GS1000 no power on 1 & 4

[nhgsguy]

Hi Guys,I have a 1977 GS1000.Cylinder 1 -4 are not firing.It has a Dyna ignition.I have checked the connections under the tank,they look good.Is it the coil or a bad connection.Any information would be greatly appreciated
Don

[azr]

See if the plugs are getting spark or if they are getting gas. Start simple and it gives you a direction to go. Oh and there was no 1000 in 77, they started in 78.

[TheCafeKid]

It could be a coil, but it could also be a bad connection, or a bad module on the Dyna S. Id start by checking all of your ignition wire connections and making sure they're tight. From there you can test the coil (simply swapping the leads from the two/three coil to the one/four coil and see if it stays with the coil. The coils dont know or care which cylinders they're firing, the ignition tells them only when...)

If it fires one and four with the other coil, you know the coil is likely bad, if it doesn't, it's likely the module on the Dyna.

[nhgsguy]

1978 Thanks

Thanks for the info.I will check it out tomorrow.

[ozman]

See if the plugs are getting spark or if they are getting gas. Start simple and it gives you a direction to go. Oh and there was no 1000 in 77, they started in 78.

i beg to differ sir i have a gs1000 with 12/77 on the id plate

[gsrick]

i beg to differ sir i have a gs1000 with 12/77 on the id plate

That is more than likely the build date, unless it was different in other countries the first 1000's were sold in '78 as Suzuki was trying to keep up with the big 3. The 1000 was geard toward the American market, but was sold abroad to the European and Austrailian markets as well. The weren't allowed to sell them in Japan.

[TheCafeKid]

i beg to differ sir i have a gs1000 with 12/77 on the id plate

So you have a 78.

I have a gs750 with a build date of sept of 76. But there weren't any 76 GS anythings. 77 was the first model year.

[Killer2600]

Definitely sounds ignition, I take you've tested spark. Like already said swap coils (1-4, 2-3) and see if cyl 1-4 fire with the known good coil. If they don't then check power to the coil, coil ground to the frame, and coil negative to the dyna ignition for connection AND function.

I add function because a bad wire or connection can look good and then diyers start throwing parts at it suspecting but without knowing if an electrical part is bad.

[deven5498]

Hi nhgsguy,

Welcome to the group!
looks like you have some good starting points from the other members.

Quick note: Forum Q&A is designed for questions about the forum not the bikes.

You should be n the Technical / Electrical - Ignition section

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forumdisplay.php?f=133

Highly recommend Nessism top 10 list too!

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=171846&highlight=top+newbie+mistakes

[sedelen]

i beg to differ sir i have a gs1000 with 12/77 on the id plate

I have a '79 GS1000 with a build date of Aug '78. It's just a build date, not model year, yeah I know, you'd think a '78 model would be built in '78, but not necessarily so.

[TheCafeKid]

Steve brought up a good point via PM and one I neglected to mention. If you swap the coil leads, you'll have to swap the plug leads too. At least immpretty sure, thinking about it now, that you'd have to. Cause the module is telling one and four to fire, and you don't want it firing two and three when one and four are meant to...damnit.... I hate puzzles... Just make sure that if you swap leads to the coil, one and four module are hooked up to the known good coil, and that the plugs for one and four are hooked up to that coil...there. That makes sense. Sheesh

[sedelen]

It's kinda confusing swapping the inputs leads to the coils and spark plugs. If you just swap the inputs to the coil you may get the spark you were looking for, but it'll be 180 degrees off, and if thats what you're looking for so be it.
But if you take it just one step further, swapping the input leads to the coils, then swapping the spark plug wires around from 1 to 2, and 2 to 1, and then 3 to 4 and 4 to 3, you may have the spark and the bike might even run on cylinders 1 and 4, that is if you have one bad coil or ignition module, points, whatever affecting a set of cylinders.
Hopefully, you'll be able to determine if its an ignition problem should the problem shift from cylinders 1 &4 to 2 & 3.
Hope everything is crystal clear!