1980 GS850GL electrical problems

[Joe2710]

Ok, so last August I purchased a GS with only 14.5k on it and besides a couple rust spots, she seemed to run fine, I, however, did not know that when I bought the bike I also bought a work out machine because I have pushed her about as much as I have ridden her.

So, I tested some of the connections and the drain seemed to be coming from the stator so I replaced it with a new one. It seemed to do the trick until the next day I was riding around (on a new battery) and I stop at a friend's place, but he wasn't there so I went to leave and I couldn't. I find out the next day that half of the electrolytes in the battery have been boiled out, so from there I assumed it was the r/r. I replace the r/r and the bike turned over at first and I went for a spin to get some gas, everything went fine until two days ago when I went to get on the bike and it wouldn't start. All the lights and things come on (except now the gas gauge doesn't show I have fuel anymore), but now it doesn't even attempt to turn even after I charged the battery.

I am thinking the wiring is bad, but I am not exactly sure how to check. I did find one burnt connection while I was replacing the r/r, but I am not sure what to do about it. I am trying to get this bike back to full running order, but I have run out of ideas. If anyone is willing to help this first time owner out it would be much appreciated.

Sincerely



Joe

[kdo58]

every thing you need to know

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[Dogma]

How is your oil level? Sometimes when a petcock goes bad, it leaks fuel through the vacuum line to the #2 carb, and from there into the cylinder, past the rings and into the crankcase. All 3.3 gallons. It may not turn over due to hydraulic lock in the #2 cylinder. So, see if your oil is over full, or smells like gas. If so, drain and replace the oil, of course, but replace the petcock. Rebuild kits have a lousy reputation around here.

Back to the electrics, keep all your grounds and all other charging connections clean and protected with dielectric grease to prevent frying another charging system.

[tom203]

every thing you need to know
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Exactly! bad charging system will do lots of unpleasant/expensive things .

[Killer2600]

All great stuff said, I gotta ask does the starter solenoid click when you push start with the clutch pulled in? Do the lights dim at all while doing the fore mentioned? Those are just a couple questions that make electrical diagnosis quicker. If you hear the click then you know the solenoid is activating, if the lights dim the starter drawing current trying to turn (this assumes your battery is charged and good).

The guys on here love the GS but, in my own observation, these aren't "turn key and ride" bikes. They're more like "ride a little, fix a lot" or if you think you fixed everything "Turn key and pray" or "Ride and pray"

[DanTheMan]

All great stuff said, I gotta ask does the starter solenoid click when you push start with the clutch pulled in? Do the lights dim at all while doing the fore mentioned? Those are just a couple questions that make electrical diagnosis quicker. If you hear the click then you know the solenoid is activating, if the lights dim the starter drawing current trying to turn (this assumes your battery is charged and good).

The guys on here love the GS but, in my own observation, these aren't "turn key and ride" bikes. They're more like "ride a little, fix a lot" or if you think you fixed everything "Turn key and pray" or "Ride and pray"

If you were parked in a dark corner of a garage or left outside to rust for 10-20 years would you be turn key and go? Mine get a lot of miles, and with regular maintenance require very little except suit up, start up, a little warm up and go. My 850 is in the maintenance slot now, I rode it all winter long, now I'm riding the 1100. Took care of the start up after being parked for 3 months maintenance, and she's ready to go any time I want. I put 5500 mi on the 1100 last year and 5500 mi on the 850, and saved 5000 for my truck (that's all it got) as well.

[Killer2600]

If you were parked in a dark corner of a garage or left outside to rust for 10-20 years would you be turn key and go? Mine get a lot of miles, and with regular maintenance require very little except suit up, start up, a little warm up and go. My 850 is in the maintenance slot now, I rode it all winter long, now I'm riding the 1100. Took care of the start up after being parked for 3 months maintenance, and she's ready to go any time I want. I put 5500 mi on the 1100 last year and 5500 mi on the 850, and saved 5000 for my truck (that's all it got) as well.

You fixed everything so now you pray

I don't expect turn key and go....ANYMORE!!! *mumbles bike repair obscenties*

But I, like so many others, kind of do expect that (reliability) in a vehicle.

[tom203]

You fixed everything so now you pray

I don't expect turn key and go....ANYMORE!!! *mumbles bike repair obscenties*

But I, like so many others, kind of do expect that (reliability) in a vehicle.

It ain't that bad! I parked my bike last Oct after Stabil- got it out two weeks ago, started right up and went for nice 75 minute ride with no issues.

[Redman]

.....
.....
..... If anyone is willing to help this first time owner out it would be much appreciated.

Sincerely

Joe

Joe, Welcome to GSR.

Some comments:

- where are you located? Put your location in your user profile (goto UserCP). Then that wilol show up in every post. Maybe someone local can give you a hand.

- TO trouble shoot electrical problems, especaily charging system, you will need a volt-ohm meter. $20 one from Radio Shack or even building supply store will do. Discussing how far you rode and when it died only indicates that, yah, its not charging, does not help determine what part has failed.

- Look back on GSR homepage, Garage Section, Stator Papers for a very detailed troubleshooting guide. Will need a volt-ohm meter.

- Gas guage is on same fuse/circuit as the other instrument stuff and brake light, so if that other stuff works the problem is specific to the gas gauge. If you took tank off yuo had to disconnect the gas guse sender wires.
Anyway, the gas guage is on a completly different fuse/circuit from the starter.

- Starter solenoid circuit is:
Ignition fuse (3rd, counting from top),
Org/Wht wire to kill swtich,
jumper over to starter button,
yel/grn wire to clutch switch,
another yel/grn wire to starter solenoid,
starter solenoid case is mounted to battery box,
and battery box is grounded by a black/white wire from wiring harness.

Does solenoid even click?
Need to check each of the above. Can check for voltage at each point with a meter.
... or can try jumpering power directly to the solenoid to substitute for the starter button circuit.
... can also try jumpering a ground wire from battery negitive to battery box or solenoid case and then hit the starter button.

Tell us more what you find.

.

[Joe2710]

Joe, Welcome to GSR.

Some comments:

- where are you located? Put your location in your user profile (goto UserCP). Then that wilol show up in every post. Maybe someone local can give you a hand.

- TO trouble shoot electrical problems, especaily charging system, you will need a volt-ohm meter. $20 one from Radio Shack or even building supply store will do. Discussing how far you rode and when it died only indicates that, yah, its not charging, does not help determine what part has failed.

- Look back on GSR homepage, Garage Section, Stator Papers for a very detailed troubleshooting guide. Will need a volt-ohm meter.

- Gas guage is on same fuse/circuit as the other instrument stuff and brake light, so if that other stuff works the problem is specific to the gas gauge. If you took tank off yuo had to disconnect the gas guse sender wires.
Anyway, the gas guage is on a completly different fuse/circuit from the starter.

- Starter solenoid circuit is:
Ignition fuse (3rd, counting from top),
Org/Wht wire to kill swtich,
jumper over to starter button,
yel/grn wire to clutch switch,
another yel/grn wire to starter solenoid,
starter solenoid case is mounted to battery box,
and battery box is grounded by a black/white wire from wiring harness.

Does solenoid even click?
Need to check each of the above. Can check for voltage at each point with a meter.
... or can try jumpering power directly to the solenoid to substitute for the starter button circuit.
... can also try jumpering a ground wire from battery negitive to battery box or solenoid case and then hit the starter button.

Tell us more what you find.

.

My solenoid was clicking, but I recently changed out my R/R for an Electrosport ESR100 (it's what their site recommended for my bike), but now it doesn't click. I think I may have disconnected a wire some where so I may redo what I did last week and try to find out where I went wrong.

Thank you very much for telling me about the solenoid circuit, I have a feeling that it was in the repair manual, but I just didn't find it or see it referenced in the electrical section I was in but it's probably there.

I didn't take the gas tank off, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to say that I may have accidentally unplugged some wires.


And thank you everyone for the comments everyone, they have been very helpful. I'll keep you all posted on the progress (which starts back up tomorrow after a couple days of being mad at my bike/lack of mechanical knowledge).

Cheers

[Joe2710]

So, I have been going through the forums and looking at people who have similar problems to what I have been having.

Basing my diagnostic purely on presumption is what has happened, but I do think I have narrowed what my problem is:

1.) The most likely thing that I can think of is bad connections. While my bike has been stored indoors for most of it's life (as previously stated only ridden 14.7k) I do not think the wiring was properly taken care of, but regardless of that I am not exactly sure how to clean the connections correctly. I have gathered some dialetic grease and a can of Autozone's "Wire Dryer" (because it stated that it helps weather proof and clean connections), but I was wondering where I would get the other tools to clean the connectors such as a small wire brush.

2.) A gummed or bad solenoid (because it used to click and now it doesn't)

3.) Starter

I am actually perplexed though when it comes to grounding and how to ground correctly. I replicated how my previous R/R unit was attached and the previous owner had grounded the r/r where the r/r attaches to the bottom of the battery housing. I also see other grounds that need to be attached but I am not exactly sure where they go or how to test them either.

I will be working on my bike tomorrow to try and see what I can do (reassemble and try to start again) but if that fails to work I am going to be quite thoroughly stumped.

Also, the connector boot on my r/w female connection is slightly burnt, will I need to replace the wire or how do I need clean and repair the connection?

Cheers

[terrylee]

Ground the r/r straight to the neg, on the battery, and run the red r/r wire directly to the pos, on battery (install a in line fuse in between). Best to replace all connections that look burnt at all. Sometimes'll find that part of the wire near the connector maybe burnt also. I like spade type (can get weatherproof ones), I replaced nearly all my old bullet type. Use a little shrink tubing around the wire end to waterproof even more. You might also want to remove you ignition switch and take the bottom off it and clean all the elec. connections inside, correction inside there can cause problems. Also be sure all connections to solenoid are clean and it has a good ground. Also might carefully take start button switch apart and clean everything with elec. cleaner spray. terrylee

[terrylee]

also if you didn't hook the stator directly to the r/r and bypass the wire going towards the frt. of the bike, you should do so, look on Basscliff's site, should be instructions on there on doing it. terrylee

[Joe2710]

Ground the r/r straight to the neg, on the battery, and run the red r/r wire directly to the pos, on battery (install a in line fuse in between).

I am not sure how to do that, do you have any references that could point me in the way.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. Joe2710,

I guess I'm a little late with your "mega-wecome". You will find a virtual GS850G partay on my little website. Carefully and completely go through the maintenance lists. Any shortcuts will leave you pulling your hair out. There are "how to" guides and tips for most, if not all, of the basic maintenance tasks and procedures necessary to return your bike to its former reliable, bullet-proof condition.

Let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'.

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.

If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff