'80 GS550L Starting Issue

[Guest]

The bike has been running fine for months (aside from poor mileage which I'm working on). Before the Christmas break I attempted to start it and it wouldn't. Lights came on fine but cranking was real slow. Put the battery on a trickle charger while I was away on vacation for three weeks. When I came back, reattached the battery and still cranked slowly and wouldn't start. I took it down to AutoZone to have it tested and it was bad so I bought a new one. After filling and charging the recommended time, put it back on and same cranking issue. Won't start.

Many thinking is the starter is crapping out. It's probably original. When I had some work done to it a few months ago, the mechanic checked the brushes and they were fine. I don't know anything about starters.

Thoughts?

[JTGS850GL]

Check/clean you main ground going to the engine and also check/clean your connections going from the battery to the starter solenoid and from the solenoid to the starter motor.

Do you have a volt meter? If so I'd measure your starting voltages.

You need to also check the connectors going from the igniter to the coils and make sure they tight and clean.

[Revjoel]

Thanks. Can you tell me where I can find downloadable wiring diagrams or manuals to show me where the starter motor and coils are located? (Yeah, I'm a newbie to motorcycles...)

[mikerophone]

Here's the shop manual but I didn't see the wiring diagram separately but it should be in the manual.

[Grimly]

The mechanic might have checked the brushes and they might have been fine then, but perhaps he didn't clean them out properly, so they might be sticking now. I have a starter which I was sure needed new brushes, but when I checked the length of new ones, the old ones were virtually unworn - the only fault present was sticky gunge that had accumulated over years and miles.