GS300L Electrical problems

[cheferic]

I have a GS300L (1985) which I just got. I had the battery out to test and charge. It starts, but the battery is borderline. The problem I'm having is that various electical components are not working or are behaving in an erratic manner. The headlight stopped working, except for high-beam. The next day, the high-beam stopped working as well. The turn signals seem to work, but sometimes they blink, sometimes not. The gear indicator lights the number sometimes, sometimes not, and sometimes one number and not another. Other than the electrical weirdness the bike seems to run fine. Any ideas what's causing this??? Thanks!

[Redman]

various electical components are not working or are behaving in an erratic manner.

Doesnt seem like any one thing can cause these various things to not work at various different times. All those things are on different circuits, and have different ground connections.

Then take one problem at a time, such as the head light. And follow the wiring (would help to have schematic and manual) and take apart every connector you come to. Clean with contact cleaner. Or you could just start at headlight shell and work your way back, take apart every connector and clean. Look for corrosion, if corrosion real bad, maybe wires are deteriated. Also look for black/white wires that leave the wiring harnes and are connected to ground, clean up those ground connections.

Quite often "erratic" and intermittentent problems are caused by a bad ground connection, but just for those items on that particular ground.

Maybe problem is the headlight bulb, and the turnsignal bulbs - the bulbs themselves. Could check that too. Would help to have multimeter.

To find most of the connectors will have to take headlight out of headlight bucket, remove the tank, remove side covers (the plastic ones), and remove seat. I am not familiar with the 300 to be anymore specific than that.

Just keep at it, you will find something. And become more connected to your fine machine in the processes. Then you will say "a person doesnt really own something untill they repair it themselves, then it is thiers!"

[cheferic]

Thanks for the input. The thing is, I had none of these problems before the battery drained and I pulled it to charge. Headlight was fine on both settings, signals always worked and gear indicator always functioned correctly. These weird electical anomalies started only after the battery was removed and reinstalled.

[Redman]

Good troubleshooting observation.

Well, then, obvious thing would be to check the battery connections. And anything you had to relocated to remove-reinstall battery.

One time I had electrical problems after having replaced a battery (on 650G, battery slid in-out of battery box horizontally, rather than lift out vertiaclly). Turns out there was a ground connection on inside bottom of battery box that got bent over and broke loose, although in that case it caused charging problems not erratic problems with various devices.

Maybe someone more familair with 300s will have some words of wisdom for you. But there really arent that many 300s. (I have only ever seen one.) Maybe someone has some idea from general expereince on other bikes.

[katoranger]

You said the battery is borderline. It may be the battery itself just needs to be replaced. If you haven't already done so, buy a new battery and make sure the connections are good. If the battery isn't holding a charge for long the electrical system is probably going to work erratically.

Allen