1980 GS550E Electronic ignition .... issue

[ukjules]

You did indeed ! and thanks.
Thing is the site when i asked them via email for info they actually took down
the newtronic section so you cant even browse it ! They never responded.

Anyway the guy in Aus is and was so helpful instantly and the price was better than the uk ! i
and via airmail !!
ordered from him ! An absolutely top chap.
The chap told me:

"Piranha sold
the name to an Italian company so they could finance new development. The
Newtronic kit will directly replace your Piranha without any modification.
The Newtronic kits now have updated modern electronics and LED lights on the
Switching Unit to assist with timing. I have been the Australian distributor
for Newtronic since 1999."

[Grimly]

It's still there for other models...

https://autocar-electrical.co.uk/products/newtronic-ignitions/suzuki-mc

But the 550 one isn't listed, right enough.

Oddly, the one listed for the 79 GS850 says it won't do for the 80 GT model, which is wrong, because that's exactly what I'm running on mine now.
Maybe Newtronics changed something, but the whole thing swapped over no trouble from one to another for me.
<edit>
Now I recall, I had to swap the 79 points cam over, that was all. The Piranha optical shutter assembly fits over the earlier cam, not the later one.

[ukjules]

I will post some pics when arrives !
I also so hope I have got this right !
That it is the election ignition at fault and the only reason it blew was due to running
the bike for a short period without the regulator sense
wire attached. (I never put that regulator on and has worked until I
removed and replaced it minus the sense wire.
(This had blown fuses and a coil before )

If this is not the reason I'm in big trouble.

[ukjules]

Update:
I got the Newtronic system today madly from my man in Tasmania ! It took a week or so ....
Anyway it is in and the bike appears to go a lot better.

I am in agreement i seriously like the Newtronic system.
Anyway the bike is now going again i just hope beyond hope nothing else blows up !

[Grimly]

Update:
I got the Newtronic system today madly from my man in Tasmania ! It took a week or so ....
Anyway it is in and the bike appears to go a lot better.

I am in agreement i seriously like the Newtronic system.
Anyway the bike is now going again i just hope beyond hope nothing else blows up !

Excellent.
I'd totally forgotten it would run coils up to 8A draw, which opens up the option of wanging on some high-output coils, from some source or other, probably auto-related.

http://www.motorcycle-ignition.com/motorcycle_ei_kit.htm

[ukjules]

Update:
Ill skip past quickly what i have done - but i finally had to sort the blown gaskets (yes yes yes yes i admit to using cheap ones ....)
putting the bike back together - with many oem gaskets and wellseal spread over the gaskets, now not a leek in sight.

BUT
Question:

when i set the ignition timing on my bikes i always have got the bike to 1500 revs and set the timing
to the f mark. This has never failed me.
(I have always ignored the next mark along - the forward advance mark)

Now with my new electronic ignition it wants me to set to the forward advance mark with the revs at about 3000 revs.
Totally new to me but i did this and it runs like a dog.

Now before we go any further assume: Valve clearances spot on, plugs set , good coils, good spark, mixture set ok,
Carb synced too (i admit this still could be an issue as it is so damned hard to get right)
It could be the carb sync .....

The question is if you set you timing my old way to the f mark at 1500 revs when you rev the engine does
the timing mark get to the forward advance ? mine does not ? it wont reach it.
Now never ever having bothered to even look for this i was wondering if things are ok ? or there is some issue ?

also if i set it to 2500 - 3000 revs to the forward advance mark it wont ever get to the F mark at low revs.

Assume atu is ok, springs ok, and pickups all inserted ok.
HELP

[tom203]

Maybe your pickups are positioned wrong, so get a hold of a timing light and check at 1500 rpms probably about 10 degrees BTDC and then at 3500 rpms probably fully advanced at about 37 degrees btdc. You'll probably have to add some white paint to check the full advanced spot thru that round window.

[ukjules]

All equipment I have !
The issue is as explained. When timing I can time it to the f Mark at 1500 revs
but at 3000 revs it will never reach the full advance Mark.
If I time it like the newtronic ignition says at 3000 revs
On the full advance line it never gets to the f Mark on 1500 revs.

This I think is making it run poorly I think.

Is this the way it is meant to be ?
The quest is , do both marks hit the line at the right revs ?
Mine never will ?

[tom203]

Sounds like your mechanical advance is not able to "swing" 25 degrees- make sure that nothing is interfering with the weights fully swinging out.

[ukjules]

Atu functions fine I am sure. Oiled and springs move ok.
The elec ignition disk slips onto the atu ok and connects
Into the lugs at back of atu arms.
This of course minimises the swing of arms back, but this is
How it is meant to be.

I just dont know for a fact if the engine
Will show on f Mark and forward advance ?
If someone could test the timing and see be so useful ?

Set to 1500 revs on f Mark.
Then increase revs to 2500/3000 and see if the
Full advance Mark can be reached ?
Mine cannot ! About 2-3 mm away.

I have put old sender plate on with new ignition
And it is better but still won't reach full
Advance.
Bike runs ok though but lacks power over 6k revs.

I need to eliminate timing.
Please please can someone check their timing
And see if both marks can be reached ????

[ukjules]

Not that anyone is the slightest bit interested but I solved
the issue. The issue why it was running poorly.

But that is not the point !
The point is if you time it to the f Mark it will not
reach the full advance !
That is the way it is and was all I wanted to know.
That it won't reach that mark is of no issue whatsoever !

[Grimly]

Not that anyone is the slightest bit interested but I solved
the issue. The issue why it was running poorly.

But that is not the point !
The point is if you time it to the f Mark it will not
reach the full advance !
That is the way it is and was all I wanted to know.
That it won't reach that mark is of no issue whatsoever !

So, is the ignition half-advanced when it's starting? That's not good for the starter, but it might cope well enough with it.
The same system on mine sits right where it should be at static, idle, and 3000, but the 550 might have a peculiarity, or a PO might have fubared it.

[ukjules]

The timing is perfect at tickover. F Mark on 1,4 and 2,3.
It however can never reach the full advance Mark at whatever revs.

My bike also has nothing over 6000 revs and is powerless.
It will go over to 9000 revs static but on the road can barely get
Over 6-7000.
Bike is perfect to 6000 though .

What is wrong with the bike ?
Shall I ditch the newtronic and buy the other one ?

A terrible shame this as I am ready to do a Europe tour now and
Can't go like this.
Help

[roeme]

My bike also has nothing over 6000 revs and is powerless.
It will go over to 9000 revs static but on the road can barely get
Over 6-7000.
Bike is perfect to 6000 though .

What is wrong with the bike ?

If your ignition and advance is okay (from a quick glance over this thread it seems so), this could be an intake leak. My 550 exhibited the exact same behaviour some time ago.
The issue was that the intakt/inlet vacuum screws got loose, and above 6k the vacuum got strong enough to draw false air. This dropped down to 4.5k later on, as the screws got even more loose.

Make sure they're clean and fastened properly (don't over tighten though). If the issue persists, you need new intake boot o-rings. Forum favourite and recommendation is http://cycleorings.com/.

[ukjules]

Help , stuck on road trip

I need help like never before.
After tuning it best I can it seemed to be ok below
6000 revs. I don't go over that anyway.

Anyway I took it on a road trip and after riding through
Normandy , the Somme I am now in Amsterdam.

It was perfect for 650.miles and then went onto 3
Cylinders.
Plug 2 sparks , is wet but if I pull it off while running
No deterioration on engine. What is this ?

I put in New plugs today, ht leads ok, caps ok,
Swapped coils and issue renains on plug 2.

I am ordering a dyna s kit and have my old ig pickup being sent over.
(This worked with new newtronic system )

So I'm on my.massive road trip, it was superb on the Somme
On the coolest bike but this happens.
Help help help