Engine shutoff while riding and now will not start. Help!

[Guest]

Hello, I have been fixing up a 1980 Gs550 that I bought as a fun project and also my first motorcycle. I have been taking it on short trips near home to build confidence that the bike will be reliable and to work out any kinks. Last week I filled the tank with gas for the first time and then parked it when I got home. 3 days later I took it for another short ride and I began to notice a faint whining noise. A few minutes later I came through a turn slowly and the engine cut out. As I coasted into a nearby parking lot the bike continued to have a slight whine.

i pulled the spark plugs in the parking lot- all have good spark. It seems like the starter/ engine is turning over faster with a higher pitch from the starter. Initially I thought filling the tank had washed some junk into the carbs so I took them off and cleaned all of the jets and circuits but that didn't get the bike to fire. Even starting fluid doesn't get it to kick over. It sounds like there is no resistance from the engine while the starter is spinning, but I can see the pistons and valves moving with the spark plugs out, so the engine is turning but not firing.

Can anybody throw some ideas out for what might be happening? Timing chain? HELP!

[gsrick]

Hello, I have been fixing up a 1980 Gs550 that I bought as a fun project and also my first motorcycle. I have been taking it on short trips near home to build confidence that the bike will be reliable and to work out any kinks. Last week I filled the tank with gas for the first time and then parked it when I got home. 3 days later I took it for another short ride and I began to notice a faint whining noise. A few minutes later I came through a turn slowly and the engine cut out. As I coasted into a nearby parking lot the bike continued to have a slight whine.

i pulled the spark plugs in the parking lot- all have good spark. It seems like the starter/ engine is turning over faster with a higher pitch from the starter. Initially I thought filling the tank had washed some junk into the carbs so I took them off and cleaned all of the jets and circuits but that didn't get the bike to fire. Even starting fluid doesn't get it to kick over. It sounds like there is no resistance from the engine while the starter is spinning, but I can see the pistons and valves moving with the spark plugs out, so the engine is turning but not firing.

Can anybody throw some ideas out for what might be happening? Timing chain? HELP!

Check your timing. It may have jumped a tooth. Enough to loose compression, but not enough to hit an open valve. Also have you checked you valve clearances? It would be a good time to do so if you haven't.

[Big T]

Rick, you should specify cam timing is what he needs to check

[05Astro]

Is the bike still full of gas? I'm thinking the petcock leaked and filled the crankcase with fuel.

[Keepongsing]

I emptied the fuel tank after I got it home, seemed like it was all there and no fuel smell from the oil.

Sounds like im pulling the valve covers off to check timing and clearances, anything else I should consider while doing this?

[tom203]

Maybe the camchain tensioner was not set right, so while you're checking camshaft to crankshaft, make sure you understand how to check/set the tensioner properly!

[Keepongsing]

Maybe the camchain tensioner was not set right, so while you're checking camshaft to crankshaft, make sure you understand how to check/set the tensioner properly!

I will do my best to check it, I think I saw a section on how to do this in the Clymer Manual- Any tips outside of what the Clymer says?

Thanks!

[Redman]

. ....... . . . . . ..... . . Even starting fluid doesn't get it to kick over. ...............!

Ah, you have spark on all plugs, but still doesn't even sputter when using starting fluid .......

Might you be able to get the compression checked....?

.

[Cipher]

starter clutch seized?

[Keepongsing]

Ah, you have spark on all plugs, but still doesn't even sputter when using starting fluid .......

Might you be able to get the compression checked....?

.

I checked the compression with a cheap tester from Autozone, but I can't tell if it isn't working or there is no compression . All of the cylinders move the needle but it seems like the cam chain jumped some teeth and is opening a valve during the compression stroke, disallowing ignition. It may have sputtered a few times, but without a proper seal in the combustion chamber, no ignition is happening.

[Keepongsing]

starter clutch seized?

The starter still spins and it turns the engine over, just no ignition. I don't think this would have caused the bike to shutoff while riding either, but I've been wrong many times.

[Redman]

I checked the compression with a cheap tester from Autozone, but I can't tell if it isn't working or there is no compression . All of the cylinders move the needle ..................

A cheap one from AutoZone should be okay for occassional use.

Moved the needle, you say.

Did it move only a little and stay there then maybe go up a little more and stay there (untill you pressed the release)? Just not go up as high as should....? That sounds like very low compression.


Or ..... did it go up some and then go back to zero..? If so maybe the guages pressure release is stuck on somehow.

[Cipher]

pop the valvetrain cover and do the check for the cam timing and chain stretch etc.

[Cipher]

so th emechanical advancer failed and is abrading something under the cover and took out one pulsar coil? holy hell wrong thread sorry all disregard

[Keepongsing]

pop the valvetrain cover and do the check for the cam timing and chain stretch etc.

Well im not sure how to do these checks, but I popped the valve cover off and the cam chain is shot. Not surprising that it jumped a few teeth because the chain is hanging on by one side of a link in a spot. I'll post pics- what is the easiest way- do I have to upload them to a host first? What host?