GS550 missing TCI

[Guest]

Hi, I am new to here and new to motorcycles in general. I picked up my first suzuki today and am not sure what it is and not sure what I can do to learn more about it. Basically I placed an ad for a project bike and this was the only reply I got after 3 months and I bought this bike for very little with no ownership and the seller not knowing much about it. The ID sticker is torn after the model designation and all I get is GS550, and the model year has a mark on it so it is hard to tell exact year but a 1985 repair manual shows the same wiring this bike has. This bike was a barn find that had a few kids that pulled off the rear pegs, side covers, and tci which is all no longer available and who knows where. The bike looks salvageable and I am mechanically inclined and I am considering returning it to service. I knew the TCI was missing as soon as I saw it as I recognized the connectors hanging. I have joined this group to learn and hopefully be able to find out if I can use an affordable, alternative way to fire the coils so I can see how good this bike runs and if it is worth investing some coin and time into it or rather just use it for parts. I would also like to find out its model year but might just go to the DMV and run the VIN for that. So has anyone come up with a solution of an alternative ignition system for this engine? If so what is recommended as I really do not want to drop the $500+ for an ignition module on a bike that I have no idea on its running condition. I have noted a mod with dyna but I do not know if it would work for the engine I have and if my engine would accept an earlier advance unit. Thanks in advance to any and all that may reply.

[tom203]

You're a brave soul! a somewhat running bike would have been a better choice for a first bike, but you did want a project,so.....
Post some pics, so we can figure out model and view condition.

Some of these ignition modules ain't cheap and ebay ones are suspect. dyna needs a old style mechanical advancer plate, but it's not impossible.
BUT spending lots of money and time might be a waste, What are you after by doing this?

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. Brenner,

For what it's worth, you can find a lot of info in the links below.

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.

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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

[Brenner]

A wealth of knowledge

Thank you very very much. A wealth of knowledge I did not expect but am happy to receive. With what you have given the answers I was looking for are found. I now know my bike is a 1983 GS550ED, and as I suspected the seller did not relay correct info to me and I believe the signs I noted on the bike must be correct. It looks like the rectifier went out of it and blew the TCI so that is why the side covers are off and it is missing as well as why the headlamp and tail lamp bulbs are blown out and on spark plug wire hanging out the side. With this info I have been able to determine the correct tci I require and which rectifier to upgrade to. My first step is to get title to this bike before I put any money into it and once in hand locate a tci and regulator to see how well it runs. I am mechanically skilled and this is not my first bike but I have 0 riding experience and a motorcycle safety course coming up in less than 2 weeks. My first bike was a virgin 1984 Virago 750 that I went over top to bottom, all new seals, wheel bearings, tires, tubes etc.. as it was all factory original and had been in storage for 24 years when I got it from the original owner. It was varnish seized in the jugs and carbs and with alot of patience and love for the bike it has turned out really nice. I do not know what riding style I will like so I have decided to try different bikes and see what I like best and this suzuki is my sport bike attempt. I do not like buying street ready bikes as for one anyone can buy a bike, two I enjoy the return to service aspect but really love the hunt of the parts and three you never know what the seller is hiding intentionally or unintentionally and would prefer to go over it myself for my own piece of mind and safety. I won't bother the forum with non specific repair questions but rather inquire on GS specific items that apply to my needs. My second bike is an XV920 that I have equipped with a vintage SHOEI fairing and hard bags, it was a non runner $200 bike when I got it and was told it would never run again by the previous owner (so he thought). With this GS being my third bike and the sportiest bike I am satisfied that I will be able to learn what suits me best. I think it shows I prefer the look of vintage bikes and that I try to be well rounded with a genuine appreciation for this sport. All advice and recommendations I am given will be seriously considered. If I am unable to acquire a title for this bike I will part it and post it for sale here to assist those at very low prices as I would only want to get my initial investment of $40 back that I paid for the bike plus the shipping cost of the part of course. Now you all know my motorcycle history and current intentions sorry for the long post. I will post pics once I know if I will proceed with this restoration/ return to service.

[tom203]

"......this is not my first bike but I have 0 riding experience "

So, you just like the challenge of fixing them ! How novel, most just want to skip that step (unfortunately) !
Anyways, charging system problems ( stator and/or R/R ) are real common. Don't buy a R/R till you've done a little reading on here.
Yeah, see what title problems you'll have before spending much money

[Nessism]

Welcome to the forum. Question: what is a "tci"? Do you mean the ignitor? If so, those parts are hard to come by for your bike. They often blow and no others interchange. If you get real desprate a spark advance unit from a 1st gen. 550 can be installed, then you can switch over to something like a Dyna S. Maybe a Dyna 2000 would fit, which has spark advance built in, but they are expensive.

[Brenner]

Nessism to answer your question about "TCI"... there are many ways the igniton system discharges spark, a few to mention,
Points Ignition - self explanatory
CDI capacitive discharge ignition (non timing controlled)
TCI - transistorized controlled ignition (timing curve controlled)
I believe most newer ignition systems are now ecm controlled
The CDI and TCI do function differently and I have prior experience working on a TCI in my first bike as I rebuilt the circuit board to remedy a timing problem in the rear cylinder. The term ignitor and TCI is shared among manufacturers as I do know Yamaha uses these terms also and have referenced both in service manuals from both manufacturers.

[spyug]

Welcome. Where in Ontario are you? As a former 550 owner myself I am quite attuned to these bike and your comments regarding the R/r killing the ignitor is very valid as there are all kinds of these bikes similarly affected.

As also mentioned above ignitors for these bikes are scarcer than hens teeth and very expensive when you find one. My first 550 lacked a working ignitor and that caused me to do an extensive search for a replacement. There are a couple of companies (New Zealand and Czech Republic I think) making a substitute system but they are also quite expensive. This caused me to do research and I was able to work out that the pick up points, rotor and ignitor from '83 and up 750s can be coverted to work. These are more readily available.

I wrote a tutorial and how to on the subject and would be happy to send you a pdf copy. Just PM me with your standard e-mail address and I'll get that too you.

Good luck and enjoy the new project.

[koolaid_kid]

IIRC the 550 engine is a special case and requires some mods to fit a Dyna S ignition module. Can someone verify this?

[Brenner]

spyug, thank you for your offer. I have attempted to PM you 3 or 4 times now but nothing shows up on my sent messages box. I do not know if you are getting them or if I am not allowed the PM option until I reach a certain post count? I very much would like access to the information you offered and would like to hear this bike run. If you can try to PM me it would be appreciated to verify if it is my account status or something I am doing wrong. To everyone else the bike is now in my name so I am looking forward to putting this project back on the road.

[Brenner]

Got a dead TCI you do not need?

If anyone has a TCI / CDI / igniter that they are willing to part with even if it is no good and non functional please contact me. I have posted in the parts wanted but thought I would get more attention here. If I have broke any forum rules I apologize. I would really like to know what I am missing (mine was missing when I got my bike) and to have a crack at seeing if I can rebuild or build an alternative module for this application. I have been successful with my last project bike and believe I might be able to do it again. If I am successful I would post results and a "how to" on this forum to assist others as a thank you for the help given to me. I got my fingers crossed.....

[gustovh]

pictures pictures pictures would help us know what is missing
V

[Brenner]

Update......

Well I received an ignitor from the UK yesterday off a gsx and thought I'd plug it in and see if I had spark on crank. I put a screwdriver in the spark plug boot near the head and cranked it over, nothing visible. I put my fingers on the screwdriver and cranked and I can feel spark even though it is weak. Once it cranked a few times the rectifier started shorted and caused unwanted resistance so I cut its leads and sprayed the carbs with a spray and again cranked it over. The results were it stumbled and made an attempt to run so I stopped at that point and have put this project away until I am ready to fully go over the electrical to achieve a stronger spark and replace the rectifier. I will also fully dismantle and clean the carbs before my next start attempt. I have been given a similar size and style yamaha parts bike for free and will research if I can use the rectifier for this suzuki and also note it has a similar setup for ignition. Once running correctly I may attempt to see if I can have the yamaha tci run this suzuki and if so will report back to assist others in my findings. Time will tell after research etc.. I suppose. Thanks to those that have provided information and advice as I will be needing it but for now this project is on hold. I finished my safety course and would like to ride and really do not want to start this project till I can fully commit my time.

[Nessism]

Your bike has a combined regulator/rectifier unit commonly denoted R/R on the board here. This is part of the charging system and has nothing to do with the ignition system; you can remove it completely and the spark won't be affected. Most R/R's are universal so it should be possible to recycle that Yamaha unit assuming it's a three phase 12V R/R.

Weak spark can be caused by various things including: low coil voltage, bad coils, bad spark plug leads and/or bad plug caps, and of course a bad ignitor (most common reason). Again, that model bike has the ignition advance built into the ignitor so you need that same type, or to do some sort of conversion which is not trivial if doing a swap.

Good luck and hope you get it sorted.

[Steve]

spyug, thank you for your offer. I have attempted to PM you 3 or 4 times now but nothing shows up on my sent messages box. I do not know if you are getting them or if I am not allowed the PM option until I reach a certain post count?

You have to go into your preferences (in the User CP section) and tell the system that you want to save all your sent messages.

.