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wont start with electric start but bump starts.

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    #1

    wont start with electric start but bump starts.

    The '82 1100gl has sat for about 3 weeks. The weather has been horrid, and its been under a tarp the whole time. I put the key in the ignition, turn it on, the oil, neutral indicator and high beam lights all come on. Pull the clutch level back and hit the starter, nothing. Checked checked the kill switch and it was off. Flipped it to "run" and repeated. Still nothing. No click, nothing. Let out the clutch and tried again. This time there was a click somewhere under me, can't tell if it was coming from the the fuse box or the coils or where. Then I tried again, and all the lights went out. So, I backed it up an incline and rolled it down hill in 2nd, released the clutch and it ALMOST fired. I tried the starter again and eventually it started. (It was cold) I rode it about 15 miles to the store. Shut it off and immediately tried to start it, nothing. Went, shopped for about half an hour, came back out and tried to start it. Same thing, lights come on, no click, then a click, no lights and starts with a bump start. When I got back home, she started right up numerous times. Its been sitting about an hour and a half, so I'm going to go back out and look at it again.

    I replaced the battery this spring. Its fully charged. Once it starts, it runs fine.

    I'm a complete moron with electrical, but a mechanic buddy of mine will probably be willing to help me. I'm not sure where to start my gremlin search. Something tells me to check the switch in the clutch, but I'm not sure where that is. If someone can give me some pointers that'd be awesome.
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    #2
    If your battery is indeed fully charged then this is likely a starter relay or starter issue.

    Check your ground maybe but what you describe is a battery that is going flat and not being charged in the short time or at the low RPMS of your trips.

    Specific gravity test will show what the battery is truly doing.

    Comment

      #3
      Check your starter solenoid. It’s on the left side under the side cover I believe. It will have two posts and a wire coming off of it. The wire on mine is yellow.

      Check for corrosion. Look to make sure the wire is not touching a little rivet on top of the solenoid (mine was and was my problem)

      If it looks good MAKE SURE THE BIKE IS IN NEUTRAL Unplug the wire and touch it to the positive side of the battery. If it turns over the solenoid is fine.

      Pull up a wiring diagram start at the handlebars and work your way back.

      In the meantime you can take a screw driver and touch it to both post on the solenoid to "jump start it". But beware you will get some sparks so be careful. But it will get you home.

      Good luck

      Comment

        #4
        I went back out and tried it again. It started up multiple times no issue then it went dead again.

        I found out part of my problem, perhaps all. The negative post on my battery was loose, letting both ground wires swivel free, that's why the lights were cutting out.

        I went to pull the switch out of the clutch. I got the cover off, and the switch out. The spring went bye bye so, I need a knew one. I need to sand the contact surface.

        I'll check the starter solenoid next. But I guess I better order a switch.

        Comment

          #5
          You can follow the wires into the head light and plug it into it self and by-pass the clutch switch.

          Comment

            #6
            I was going to say it sounded like loose battery terminals. The lights going out is the clue.

            Sometimes corrosion in the starter button causes problems too.

            There are 3 connections on the solenoid. You may want to unplug the small one and touch it to the hot lead from the battery (on the solenoid). If this makes the solenoid operate the starter then there is a problem in the starter button circuit, which includes the kill switch and clutch switch, as you know. If that does not trip the starter then the solenoid or starter is bad. You can connect the two large solenoid connections together using a screw driver or other metal object. If this does not turn the starter then there is a starter problem, all assuming the battery is properly charged and the connections are all tight and making proper contact.
            sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

            Comment

              #7
              Originally posted by Ohioan View Post
              I went back out and tried it again. It started up multiple times no issue then it went dead again.

              I found out part of my problem, perhaps all. The negative post on my battery was loose, letting both ground wires swivel free, that's why the lights were cutting out.

              I went to pull the switch out of the clutch. I got the cover off, and the switch out. The spring went bye bye so, I need a knew one. I need to sand the contact surface.

              I'll check the starter solenoid next. But I guess I better order a switch.
              My clutch switch has been disabled forever. I'd just jumper the wires across for the clutch safety switch and call it good.

              Comment

                #8
                I was thinking of just disabling it before this happened. When you say jumper it, do you mean to just strip the wire back a ways, and make a loop with the wire, putting the ends back on itself?

                Comment

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Ohioan View Post
                  I was thinking of just disabling it before this happened. When you say jumper it, do you mean to just strip the wire back a ways, and make a loop with the wire, putting the ends back on itself?
                  No. There are male and female bullet connectors in the headlight connecting the main starter button loop to the clutch switch wiring which is part of the switch pod wiring. Just ubplug the leads from the switch pod and connect the remaining two from the wiring loom to each other to bypass the clutch switch.
                  sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

                  Comment

                    #10
                    I did a search for a thread about disabling the clutch safety, I found one but no pictures. Hopefullyy I can take some pics and upload them for posterity.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      i found a couple of websites, some that are more help than others:
                      howto & pictures
                      another howto & pictures
                      A third one
                      last one

                      Every link bar the last one is for a not-even-close bike, but the principle remains the same, the last is for the katana, which is the bike that followed the GS, so if history and bike genetics remains true, should hopefully be of some use to you.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Use bassclifs site there is a perfect diagram on there for you.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Its not hard to do. Who needs pictures.
                          Hardest part was getting all those wires shoved in the right spot to get the headlight back in.

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