Please help: GS 550 Won't start

[Anonymous]

If i push the bike it starts and when its hot it also starts with the starterbutton. When i put the bike in the garage for a day or so it won't start with the starterbutton. I have to push start it again.

Anyone have ideas?

Thanks

Erik

[Anonymous]

Taking for granted that the motor is not turning over sufficiently fast to start after being parked a day, the first thing to look at is the battery and connections to same. Remove and charge the battery appropriately and have it load tested. If defective, replace. If not defective, put the fully charged battery with cleaned up cable ends back in the bike and try again. If the fully charged battery works really well at starting the bike when cold on the first occasion you try, but works less and less well over time, then suspect a charging system/circuit problem. Conversely, if the fully charged battery doesn't start the cold bike easily on the first occasion, suspect a starter or starter circuit related problem. Remember, the continuing theme on this forum is that all electrical connections on these bikes must be kept shiny and tight (including the various handlebar switch and button contacts).

[Anonymous]

Reply

Well the battery is fully loaded and the starter turns the engine with no problem.

Any ideas where to look?

Erik

[Anonymous]

Now that we know the electrical system is functioning, lets start with some simple checks to pinpoint the problem... I'm going to assume that the bike runs properly once it is started.

The petcock has a "prime" and a "run" setting. Are you setting the petcock to prime for 30 seconds before setting it to run and starting it? (Not likely the problem, but I just want to cover all the bases.)

Have you confirmed that the choke (enricher) is working properly?

It would really help if we had some more info about the bike. There are plenty of people here who have had their bike completely torn down and know it inside and out. If you give specifics on the year and model, you may get a response from someone who has the same bike. (See the Sticky on "How to get lots of Responses" in this part of the forum.)

Good luck and let us know how it's going.

[Anonymous]

Too much air?

I had a similar problem but my GS850 would start after some trying, and then would not idle until it got warm and then she seemed to run pretty well. One day I had it ideling and noticed the intake boots (black rubber looking things between the carbs and the intake manifold) were chipped and had perfectly round crack right at the point where it bolts on. I curved my finger around it and with the bike ideling you could hear a pulsating sucking noise where air was being pulled into the intake manifold through my finger.
Anyway after posting this on this forum I was advised to get new ones and not attempt to use goop or hose clamps. I broke down and bought a set which come with o rings that fit in a groove where it bolts on to the engine.
Well,... let me tell ya the bike behaved like a new machine. starts fine idles fine.
Perhaps it is a fuel mixture problem that changes after the engine gets warm.
Don't forget to look for mouse nests in the air box and or a clogged air filter.
Good Luck,
Mike

[SqDancerLynn1]

How old is the battery??? I had GS1000 years ago that was very hard to start when cold after it sat for a few days. It would crank the motor for probably 5 minutes or more but wouldn't start. Put a new battery in the bike, problem fixed. Have the battery checked

[Anonymous]

Problem

Hi

Well the battery is brandnew. The bike is GS550 from 1978 with an engine of 1981. What kind of the rubber do you mean? Between the carbs and the cilenders? Anyone any ideas?

erik

[Jay B]

Two things come to mind.....Starter Selnoid of clutch safety switch. Check the selnoid by jumping the two poles with a screwdriver and see if the bike starts. If so then there might be your problem. Also check the clutch switch by taking it apart. BE CAREFUL THERE ARE SMALL PARTS IN THERE. Clean the contacts and then try jumping them with a screwdriver and see if the bike starts.

[Anonymous]

Question

Hello

Thanks for the tips but what is the starter selnoid? I am from the Netherlands so my enligsh is nit very good.

Clutch safty switch is the emergemcy switch?

Erik

[Anonymous]

Erik:
The starter solenoid is connected to the end of the big starter wire. When you push the starter button in the solenoid switches on the starter. If you didn't have a solenoid you would have to run the battery cable up to the handle bars.

Steve

[Anonymous]

Question

The startmotor runs when i push the starterbutton but the engine won't start. Is that still a Selnoid problem?

Erik

[Anonymous]

Eric,
It seems to me that your battery and starter are working if the bike turns over (starter turns the engine). When you mentioned that the bike will start using the starter button when it is hot, my mind goes to fuel mixture issues. I know this is a simple question, but do you use the choke when the bike is cold? My 1979 GS550 has the choke on the left side by under the petcock (fuel lever) you need to pull it up for the choke to be on. Also, when my 550 has sat for a few days it starts better with the kick starter than it does with the battery. Both of my GS's will not start if I do not use the choke.
The black rubber things I mentioned in my previous post are actually rubber around aluminum tubes that connect from the carburetors to the intake manifold (the air/fuel intake to the cylinders). Each one slides over a tube from the carberator and bolts to the intake manifold with two bolts each. Chances are that yours are fine, but you may want to check to see if you have cracks and if they are leaking air into the mix. When the bike is running curve your finger over any cracks and see if there is a sucking sound. On the bike I have that had this problem it made a big difference in starting and idling.
Good luck,
Mike

[moto_dan]

Re: Please help: GS 550 Won't start

If i push the bike it starts and when its hot it also starts with the starterbutton. When i put the bike in the garage for a day or so it won't start with the starterbutton. I have to push start it again. Anyone have ideas?

Thanks

Erik

Sounds very similiar to my 1100. I'm convinced in my case that it is the fuel enrichening circuit in the carbs. As long as my 1100 is riden daily it starts right up, but let it set for a couple of days and it is a pain to start, no matter what procedure I use. Using a small squirt of starter fluid in the air box usually fires her right up. Oh yeah the choke has little or no effect and it is connected.

[arveejay]

Hi, I had this same problem with my 850. When you have the carb bowls removed you will see a little brass straw which goes into a little hole in the carb bowl. You should be able to spray carb cleaner into this hole in the carb bowl and the spray will come out of a little hole at bottom of the bowl. Be careful as the spray usually comes back out and hits you in the eye. If these holes are not open your choke function will not operate properly as it can't get gas. These holes are operable only in the choke mode. All 4 bowls should let the spray come thru. If any of these are plugged gas can't get to the little brass screws and therefore it won't start cold. Good luck with your classic.

[Anonymous]

Spark plugs

Well when it won't start i removed the sparkplugs ans all of them are wet with feul. So that can't be the problem.

I will keep looking

Erik