Bike stopped. Bike diagnosed. Need a 2nd opinion.

[nabrams]

manimal,

Before you start replacing one thing after another, use the "process-of-elimination" approach to narrow down the possibilities.

1. Disconnect the charging system altogether and disable the headlight circuit. Now, with a fully charged battery, go and ride the bike for an hour. The bike will run for several hours before depleting the battery. If there are any problems with the bike then it has to be your ignition system or fuel system, and move on to step 2 below. If there are no problems, then your charging system was at fault, and you need to diagnose using the stator papers - in many cases the R/R is faulty.
2. Use the search feature on this forum and the manual to diagnose the ignition components (pulse generator, ignitor, coils, plug wires/caps). If all checks out OK move on to step 3.
3. Verify compression. If OK, move on to step 4.
4. Verify the carbs are not messed up - this is very extensive - use the search feature. If all is OK here, move on to step 5.
5. Verify NO air leaks and no exhaust leaks.

[Nessism]

A fully charged battery should get your bike home no problem even if it's not charging (wouldn't hurt to disconnect the headlight as nabrams suggested first). I'd pull out that fuel filter as well just to make sure - the symptoms you discribe sound very much like fuel starvation.

Charging system problems could be either the stator or the R/R. One problem with a failed regulator/retifier is that the stator will overcharge the battery causing damage. Look at the battery, assuming it has a semi-transparent casing, and if you see a white chalky apperance on some of the grids inside the battery you have cooked it by overcharging. If this is the case, you may not make it home since the battery will not hold a proper charge. Time for plan B - purchase yet another new battery and disconnect the charging system completely before driving the bike home.

[Guest]

Listen to us. Lose the fuel filter from Autozone and ride that baby home.

[Guest]

Did you know we have a rare bike? gustovh has one too. The sixteen valve 1100L model was only made one year. What's cool is parts are easy to find.

[Dave8338]

Did you know we have a rare bike? gustovh has one too. The sixteen valve 1100L model was only made one year. What's cool is parts are easy to find.

WANT ME ONE OF THEM....GONNA GET ME ONE OF THEM!!!! :shock: \\/

[Guest]

WANT ME ONE OF THEM....GONNA GET ME ONE OF THEM!!!!

You want a "L" model????:shock:=;

[whiteboyslo]

+1 on ditching the Fram filter. that made the difference between my bike starting at all and running like a champ after i changed out some ignition parts last night.

Mike

[Dave8338]

You want a "L" model????:shock:=;

YUUUUUUUUPPPPPPP!!!!! :-D

[Guest]

YUUUUUUUUPPPPPPP!!!!! :-D

I'll sell you mine for $7000.

[Dave8338]

I'll sell you mine for $7000.

HMMMM... You know how I like a "Bone Stock" bike...yours is completely stock, RIGHT?

[Guest]

HMMMM... You know how I like a "Bone Stock" bike...yours is completely stock, RIGHT?

Absolutely!\\/

[bradleymaynar]

Okay, since it hasn't been mentioned, beyond the petcock rebuild. FLUSH THE TANK!! What I'm hearing in your posts is that this is definitely a fuel starvation issue. While the PC may be clogged, I'd lean more on the intake tube in the tank. My opinion is that you've got sediment in the bottom and that it's clogging the intake tube.

To flush, remove the tank and pour as much fuel out as possible out of the filler hole. Then, while the tank is on the side away from the PC, remove the PC and drain the remaing fuel. While the PC is out, check the intake tube for sediment. And also check, as best you can, to see if you have any rust spots inside the tank.

It may also have been possible that sediment that could have slip passed the intake and PC was blocked by the filter. Since you've removed the filter you're allowing that sediment to get into your carbs. This could eventually lead up to clogging passages in the carbs.

This is only my opinion, but I went through this before with an old Honda after I failed to seal the rusty tank and had it die on me after short distances because the rust particles would clog the intake tube in the tank.

Brad bt

[whiteboyslo]

any more advice on how to flush the tank? what should i flush with? more gas?

also, what can i do to remedy rust in the tank? mine has a little i can see when i fill her up.

Mike

[Guest]

any more advice on how to flush the tank? what should i flush with? more gas?

also, what can i do to remedy rust in the tank? mine has a little i can see when i fill her up.

Mike

Do a search for POR-15 on this site and google.

[gs550gk]

I had a similar problem on my gs1100gk. Look for a dead short somewhere in your harness. Could be something as simple as a bad wire on a brake light, or a driving light as was the case on my bike.