using other brand cdi boxes....

[Guest]

has anyone wired up a cdi to a GS like the '83 GS750ES which has 2 sensors on the crank but no adjustment for timing.
The timing is built into the ignitor.

It seems like there would be other bikes and possibly newer Suzukis which could take the small voltage from the sensors and output to 2 coils with some electronic advancing...

the info may be somewhere in this forum but I have not found it yet.

or is there a point plate with advance that would fit a '83 GS750ES

dave

[Who Dat?]

To the best of my (limited) knowledge, NOBODY has ever connected a CDI to a Suzuki or any other brand of motorcycle, including the manufacturers.

But, to help you in your search a bit, the same part number for the IGNITOR (32900-31310) was used on the '83 750E and ES, as well as the '85 700E and ES.
That number has been superceeded by 32900-49420, which was used in the '83 850G, '83 1100G and GK, and the '84 1100GK.

[Rijko]

what is the reason for exploring this ?

[dgstoll]

just to have another source for ignitors other then the old parts and not pay hundreds of $ for a part on a bike not worth more than $500..
The Dyna 2000 had an advance curve built in like the original ignitor so if the wires could be spliced from the stock sensors then the honda part might work the same way

[Nessism]

I suspect the Honda system would work if you can make it fit and the advance curve matches the needs of the Suzuki engine. I think you will have to first understand where the Honda system get's it's spark advance - from the ignitor box or from a centrifugal advance unit. Then figure out if you can fit the magnetic pickups and rotor (and possibly the advance unit) onto the Suzuki. Figure out if the stock coils match the Honda coils in terms of resistance, and switch the coils if they don't, then transfer all the Honda wiring onto the Suzuki. Seems like a lot of work and expense unless you already have a Honda parts bike laying around.

[Rijko]

seems like a lot of work, agreed.

Though the igniters fail sometimes, they are pretty reliable.
And can probably be found for a reasonable price used.

[dgstoll]

I suspect the Honda system would work if you can make it fit and the advance curve matches the needs of the Suzuki engine. I think you will have to first understand where the Honda system get's it's spark advance - from the ignitor box or from a centrifugal advance unit. Then figure out if you can fit the magnetic pickups and rotor (and possibly the advance unit) onto the Suzuki. Figure out if the stock coils match the Honda coils in terms of resistance, and switch the coils if they don't, then transfer all the Honda wiring onto the Suzuki. Seems like a lot of work and expense unless you already have a Honda parts bike laying around.

The idea is to use the existing Suzuki sensors and just wire them to an ignitor box....

[dgstoll]

seems like a lot of work, agreed.

Though the igniters fail sometimes, they are pretty reliable.
And can probably be found for a reasonable price used.

I had the ignitor fail several years ago and got a used one and replaced it. When I took off the one which came on the bike it was also used and had "84 GS700" written on the back so that one was not the original...so I replaced the stator and R/R with parts from Rick's Electrics which should be good quality and after 2 yrs have another ignitor failure.....I have another used one coming in the mail for about $100 and will be checking resistance of stator and R/R as I wait for the replacement ignitor. The question is how many hundreds of $ do you put into a bike which cost $500....looks like I could spend $409 and get a Dyna 2000 with programmable advance

[JJ]

The question is how many hundreds of $ do you put into a bike which cost $500...

Does that mean you won't be replacing tires, brake lines, oil and filters, brake pads, etc...? Those also add costs to a $500 bike.

The way I have always looked at it is that getting it at a low initial price increases the amount that I have available to perform maintenance and replace safety items.

I put as much into a bike as it takes to keep it in safe, reliable running condition. If you can't or don't want to do that, you have no business owning it.

[Rijko]

Dave, Johnny, you both have a point.

These old bikes sometimes need more investment than they are worth to get in good shape.

I think you have a GS because you want to and enjoy it, which makes it ok to spend a bit more than the resale value of the bike.
But personally, i do think it's good to do a sanity check.
If you make a shopping list now and add maintenance cost to the initial 500$
and add in cosmetic work and some extra for repairs you are just being objective and can make a informed decision to go ahead or let it go.
Seems Dave is asking the question at the right time, before sinking so much money into the bike he needs to keep investing.

[tom203]

Hopefully this new replacement ignitor will do the trick. But you should understand that some of these ignitors are vulnerable to charging issues: a spike in voltage from a bad r/r , or a jumpstart from a running vehicle can fry them, or letting the battery get disconnected while running.
You might to read about shunt versus series r/r's. - the Ricks is a shunt unit.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?191795-GS-Stator&p=1630965#post1630965

$500 can buy a lot of bike up here - sometimes you can get lucky and find one that is ok on parts, but owner has just lost interest after pouring money into it and just wants it gone. Carb issues plague all makes of bikes, thanks to this corn syrup gas.

[OldVet66]

"..so I replaced the stator and R/R with parts from Rick's Electrics which should be good quality and after 2 yrs have another ignitor failure"..... That was your problem. Most all suppliers of stators sell a good product but none of them sell a good R/R. Until you scrap the old style shunt R/R and replace it with a modern Series R/R you are going to continue having electrical problems.

[Nessism]

The stator and R/R have nothing to do with the ignition/ignitor. The only possible connection is if the charging system is overcharging and damaging the ignitor box. I'm not even sure if that's possible. And even if it is, overcharging is the fault of the R/R not the stator.

[OldVet66]

It failed on him twice. Something caused it that hasn't been addressed yet. A stator and Shunt R/R change would have done nothing but continue the problem and we know a Series R/R is a lot easier on the electrical system so that is a real good starting point.

[Who Dat?]

The idea is to use the existing Suzuki sensors and just wire them to an ignitor box....

Seems to me that the system that Suzuki installed on the bike kinda used that basic principle.

The question is how many hundreds of $ do you put into a bike which cost $500.

I believe you could put the same number of hundreds of dollars into a bike that cost you $1 or $10,000.

They are old bikes, parts will fail. The question should really be "at what point should I just give up and buy a bike with a warranty?"