Help..no start..cause no spark

[opiewontaylor]

For the first time in over 20 years, my trusty '83 GS850L won't start. I tried grounding one of the spark plugs against the motor, and I'm not getting a spark. It cranks good, and this problem happened kind of "all of a sudden". Can the coils or stator go out just like that? The plug looks like it could be gas fouled, would that prevent a spark? I don't want to just throw money at the problem, any ideas appreciated..

[Redman]

- Yep, any electronic componet can "go out just like that".

- Problem with stator will not cause 'no spark' problem. Well, not untill battery is discharged, anyway. Can varify that by checking battery voltage.

- "no spark" probelm more related to ignitor and timing pickup.

Did you check more than 1 spark plug?
There are two coils, one for outter 2 plugs and other for inner two.

Will need a volt/ohm meter to check the timing pickup and the ignitor.

Tell us what else you find.

[mark]

The process of testing your signal generator and ignitor are diagrammed and explained well in the Cylmer manual I have for my 850 which covers your model as well. Probably in Haynes or factory manual as well.

If you don't have a manual or can't get a manual quickly, check back in and I'll be glad to type them out for you, if someone else hasn't already helped you. Can't do the tests though without an ohmmeter. Also do a search on this site for "testing and coils". But you'll need an ohmeter there as well. Maybe its time to go through your bike and clean all the electrical connections good too.

By the way, plugs can foul and quit firing so in any case, I'd get new ones.
Good luck!

[Tarbash 27]

SEEMS LIKE JUST THE PLUGS HAD FOULED. I KEPT FOULING PLUGS ON MY450 UNTIL I REALIZED IT WAS TOO RICH.

[SqDancerLynn1]

First thing to check would be the ign fuse, then get the meter out & check for 12 volts on the coils

[DaveDanger]

Redman gave you the best place to start, check for spark at a plug that's fired off the other coil. That tells you without a meter whether or not your problem is a plug, or the coil, or probably the ignitor/timing pickup. You will need a meter to test any further than the coil or plug. But that first step will point you correctly.

[opiewontaylor]

Thanks guys. The problem turned out to be the plugs. They were black and gas fouled. Now I have to figure how that happened. I let my son-in-law use the bike for a few days, and the problem happened under his "care". The plugs were NGK iridiums, which I thought were "unfoulable"...live and learn.