No spark, where to start?

[Guest]

Hello,

I am brand to new to the GS resources. The internet suggested that I come here for advice as I begin to work on my bike.
I have a GS550L. No spark.
I was hoping to get a bike that at least had spark but this is not the case.
With a battery in, most lights come on and the starter works. It turns and turns but nothing... so I took out the plug and tested it.. no spark... used the screwdriver trick... no spark.
I don't believe it's an issue with a safety switch because it doesn't turn over unless I pull the clutch in.
I need to order a new battery and charger to guarantee that I'm getting enough power...
But, until then what should I be checking?

Thank you
-Dom

[mnferwerda]

I'm sure others will chime in but first thing I'd look for is that there is voltage at the coils (at least 11v).

[gsrick]

What year is your bike? Does it have points or electronic ignition? There are ohm tests you can perform on the primary and secondary side of the coils. Down load the manual from bikecliff's web page. http://gsarchive.bwringer.com/ You can find the tests and specs in the manual.

[gs550l]

Thanks for the response.

Firstly it is an 85. The 550 L is kind of a weird GS because it's almost more of a cruiser.
I know it has ignition coils... hope that answers your question because I don't know what points are.
I guess I will start by testing the coils.
Bikecliff has the 83' 550L service manual which will be nice to have.

[gs550l]

Thanks.

I know it is possible that the battery I had been using was simply just not charged well enough, it was my brothers.
Thats why I am buying a new one.

[gustovh]

Unscrew the plug caps one at a time and cut about 1/4" off the end of the wire and screw it back on. A little bit of spit on the outside of the end will help the process. Check and clean all connections especially grounds. It's rare for coils to go bad. The new battery is a good start but check it's voltage while cranking as well.

Did you check spark on all plugs?

V

[Steve]

You're new to the GSR, how new are you to working on bikes?

Your '85 550L is, in fact, Suzuki's idea of a "cruiser". All of the L models were. They were trying to cash in on the Harley mystique (or was that mistake?) for some reason and came out with the L line of bikes, starting in 1979.

Yes, you have ignition coils, but the question was "points or electronic ignition?" You have electronic ignition. Suzuki ended production of ignition points with the 1979 model year, after that, they all had electronic ignition.

If you suspect your battery voltage is a bit low, you can use jumper cables connected to your car with one warning:
DO NOT HAVE THE CAR RUNNING WHILE THE CABLES ARE CONNECTED. NOT AT ALL. NEVER.

Nice that you already know about the "safety" switch in the clutch. That only prevents operation of the electric starter.

How long have you had the bike? Do you know anything about its maintenance history? Do you have any idea how long it has been since it moved on its own power (and did it well)?

Getting spark will be but one small step to getting it running. You should also check the valve clearances and probably will even have to clean the carbs. And when I say "clean the carbs", I don't mean drop the float bowls and spritz some spray around. They need to be fully stripped and dipped (soaked), then put back together. It is not hard, but does require a fair amount of detailed work. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, there are a few of us on the forum that offer that service.

Valve adjustment isn't just important, it's critical. The valve clearances typically decrease, and when the clearance gets too small, the valves tend to burn, which is not an inexpensive experience. A little bit of time and a few dollars for a new gasket will assure you that they are ready to go.

.