signal lights from a saddlebag type of thing.
While you're doing your wiring check your grounds, making sure you good good surface contact, like on you starter relay post, battery post, starter post, and where they mate to the frame and engine, a dirty ground is like an open connection, even if you get continuity it may not be capable of handling any current when a load is applied. Also check your postive posts, like on the starter, battery, and starter relay. All contact surfaces should be nice and shiny and tight, I use a file to clean them up. Things tend to work better that way, no high resistance connections and resulting voltage drops.

[bigdaddygb]

Yep going through the whole wiring system including the grounds. one wire at a time. Not sure what wire size is as like i said P/o had someone hack in another bikes harness that had 2 different wire sizes.. some are bigger than my original wires at the connections and some are the same size.. verrrry frustrating.. but well worth it in the end.

I'll get it done soon enough... wife says that's what i get for buying a bike for $400.00 well when i get it done I'll show her..lol and ride off into the sunset.. ( at least till she calls me for dinner.... )

[sedelen]

Yep going through the whole wiring system including the grounds. one wire at a time. Not sure what wire size is as like i said P/o had someone hack in another bikes harness that had 2 different wire sizes.. some are bigger than my original wires at the connections and some are the same size.. verrrry frustrating.. but well worth it in the end.

I'll get it done soon enough... wife says that's what i get for buying a bike for $400.00 well when i get it done I'll show her..lol and ride off into the sunset.. ( at least till she calls me for dinner.... )

I hear the same stuff from my girlfriend and my friends, to some degree they're right though, but if the bike you want is a GS, and an old one, where are you going to find one that's new? or doesn't require some work?
So, it's a labor of love, sometimes very frustrating, at times rewarding, some people just like working on them, I just like riding them. I've reached the point where I'm working on them less and riding them more. There will always be "another" project with them though. So, as long as they get
better in time and I can ride them I'm happy. But it was alot of time and effort and money to get them where their at today.

[bigdaddygb]

i hear ya on the money part i also drive a 79 jeep cherokee.... so i know all too well about the money part..lol

[bigdaddygb]

well i went back out tonight after a day full of sick kids crying.. and worked on the bike some more. I will take pics to show how it is right now tomorrow ( as long as no rain or heavy winds...) Figured I work on the fuel sending unit wiring since it was only two wires.....LOL.... yeah ok... well pulled the float unit out to find ja P/o cut or had someone cut the power wire off the fuel sending unit right at the connector where the wire touches.....grrrrr....... ok deep breath, pry wire holder open, scrap off plastic coating, remove wire casing, strip wire casing off wire from fuel gauge unit, twist wire solder wire to connector on fuel sending unit... and shrink tube it and ad liquid electrical tape for water proofing.... ahhh done... ok now for the test....
ohm test.. .16 empty... 0.00 full... ok it's working... hook it up.. turn on lights i have wired up.... nothing.. hmmm maybe ground..... ground the unit out..... walla ..... gas gauge works.... YES!!!!! now i have to deal with the grounds on the bike. all the ground lines are all messed up i even think p/o wired in a hot line and that's a big no no.... only 700 more lines to go ..lol

[Matchless]

You are getting there!
When everything works properly again you will be quite chaffed with yourself!

[bigdaddygb]

ok here it is now... good news is i got it to turn over today. horn works now.. lights are back on.. still have a lot to go through.... so tiring and it makes my eyes hurt... all these colors..

[sedelen]

OMG! That attached thumbnail, is that "YOUR" bike, and is that the bike's wiring? It's looks like your harness exploded and your bike is in a ball of multi colored wiring?
I didn't know there were that many wires in the bike. I think I've seen some used harnesses on E-bay, not that you need one.
If you don't have any experience doing wiring when you started you will when your done.
Take it slow, double and triple check every connection before turning the juice on!

[bigdaddygb]

like i said got it to turn over.. i now have juice to the run/stop switch then to the start button, down to the solenoid, out to the starter... have to check power to coils.... also have power to horn, and gauge lights.... broke the darn thumb switch on my turn signal controls but i think i may be able to glue it back on with some super glue... not sure... i have seen a few for $80. but right now i don't have the money.. need it all for my land...

still have a bunch of grounds to re-wire back in and a few wires from the fuse block.. but other than that it will be good soon... jury duty tomorrow... maybe won't be picked and will get out early, even though i don't care either way if I am picked,

As for knowing wiring... yes i know wiring.. i build fluid systems for #2 fuel for high rises and nuclear hydrogen dehydrators .. and yes we wire each one of them everything from 120-1phase to 480-3phase. we have even had a few we've run on 24volt systems we sent down to South America. so what looks like a mess is actually organized chaos... lol.. but yes it does look like the bike threw up all over itself...lol

[bigdaddygb]

ok.. missing the diode that goes inline with the oil sending unit. Any one have any idea what size i can get??? i could pick it up at radio shack ...or order a new one? There was one in place when i got it but i removed it ecause in one of my earlier posts i said it was a resister... I think i lost it but will look for it before i buy a new one.

if anyone has switched theirs out for a diode from the likes of radio shack let me know what one you have and i can get it wired in no problem.

[Matchless]

ok.. missing the diode that goes inline with the oil sending unit. Any one have any idea what size i can get??? i could pick it up at radio shack ...or order a new one? There was one in place when i got it but i removed it ecause in one of my earlier posts i said it was a resister... I think i lost it but will look for it before i buy a new one.

if anyone has switched theirs out for a diode from the likes of radio shack let me know what one you have and i can get it wired in no problem.

I think a 1 Amp type such as the 1N4007 or 1N4004 should work, but to be safe rather get a 3 amp type 1N5404 or equivalent. It is not a critical component, as long as it can handle the current and preferably be of a higher voltage than 100V

[bigdaddygb]

haaza....... it started for me today... ran for a couple of seconds after it flooded last night.. stupid me left petcock open.... any who..just a few drops of gas came out of carbs... but she FIRED UP!!!!! now to get her running non-stop.. it ran at idle till i hit the throttle...then it ran outta gas.. and died. .. now i put my hand over acrb opening..(airbox is still off) and it has plenty of push and pull across them all and from time to time will fire up!!!!... and yes..lol it still looks like it threw up all over it self with the wiring...

Thanks matchless... i know it goes from the side kick stand switch to the oil sending unit.. not sure why the put a diode in there???