weird issue

[Guest]

So I just bought this bike (1981 GS 550) it ran and rode fine. I had to strip the liner in the tank due to the old one failing. We cut the mufflers off to liven it up. Put an aftermarket intake as well. The previous owner put a big bore kit and aftermarket cam shafts.

So my problem is that sometimes when I turn the key on, it works. Other times when I turn the key on, it doesn't do crap. I just put a new battery on it. Followed the instructions with it.

Anyone have any ideas?

[OldVet66]

Welcome to the forum. Catching up on 20 some odd years of maintenance neglect would be a good place to start. Basscliff should be along shortly with his welcome and tons of information links for your bike. All electrical switches, plugs connectors and grounds need cleaning an application of dielectric grease and inspection for burnt connectors that may need to be replaced. You should read through the Stator Papers and thoroughly check out your electrical system. That seems to be your immediate problem, possibly a corroded switch. You created another problem by opening your pipes. Instead of livening it up, it causes more free flow that leans out the carburetors and requires re-jetting as well as irritating world with excessive noise. This link to "In The Garage" should get you started checking out the electrical system:http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfacts.htm

[nejeff]

So I just bought this bike (1981 GS 550) it ran and rode fine. I had to strip the liner in the tank due to the old one failing. We cut the mufflers off to liven it up. Put an aftermarket intake as well. The previous owner put a big bore kit and aftermarket cam shafts.

So my problem is that sometimes when I turn the key on, it works. Other times when I turn the key on, it doesn't do crap. I just put a new battery on it. Followed the instructions with it.

Anyone have any ideas?

Your ignition switch is failing

[whenpigsfly514]

The thing that I don't get is that sometimes when I turn the key on it works, then while riding it just dies. Would that still be the ignition switch?

[whenpigsfly514]

Welcome to the forum. Catching up on 20 some odd years of maintenance neglect would be a good place to start. Basscliff should be along shortly with his welcome and tons of information links for your bike. All electrical switches, plugs connectors and grounds need cleaning an application of dielectric grease and inspection for burnt connectors that may need to be replaced. You should read through the Stator Papers and thoroughly check out your electrical system. That seems to be your immediate problem, possibly a corroded switch. You created another problem by opening your pipes. Instead of livening it up, it causes more free flow that leans out the carburetors and requires re-jetting as well as irritating world with excessive noise. This link to "In The Garage" should get you started checking out the electrical system:http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfacts.htm

Its got a jet kit too.
The thing sounds so good though!

[OldVet66]

To each his own, It would sound better with a good 4-1 exhaust system and probably retain some good low speed driving characteristics as well. I can drive mine quietly through a Hospital Zone and wake up all the cows when I want to open it up driving through the country. My Harley buddy with a gutted Screaming Eagle rides behind me.

[spyug]

Would that still be the ignition switch?

Yes.

It happened to me last season on the 550. I was riding along hunky-dory and the next thing all my dash lights went out, then the bike started to run funny then it just died. I couldn't get it to restart. After trailering home I went through it with a fine tooth comb and the culprit was the ignition.

The ignition switch does come apart and you will likely find dirty contacts in the electrical portion. sometimes you get lucky and the juice will flow, other times no luck.

The switch is on the bottom of the ignition key module and its made of two plastic pieces press fit together. Separated, this is what you will find:


Open it up and clean the contacts and you should be good to go.

Cheers,
Spyug

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!!

Hi Mr. whenpigsfly514,

Since you have modified the exhaust and intake you will also have carb jetting to adjust in addition to all of the normal maintenance listed below in your "mega-welcome".

If you are here you probably have a 30 year old motorcycle that needs about 20 years worth of maintenance. In the links below you'll find maintenance lists, documentation, wiring diagrams, "how to" guides, vendor links, tips, tricks, and a whole lot of GS goodness. This is your "mega-welcome". Let's get started.

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!

More links to helpful threads in the forum:
Help! Your Bike Won't Start
DON'T DO THESE THINGS
Help! Your Bike Won't Run Well
Oh God! Pods!


Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[whenpigsfly514]

Yes.

It happened to me last season on the 550. I was riding along hunky-dory and the next thing all my dash lights went out, then the bike started to run funny then it just died. I couldn't get it to restart. After trailering home I went through it with a fine tooth comb and the culprit was the ignition.

The ignition switch does come apart and you will likely find dirty contacts in the electrical portion. sometimes you get lucky and the juice will flow, other times no luck.

The switch is on the bottom of the ignition key module and its made of two plastic pieces press fit together. Separated, this is what you will find:


Open it up and clean the contacts and you should be good to go.

Cheers,
Spyug

Alright, thanks for that info!

Hi Mr. whenpigsfly514,

Since you have modified the exhaust and intake you will also have carb jetting to adjust in addition to all of the normal maintenance listed below in your "mega-welcome".

If you are here you probably have a 30 year old motorcycle that needs about 20 years worth of maintenance. In the links below you'll find maintenance lists, documentation, wiring diagrams, "how to" guides, vendor links, tips, tricks, and a whole lot of GS goodness. This is your "mega-welcome". Let's get started.

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!

More links to helpful threads in the forum:
Help! Your Bike Won't Start
DON'T DO THESE THINGS
Help! Your Bike Won't Run Well
Oh God! Pods!


Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

I saw one of your welcome posts on another posts, this is so much information! Thank you so much.

[Redman]

With that title of "weird issues", that should attract a lot of attention .
It describes a lot of folks here.

.........

So my problem is that sometimes when I turn the key on, it works. Other times when I turn the key on, it doesn't do crap. I just put a new battery on it. Followed the instructions with it.

Anyone have any ideas?

Seems like you have already diagnosed the problem. When you say "it" doesn't work, I assume you mean the ignition switch doesn't seem to work. Or maybe "it" is the entire bike. Either way, seems the same. If all you do is turn off the ignition switch and turn it back on and everything is good. ...
Maybe next time, try just wigging the key just a little, so you know that is all you are effecting.

COuld be the contacts inside the ignition swtich. Or could possibly be the connector that plugs into the ignition swtich. TO see where this connector is, you need to get your eyeball at about where the front fender is and look up. Once you get that connector off, then can see the how the ignition swtich is mounted and it comes out easy. THen the swtich comes apart easy to pull out the contact block (the actuall electrical switch), and then that comes apart so you can clean up the contacts. Wipe off the old dried up grease. And maybe lube it with some new grease, just a very thin amount.

SOme pics that are about same as others have posted, but maybe of some of the others might be of use to you.







In my case, the swtich was not at all causing problem like you described.
I was looking for about a volt and a half voltage drop. I cleaned up these contacts and that cleared up about half of that.

.

[Redman]

Or you could have a bad connection somewhere else.
But I suspect the ignition swtich, mostly because you said sometimes it works ands sometimes it doesn't. If all you do is turn it off and back on and is good, well then the swtich is very suspect.

You didn't say that you wiggle this wiring and turn handlebars around and come back the next day and then it works.

.

[whenpigsfly514]

Or you could have a bad connection somewhere else.
But I suspect the ignition swtich, mostly because you said sometimes it works ands sometimes it doesn't. If all you do is turn it off and back on and is good, well then the swtich is very suspect.

You didn't say that you wiggle this wiring and turn handlebars around and come back the next day and then it works.

.

now that you say something about wiggling, it makes more sense. I was changing lanes the first time it cut out. I was making a right turn the second time it cut out. So its got me thinking something is loose in the ignition area.

[Redman]

now that you say something about wiggling, it makes more sense. I was changing lanes the first time it cut out. I was making a right turn the second time it cut out. So its got me thinking something is loose in the ignition area.

Can wait till next time it cuts out, and try wiggling one thing at a time. Start with ignition key, and try starting again. THen try connector on ignition swtich, then wiring harness by infition swtich, one thing at a time.

And main fuse, and connector by fuse block. .... ....

And battery connections, positive and negative.

Or don't wait till next time it cuts out, but try to make it cut out. Poke around with a screw driver handle or something.

I was still suspecting your ignition switch, but now that you say it seems to have cutout when turning... that makes me suspect bad connection at connector on ignition switch. Try poking around there. Take a look up under that area.

.

[whenpigsfly514]

so I broke the front end down and cleaned up a lot of the wiring. Now when I turn the key on I get lights, which is a start. Now when I click the start button, nothing. Doesn't even make a noise. I've checked voltage on the battery and its still good. I am thinking more and more, ignition. Going to order one off of ebay and go from there.

[Redman]

.....
Now when I turn the key on I get lights, which is a start. Now when I click the start button, nothing. .....

Hum, seems to be different symptoms than before.

Do you have a volt meter or test probe light?

Do you have voltage at the Ignition fuse? (The starter button and solenoid is powered by the ignition fuse.)

.