1983 GS550ES Side Stand Light On When Stand Is Up

[joeman001]

Hi again everyone,

After having some engine trouble on my 78 GS550 I was stupid enough to buy a 1983 GS550ES because it was in stupidly nice condition with 3000 miles on it for 2200 dollars. The bike was previously kept in a guys collection for 30 years until the guy i bought it off of did a ton of work to it to make it "100%" functional again. The bike ran like a top when i test drove it and is in basically mint condition with no rust anywhere. My dad and I trailered it an hour and a half home and went over some pretty hard bumps on the way back and now the side stand indicator light stays on and only slightly dims when the stand is put up. I read somewhere on here that the oil pressure sensor could cause a short so we disconnected it and the side stand indicator started working. However, bike still would not run after disconnecting and when the oil pressure and side stand are both connected the turn signals do not work correctly and they dont flash in the gauge cluster either, they just are constantly on. Does anyone know what in the heck is wrong with this bike? We tried reseating a bunch of connections to no effect. Thanks for all the help in advance.

Best,
Joe Grosick

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Check the main wiring loom all over for wear-through but mainly this happens where the loom runs by the steering stem. I’d guess you may find some bare wires there. Pull the headlamp out of the bucket and give a look-see at all the wires, connectors and grounds in the bucket.

[Redman]

Yes, sidestand light circuit and oil pressure light circuit are connected together (by a diode) so that the sidestand swtich operated the sidestand light, and the oil sensor lights both the oil and the sidestand light. And as such, if engine not running then the oil and the sidestandlight will be on.

Pulling the sidestand wire off the switch is a good test. Try that first before pulling the oil sensor wire, with engine runing.

The sidestand circuit is there only to light the light. Is not tied into any interlock to kill the ignition (bikes dint have that untill the 90s). So I would say the sidestand circuit is unrelated to the bike not running.

THe flasheres not flashing could be related to low battery voltage. Or burnt out bulbs.
FOr the flasher to work it requires the full amount of current, and that means the proper type of bulbs, all the bulbs, and proper voltage. Check for battery voltage.

[joeman001]

Hi Redman,

Thanks for your reply. Where am i supposed to pull the side stand switch wire off of at? Also the turn signals are aftermarket for some reason even though the bike was basically kept 100 percent stock since then. I dont think its a problem just something to keep in mind. They are supposed to flash in a sequence kind of like the new mustangs tail lights do but they have one solid light on and one flickering in the middle with the third not on at all. I will check the battery voltage and see if it is low. Do you know what kind of voltage it should be? I have no clue why this isnt working if the oil pressure and side stand lights are supposed to be on when the bike isnt running. If i put the kickstand up with the engine off should the light turn off or not? (it doesnt turn off right now when bike isnt running). Just trying to pin point a starting point because my dad and I had this thing torn apart for three hours trying to figure out what was stopping the bike from running. With the engine kill switch set to on the starter button is totally dead and i dont even hear a relay click or anything. Again thanks for all your help, sorry for the loaded question.

Best,
Joe Grosick.

[Redman]

Hi Redman,

Thanks for your reply. Where am i supposed to pull the side stand switch wire off of at?

Also the turn signals are aftermarket for some reason even though the bike was basically kept 100 percent stock since then. I dont think its a problem just something to keep in mind. They are supposed to flash in a sequence kind of like the new mustangs tail lights do but they have one solid light on and one flickering in the middle with the third not on at all.

I will check the battery voltage and see if it is low. Do you know what kind of voltage it should be?

I have no clue why this isnt working if the oil pressure and side stand lights are supposed to be on when the bike isnt running. If i put the kickstand up with the engine off should the light turn off or not? (it doesnt turn off right now when bike isnt running).

Just trying to pin point a starting point because my dad and I had this thing torn apart for three hours trying to figure out what was stopping the bike from running. With the engine kill switch set to on the starter button is totally dead and i dont even hear a relay click or anything. Again thanks for all your help, sorry for the loaded question.

Best,
Joe Grosick.

Ah, multiple problems. I dont have complete answers, but can make some statmenets.

About sidestand light-switch.
Yes, if engine not running, the sidestand light will be on regardless of the sidestand position because the oil pressure swtich also makes the sidstand light come on. (Oil pressure swtich makes the oil light and the sidestand light come on. I tried to explain that before.)
Need to follow the wire from the sidestand swtich to find the connector. If you disconnect that, then the sidestand swtich can not be making the light come on. (Note: the switch normaly makes the light come on by grounding the wire.)
So If you can not get engine running, you could pull wire off the oil pressure sensor (connector is right at the swtich), then the oil pressure sensor can not make the stand light nor the oil pressure light come on. (NOte: the oil pressure switch works by connecting the wire to ground.)

About t/signals: do you know if they did work when you first got the bike....? IF have afternmarket t/signals like you mentioned, and they are LED, they will not be campatable with the stock flasher, and something needed to be done for that, or else they would never flash, would just come on and not flash. ANd if battery voltage is low, that could cause the flasher not to work either.

About battery voltage: should be well over 12vdc sitting at rest, and not drop by much when turn on headlight.
And should be well over 13vdc when engine running at mid rpms to charge the battery at least some, better if high 13s or low 14s. But you got other things to figure out before too concerned about if not high as some say it needs to be.
Since is not running, and has not been running, get a small (3/4 or 1 or 1 1/4 amp) charger to get battery back up to charge.

About "not even a click": You do know that in stock config has a switch on the clutch lever so that the clutch has to be pulled in? THis swtich is in line between the starter button and the staarter solenoid. Has nothing to do with what gear. It is just the clutch swtich cuts out the starter button from operating the starter solenoid. CAn check a few things by putting meter (or test light) on the little wire on the solenoid and then push the starter button.

To troubleshoot electrical problems need electrical tester of some sort. VOltmeter or test light probe.

Tell us more what you find.

[fbody_mike]

If all these strange symptoms started at the same time I'd start looking for physical damage to the loom, like Rich stated, up by where the harness enters the gauge cluster, it rubs there when the steering is moved side to side. Like Redman stated you will need a meter, or a test light to start to figure this stuff out, plus the manual, its available on Cliff's site here.

[joeman001]

Hey Everyone,

Putting this here for anyone that might be having an issue and as a resolution to this thread. So I am not sure if anyone knows this but there is a starter lockout on the bike and it is in the form of the clutch needing to be pulled in when starting the bike. Granted the bike has a whole host of other problems that I will probably post about in another thread, chiefly a vacuum leak somewhere as it idles way too high and the rpms dont drop fast when revving the bike. Anyways thanks for all of your help and suggestions.

-Joe

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Joe, here's a tip on using the site's search function at the top right of the page: Always use Advanced Search, type in your key-word(s) and ALWAYS select Titles only. This is the only way to get any meaningful results in searching the archives. Once you do this, a whole world of GS questions and answers will open up to you. You can search phrases like: Clutch switch; hanging idle; What oil should I use. I'm not telling you not to ask questions (except the oil one, don't be that guy) That's how we learn. I'm just letting you know a good way to get the most from this site. Also, if you haven't visited yet, Bike Cliff's website is a treasure trove of GS goodies. Link in my signature.

[Redman]

. . . .
.. . . . So I am not sure if anyone knows this but there is a starter lockout on the bike and it is in the form of the clutch needing to be pulled in when starting the bike. . . . .

Yes. More specifically, in stock configuration, the clutch lever switch cuts out the starter solenoid (as stated in post #5 a couple days ago.).

And the sidestand swtich operates a light , only.

Both are typical of 1980s GSes.
Later in the 90s, many bikes had a more complicated arrangement of sidstand and gear position and clutch switch to kill the ignition, if this but not that or this and/or that but except blah blah.

.