electrical woes

[queenmonkey]

Some of you may recall one of my last post explaning that i was putting a GS850 (a bitsa made up of early model parts - electronic ignition and slide carbs etc etc) back together. The wiring is a mess and I have discovered many bodges where sections have been added and joined with knots. Right hand switch gear is wrong as well.
In the last post i was trying to work out why i had a six wire connector going no where off the loom and four wires loose in the headlight bowl. I think (they are quite discloured) the wires left in the headlamp (with nowhere to go) appear to be

orange/ green

blue/ red

white

Orange (or red) / Black

Some of the advice given previously was to turn it on and see what i've got? Well i turned it on and initally got nothing. I spotted what was a loose red wire coming out of the fuse box. This i think may have been previously spliced into the loom and now come loose? After looking at the wiring diagrams I noted there are two leads off the postive terminal. Consequently I connected the loose red wire off the fuse box to the battery which gave me some power!

I've now got a neutral light, oil, horn, indicators (that don't flash), headlight / rear light (with no main beam) and a brake light. The starter has promise but i have no exhaust or carbs on at the moment so don't want to turn it over. What concerns me most is that after leaving the ignition on for ten minutes the left coil is very hot.

I have very little electrical experience and this post if probably difficult to follow but why would the coil be getting so hot?

Any helpful advice would be appreciated.
QM

[tom203]

.............. What concerns me most is that after leaving the ignition on for ten minutes the left coil is very hot.

I have very little electrical experience and this post if probably difficult to follow but why would the coil be getting so hot?

Any helpful advice would be appreciated.
QM

Just unplug coils for now, might not mean anything other than your ignition system is "grounding out" that coil so current is flowing in it and it gets hot. Might help to visualize the stock contact point setup- if one point set is closed and engine is not spinning and you turn ignition/kill switch on, then current flows thru the coil connected to that point set and it gets hot.

[queenmonkey]

Just unplug coils for now, might not mean anything other than your ignition system is "grounding out" that coil so current is flowing in it and it gets hot. Might help to visualize the stock contact point setup- if one point set is closed and engine is not spinning and you turn ignition/kill switch on, then current flows thru the coil connected to that point set and it gets hot.

Thanks Tom203 i'll un plug and continue tinkering

QM

[hsteil4356]

good day

Hi ,I am doing this for the first time ,so I am still trying to figure out where and how to post to, but this is a bit urgent. I am purchasing a motorcylcle for the first time in nearly 30 years. I always knew there was something missing in my life , but the stars were not alligned. so I found a real good looking gs 550 e , runs great, no leaks, no blue headers, overall good to very good appearance. and just as I am signing the check I read about the stator issues. I would have to drive the bike home, 'bout 100 miles.
how concerned should I be? I am pretty good with engines,. suck with electric. Peter, New York(new to the thread)

[queenmonkey]

Hi ,I am doing this for the first time ,so I am still trying to figure out where and how to post to, but this is a bit urgent. I am purchasing a motorcylcle for the first time in nearly 30 years. I always knew there was something missing in my life , but the stars were not alligned. so I found a real good looking gs 550 e , runs great, no leaks, no blue headers, overall good to very good appearance. and just as I am signing the check I read about the stator issues. I would have to drive the bike home, 'bout 100 miles.
how concerned should I be? I am pretty good with engines,. suck with electric. Peter, New York(new to the thread)

Peter I don't know if you'll get much of a response by posting on my thread as it's only likely to attract those with interest/ knowledge about the thread title (or so i was hoping). I have seven bikes currently and have been riding all my life. My most frightening experience was riding a modern aprilia sports bike after using my air cooled ducati for many years. The speed difference was incredible. I wonder if your biggest issue will be traffic/ getting used to riding it for 100 miles rather than breaking down? Every bike i've ever owned has been renowned for some problem. I'd rather judge the individual bike on it's own merits. If the model does have faults there is usually loads of advice about and cheaper parts owing to demand - powervalves for my Suzuki RGV for example! This forum is excellent for knowledge around GS's. Have you done a search for stator? Alternatively just go to start a new thead and put title 'Stators'. I haven't been on a GS550 since they were new. Nice little bike though and especially if it's at the right price.
QM

[tom203]

Hi ,I am doing this for the first time ,so I am still trying to figure out where and how to post to, but this is a bit urgent. so I found a real good looking gs 550 e , runs great, no leaks, no blue headers, overall good to very good appearance. and just as I am signing the check I read about the stator issues. I would have to drive the bike home, 'bout 100 miles.
how concerned should I be? I am pretty good with engines,. suck with electric. Peter, New York(new to the thread)

New bike ? unknown to you?? the stator problem would be way down on my list of worries for the first 100 mile ride. Plenty of stuff can surprise you in the worst way. A friend with pickup truck is a better alternative till you and the bike get to know each other. Or rent a U-haul van.

[rustybronco]

Queenmonkey, what year is wiring loom on your bodged up 850 and what year is the bike?

What country is the bike manufactured for?

What concerns me most is that after leaving the ignition on for ten minutes the left coil is very hot.

I have very little electrical experience and this post if probably difficult to follow but why would the coil be getting so hot?

More than likely, the ignitor is grounding the coil in anticipation of the coils firing. That's how they work. First the coil is grounded, then when the ground side of the coil is opened (disconnected), the coil 'fires'.

To prevent the coil from getting hot, don't leave the key in the on position so long.

[queenmonkey]

Queenmonkey, what year is wiring loom on your bodged up 850 and what year is the bike?

What country is the bike manufactured for?


More than likely, the ignitor is grounding the coil in anticipation of the coils firing. That's how they work. First the coil is grounded, then when the ground side of the coil is opened (disconnected), the coil 'fires'.

To prevent the coil from getting hot, don't leave the key in the on position so long.

rustybronco the bike is supposed to be an 80. The loom is off an english GT i think. It's got a gear indicator and electronic ignition which I think don't make it the first english model. It has got some slide carbs on it from that model.

I've been tinkering more tonight and found that left hand handlebar switch is the wrong one. It should have a main and dip beam switch on it. It hasn't! Consequently, i can only turn my lights on and off using the right switch. I brought some GS850 parts shortly after buying the bike - just in case. There is left hand handle bar switch in that lot. I've checked it against the factory manual and the spare is an early GS850. The connector is very different to that on my loom. This makes me think that the loom is right for the year. Unfortunately bits and bobs like the left switch gear aren't and that doesn't make the work any easier.

On the positive side (excuse the pun) i have the lights working (although i cant go from dip to main beam as i have no switch). I've the brake light working and even the indicators are now starting to flash!

QM

[rustybronco]

The indicators not flashing could be something as simple as the battery voltage being low. I know the flashers on my 80 GS850G don't like to flash unless the bike is running.

[rustybronco]

QM, I suspect your controls and wiring will be a bit different than what we have on this side of the pond. Are your controls similar to the ones on this bike?

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1364893&postcount=88

[queenmonkey]

QM, I suspect your controls and wiring will be a bit different than what we have on this side of the pond. Are your controls similar to the ones on this bike?
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...3&postcount=88

Rustybronco, yes the right switch gear is the same as the picture. The right isn't but i suspect it should be. I have a factory manual and haynes (popular over here in England) and the wiring diagrams separate american diagrams from English. I suspect that there are things that need to be in on the looms to satisfy respective legislation.
QM

[rustybronco]

Orange/green is used on the low side (earth) of the horn circuit

White is used on the headlamp low beam, 1~4 coil to ignitor and brake light circuits.

Orange/red is power to the turn signal, dimmer and right control switchs.

Blue/red is the reed switch (speed sensor) in the speedo to the turn signal control unit.



At least on this side of the pond this holds true...

[rustybronco]

Wrong controls, incorrect gauges, slide carbs, it sounds like the whole bikes a bodge. lets see some picture of what you've got.

The carbs are slide but the clocks have a gear change (no petrol gauge - although the tank has the wiring).