Where in the world do all these wires go?

[MisterCinders]

Building a new wire harness is a pretty big project. I think there is a link on BassCliff's site for a place that does various connectors. You'd need to map out the wiring, determine what connectors you need, and then order 25 spools of wire to match the colors in the diagram.

NBD

Or you could pull the tank, and trace the wires going out of the kill switch for a short. If the bike lights up without shorting with the kill switch engaged, then shorts when you disengage the kill switch, look at what is on the other side -- i.e., coils and ignition. The coils are just a short distance from the switch, so root through those wires.

Hell, before you go whole hog and build an entirely new wire harness, you could just rewire the coils/kill switch portion.

[cowboyup3371]

Or go look on Ebay for a new harness

[Killer2600]

read this thread and then speak http://thegsresources.com/_forum/sho...=192412&page=9

i am guilty myself of doing small mods to the bike, BUT, my stuff is clean and functional after im done with it and doesnt look like a rats nest and people dont go WTF?!

Well of course people don't go WTF in your presence, it's the next guy that does it when your not around to tell him what you did.

My **** is clean too but my rewiring (as I'm sure most other's here is too) isn't found on a factory wiring diagram. Anyone who has ever resorted to a wiring diagram to sort things out only to find wires that don't match up to the diagram know what I'm getting at.

[Crazy_Russian]

well, you are welcome to come for a visit and check out my wiring
but, in this case, where a harness from a different model/year GS has bean used with wires that are broken, cramped, left opened and just randomly hanging out, yes, i think the PO needs to be sot

Well of course people don't go WTF in your presence, it's the next guy that does it when your not around to tell him what you did.

My **** is clean too but my rewiring (as I'm sure most other's here is too) isn't found on a factory wiring diagram. Anyone who has ever resorted to a wiring diagram to sort things out only to find wires that don't match up to the diagram know what I'm getting at.

[mrbill5491]

Pretty sure Russian meant who ever the PO was and who butchered the wiring should be shot, what a mess he left all that in.

Are you implying that we all here at the GSR should be shot too? I'm sure we all have redone, modified, "improved", or changed from stock our GS'es. Even with best intentions the next guy who has to wrench on the bike is going to see it as a big headache and wish it wasn't changed from stock. In honesty, I already see my own bike that way just from my "fixing/improving"; when it comes time to test the stator I'll be hating that I did away with the 30 yr old bullet connectors and soldered it directly to the R/R.

[Crazy_Russian]

mrbill5491, thank you neighbor:-) btw, r u going to red river?
p.s. sorry for hijacking

[andtheacademics]

Or you could pull the tank, and trace the wires going out of the kill switch for a short. If the bike lights up without shorting with the kill switch engaged, then shorts when you disengage the kill switch, look at what is on the other side -- i.e., coils and ignition. The coils are just a short distance from the switch, so root through those wires.

Hell, before you go whole hog and build an entirely new wire harness, you could just rewire the coils/kill switch portion.

Yeah I'm thinking this is a good baby-step route, I suppose I'll be putting that on my tab... What I really need is a second motorcycle to ride while Betty gets her sh*t sorted!
p.s. would/could the coil relay mod affect my jury rigged ignitor system?

Are there any forum members near you? At this stage it would be massively beneficial for an "expert" to have a look at your wiring. The mere fact that an earlier owner installed an ignitor means there could be a lot more going on.

I'd love to get a second opinion! I think I signed up for a GSR map with a PM earlier in the week but I have to find that thread - is there a way to make an open call for a meet up?

Much like you make your bed before you have a lady over, I think I'd want to make sure betty at least has a carb synch and a valve adjust before meeting anyone with any expertise!

[cowboyup3371]

Nessism and Basscliff are down in the LA area and I think Posplayer is in Santa Barbara. Just put a thread out in the GS Motorcycle area asking for help and make sure to 1) offer refreshments and 2) be willing to help.

Honestly, I'm sure they'd like the opportunity to show you things too if you aren't sure how to do them

[allojohn]

Unclemike's in Oakland (but in NY right now).

[robertbarr]

This is one case (the intermittent connect / short) where an analog ohmmeter really comes in handy. You can probe & hunt while looking for the needle to deflect, rather than waiting to fry a fuse. Far less frustrating, and probably a little more repeatable. Brief intermittent connections to ground are far easier to spot and recognize with an analog than with a digital meter.

With the battery disconnected and a good fuse installed, hook one lead of the meter to one of the +12 loads that die when the fuse pops, hook the other to a good known ground, and probe away; squeeze, fondle and tug here and there and see what it takes to get the meter to deflect.

Just a suggestion. Obviously, since I'm about a zillion miles away, I can't drop by & lend a hand and/or a meter.

[andtheacademics]

"Install fuse, turn on bike (cluster lights up) disengage kill switch, and I can see the neutral light, surge, dim, die."

If you just leave kill switch in "run" position ( i.e. don't use it), put in new fuse, does fuse still blow? The "surge, dim, die" sounds like power is grounding out- kill switch guts to handlebar or farther down wiring.

Wow I don't know why I didn't see this - I haven't attempted - I always turn my bike of with the kill switch.

Creature of habit since Motorcycle Safety School (THE BEST $300 I EVER SPENT)

Fuse has not blown again so I'm not messing with it!

[andtheacademics]

...May not have blown then, but probably is going to again something. So lets find it now. Move that around some more and see more what you find.

I will never ignore advice again! When I learned to work on basic stuff on my gs450l my stepfather often had the mindset of "meh, it's working so leave it alone" and we probably ended up doing some questionable work. (His 82' CB750 was so miserably unsafe I refused to ride it) ...after numerous hours of reading on here I'm seeing that this is not the motorcycle mechanics credo - and yesterday I learned why.

I've ridden Betty to the dmv, the gym, all over town every time I ride she idles better, and feels stronger.

Yesterday I get on the 101 southbound in San Rafael, a pretty miserable interchange before the Richmond Bridge. Got to fourth gear and at about 6000rpm everything blew. My single fuse went out and killed my motor, lights, everything!

I was able to clutch-in coast over to the shoulder at the Anderson Rd exit and begin tooling, but no amount of fiddling would bring her back. Luckily I have AAA and after an hour and a half wait I was able to get towed back to my garage.

So - back to the drawing board on this one. Printing the diagrams now.

[andtheacademics]

Okay - pull tank off (to discover I have apparently misplaced my gas cap when I found 1/4 gallon of gas on my shoes).

Trace orange wire to coils and what to I find?

This little bugger has been chewed bare by...

This seemingly misplaced and no-longer rubber coated clip.

As soon as I pulled the clip back from contacting the wire - all my problems were gone.. except for:

I left the ignition on
I left the kill switch on (lights off to maximize battery, bike not running)
Left side coil is cool as a cucumber
Right side coil is very warm to the touch - not so hot it hurts, but like - hot cup of coffee warm.

Does this mean something bigger?

[MisterCinders]

Yes, turn off the ignition.

If I understand correctly, the coils store power and release it to the ignition. With the engine not running and ignition powered, maybe one coil is ready to go, but the other hasn't powered up yet. But I am pretty dumb, so . . .

Do both coils function when the engine is running and not shorting out?

[andtheacademics]

...Do both coils function when the engine is running and not shorting out?

Yeah the bike runs on all four cylinders - I've never really payed attention to the coil temp though - also I don't know how this wire is connected to the coil so I'm not likely to be cutting and reattaching anything I was just going to wrap it up and get rid of that clamp.