GS650 will not start

[bigredhorse]

Hi, everyone. I have a tale of woe that is (almost) completely my own doing, which makes it even more aggravating! I have a 1982 GS650GLX that I bought about 8 years ago and in two riding seasons (in VT that's about 6 months total!) put around 6K on it. The starter button always seemed a bit "funny", - I sometimes had to move it around to get it to start - and in cooler weather it was slow to start. The first summer I rode it, I rebuilt the carbs and didn't do that much else to it. The second season when I "put it up", I noticed that the petcock had completely crapped out on me.

Meanwhile, due to circumstances, it has been under a tarp in my yard for about four years. This season I decided to get it running again. I installed a new Pingel petcock. I bought a new battery. I installed it today. When I turn the key, the lights come on (including my oil light!), but even though I do the easy / ingrained stuff (neutral, clutch in, fuel on, key on, kill switch to run), nothing happens - it doesn't make any sound at all when I push the starter button.

I have searched the forums for similar situations and have some ideas for things to check - I may have disrupted the wiring to selenoid when I removed and replaced the tank, I should check the ignition fuse... but what else do I do? It seems to me that the starter itself has died given that the bike ran when stored (the old infamous line...).

I am best with flowchart-type logic when it comes to things that are new to me, or very literal, step-by-step instructions.

(Hi to everyone from when I was an active member in the "old" forum, now about 6 years ago! Some of you bought GS Resources basball caps from me.)

[80GS750]

i would try to jump the posts on the starter solenoid.. if the starter kicks than you know its good and you have wiring problems...

[chef1366]

Maybe the clutch safety switch took a crap.

[bigredhorse]

Jump the posts like jumping a battery? Do I risk frying anything? I do have a charger / car booster I can use. If the starter doesn't kick I need a new starter, but if it doesn't, where should I go from there?

How can I check the clutch safety switch? And where / what is it? I looked in my Clymer manual and can't find it in the clutch assembly diagrams.

Thanks for your help, guys.

[waterman]

Jump the posts like jumping a battery? Do I risk frying anything? I do have a charger / car booster I can use. If the starter doesn't kick I need a new starter, but if it doesn't, where should I go from there?

How can I check the clutch safety switch? And where / what is it? I looked in my Clymer manual and can't find it in the clutch assembly diagrams.

uys.

To jump posts on starter solenoid, take a short piece of insulated wire with bare, stripped ends and connect the two posts or threaded sections of where the hot, positive red wires go from battery. On my 650, it is beside battery box, to the rear of bike.

The clutch safety switch is on the bottom of the clutch lever housing on handlebar. It is the small black protrusion with two wires going off to the headlight. It is easiest to bypass by unscrewing front of headlight, 3 screws, and tracking down which wires go to switch. I believe they are green with a yellow stripe. Pull apart the bullet connectors and simply connect the two wires together to complete circuit. Resist the urge to take apart clutch safety switch at clutch lever. Inside is a small (tiny) spring, copper connector and plastic doohickey. They don't like to stay together and have a tendency to vanish right before your eyes:shock:. If you don't lose them initially, they vanish when trying to reassemble.

In clymers, the clutch safety switch is labeled as a starter safety switch in the electrical diagram.

[Killer2600]

Resist the urge to take apart clutch safety switch at clutch lever. Inside is a small (tiny) spring, copper connector and plastic doohickey. They don't like to stay together and have a tendency to vanish right before your eyes:shock:. If you don't lose them initially, they vanish when trying to reassemble.

Oh so painfully true, also applies to the front brake light switch. Fortunately I did (after a long time looking) find all the pieces and was able to put everything very carefully back together.

[KnightRider]

Hi, everyone. I have a tale of woe that is (almost) completely my own doing, which makes it even more aggravating! I have a 1982 GS650GLX that I bought about 8 years ago and in two riding seasons (in VT that's about 6 months total!) put around 6K on it. The starter button always seemed a bit "funny", - I sometimes had to move it around to get it to start - and in cooler weather it was slow to start. The first summer I rode it, I rebuilt the carbs and didn't do that much else to it. The second season when I "put it up", I noticed that the petcock had completely crapped out on me.

Meanwhile, due to circumstances, it has been under a tarp in my yard for about four years. This season I decided to get it running again. I installed a new Pingel petcock. I bought a new battery. I installed it today. When I turn the key, the lights come on (including my oil light!), but even though I do the easy / ingrained stuff (neutral, clutch in, fuel on, key on, kill switch to run), nothing happens - it doesn't make any sound at all when I push the starter button.

I have searched the forums for similar situations and have some ideas for things to check - I may have disrupted the wiring to selenoid when I removed and replaced the tank, I should check the ignition fuse... but what else do I do? It seems to me that the starter itself has died given that the bike ran when stored (the old infamous line...).

I am best with flowchart-type logic when it comes to things that are new to me, or very literal, step-by-step instructions.

(Hi to everyone from when I was an active member in the "old" forum, now about 6 years ago! Some of you bought GS Resources basball caps from me.)

Hey Brother , Im New but Welcome Back ! Yea Check the Fuses and Make Sure all Contacts are Clean and Grounded> If ya Jump always start the car {BEFORE} you hook up to bike, if not ya risk frying everything.Also Take your Throttle Twist apart and clean the contacts there on starter button, Use Dremel on slow with steel brush wheel , it works wonders . Good Luck !

[KnightRider]

Hey Brother , Im New but Welcome Back ! Yea Check the Fuses and Make Sure all Contacts are Clean and Grounded> If ya Jump always start the car {BEFORE} you hook up to bike, if not ya risk frying everything.Also Take your Throttle Twist apart and clean the contacts there on starter button, Use Dremel on slow with steel brush wheel , it works wonders . Good Luck !

Ride Hard But Ride Safe !

[tkent02]

If ya Jump always start the car {BEFORE} you hook up to bike, if not ya risk frying everything.

DO NOT connect a running car to any bike to jump start it, the bike's electrical system will try to regulate the car's charging system which it can't do, and it will burn itself up trying.

A car battery will crank a tiny bike starter forever without running the car's engine.

Learn a few basic troubleshooting skills and find out why the bike doesn't run. It's simple stuff, there are no computers or anything.

[bigredhorse]

Thanks for all your replys, guys. I am house sitting starting in about an hour, so the next chance I'll get to wrench this will be next Saturday. I'll certainly try all your suggestions.

Should I be alarmed about the oil light being on when I turn the key to "on"? I don't remember that coming on routinely as a "test". Also, should I do any precautionary things before I DO get this sucker to turn over after it's been sitting for this long? Turn anything by hand? And how do I do that? I figured I'd change the oil and filter - certainly churning crappy oil all around is a bad thing, and since my petcock pooped out as the last hurrah before I stored it, there's probably gas in that oil, too. And change the spark plugs.

There's just something about electrical issues that turns me into an imbecile. I totally get the mechanical stuff - parts a b and c do this and this - but electricity seems an invisible mystery.

Hey, to you, too, KnightRider, but that's Sister, not Brother. ;-)

[KnightRider]

Im soooo Sorry BigRedHorse , Forgive me Please =) I Need Glasses cause i cant see YOU as clear from Here LOL Have a Great Day and Goo Luck !!!!

[TheCafeKid]

The oil light will come on untill you start the bike. Its simply telling you that the oil pressure is low. Considering the bike isnt running, there is NO oil pressure, so of course its going to come on. And, as said, but just to reitterate. NEVER EVER EVER hook a bike battery to a running car battery for a jump. Ever. Unless you want it to go poop on you...then of course, by all means.

[bigredhorse]

Don't worry about the car & motorcycle jumping union - it's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned - wouldn't have ever tried it because it just seems wrong. (Like interspecies mating or something!). Plus it's easy enough to roll it and pop the clutch to start it if it comes to that.