CDI Wiring Help - 1980 GS550 L

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

Just bought my first bike and I'm very excited to clean her up. I took out the old air filter tonight to replace it with a new K+N but the problem is I don't remember the wiring for the CDI (I believe that's what this is). I took a picture of the wiring afterwards. If someone could please guide me on which wire goes where, I would be very thankful! I don't want to fry it.

I guess I got a little too excited tonight, but going forward I'm definitely going to photograph everything before I unscrew it.

Andrew

[Steve]

Well, the good new is that you don't have a "CDI".

These bikes do not use a Capacitor Discharge Ignition, they use a classic Inductance Discharge Ignition that is comprised of a pair of coils and a device that occasionally interrupts the current going through them, which creates the spark. In the earlier days (pre-'80, for the GS bikes), the mechanism that did the interrupting was a pair of points. Starting with the 1980 models, Suzuki eliminated the points and went with a box of transistors that did the same thing, but never wore out. They called that box of transistors and "ignitor".

Now, how to wire it? Some models have one plug other have two. Either way, there should be a few wires coming from the right end of the crank, where the triggers live, and there should be a few wires from the coils. Whether there are one or two plugs (connectors), there should be mates in the vicinity, so just plug them together.

.

[cowboyup3371]

The ignitor in your picture mounts to the bottom of the air box with that ground strap mounted to one of its screw posts. The rest of the wiring out of it will match up with connectors from the harness.

[jboge123]

Thanks for the advice fellas! I got it back together.

[Steve]

Does it work?

.

[jboge123]

Started right up and runs pretty well. Replaced the spark plugs, did an oil change, and now I need to put on this new MAC 4into1 full exhaust.

Only problem is the PO snapped the header bolts when he was trying to remove the headers.. I'll have to carefully drill them out.