ahhh!!! my bike died on me today

[Guest]

To all you experts out there. I have a 78 GS1000 and lately it's been running ****ty. It's been giving me more grief than usual during cold starts, I smell a slight oder of gas when i ride her and today on the way home from work she died on me. Even after i got her started to milk her home i had to give her a lot of gas for a little rpm. At the lights i had to rev her so she wouldn't die on me. Now I'm no mechanic but i know it's getting gas cause i smell it and i'm pretty sure it's getting air because when i pulled the air filter off i felt suction when it was running. That leaves spark. I was thinking about changing the ignition coil, plugs and wires to start. Do you think this is a good start? Should I run any dignostic testing? If so, what? I'm on a very limited budget and need the bike running asap to get to work on monday. What would you do? thanks

[FreshmanJoe]

Does anyone know a test of some sort that would tell me if it's the ignition coil. After looking at it in a calm matter i've noticed that it looks older than dirt. Do they go bad?

[1_v8_merc]

The coils can go bad, but some of us are still on the stock ones....
Usually the wiring or plug caps need to be replaced first.

If you want to test the coils, go here.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/electrical_odd-n-ends.html#A20

Scroll down about half-way, where it says.
Igniter/Signal Generator/Coil Test

It's a very quick test....

[BassCliff]

Hi,

On my website is a READ ME page with a couple of maintenance lists. How many of those maintenance items have you fully and properly performed on your bike? I ask this because your symptoms can be caused by anything from gummed up carbs to a faulty igniter to a holed piston. We need to go through a process of elimination.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[azr]

She sounds done....if you're lucky someone might come and trailer her out for scrap, that or I 'guess' you could have a look at Cliff's site.

[tom203]

She sounds done....if you're lucky someone might come and trailer her out for scrap, that or I 'guess' you could have a look at Cliff's site.

What, you have to do maintenance on 34 year old bikes?

[JEEPRUSTY]

If it smells like gas and is performing poorly sniff the oil in the crankcase.
It will probably smell like gas.

This would mean a petcock or carb 0-ring issue.

[Redman]

Joe,

Do not replace the coils without determining they are bad (and would not think both go bad at same time). That would be quite expensive.

One way to check ignition is to look at the spark with your eyeballs. You done that? Remove the plug(s). Lay Plug(s) on engine head so it is grounded and hit starter button.

THe spark plug caps do go bad. Can be checked with an ohm meter. They just twist off the end of the wire. SHould be about 5K ohms. THey go lot higher ohms sometimes. Cost about $5 each. Can get NKG caps at about any mocycle shop (doesnt have to be Suzuki).

.

[Big T]

Does your bike still have points and condensors?*

If it does, start there. There's a link on Cliff's site for what to do

Coils rarely fail suddenly

Am I sounding like a broken record?