Ignition help needed on my gs850

[Guest]

ok, so I took out the original engine in my 82 gs 850g, and threw in one out of an 80 gs850g. The two "signal generators" look completely different. The newer one has 4 wires coming from it, 2 off each post. The older one just has one off each side. I am tempted to just splice the newer style plug and wires into the older two. I'll go take a couple pics and throw them up so everyone knows what i'm talking about.

[rapidray]

Can't you just swap your old signal generator & crank trigger into the new motor? Ray.

[mighty13d]

Can't you just swap your old signal generator & crank trigger into the new motor? Ray.

I was thinking about that, but I dont know if it will swap out evenly. BUUTTTTT.. that's why i'm asking!

[Nessism]

The complete ignition system is different between the two bikes. I "think" you can just move over the '80 signal generators and mechanical advance mechanism to the '82 engine.

[mighty13d]

The complete ignition system is different between the two bikes. I "think" you can just move over the '80 signal generators and mechanical advance mechanism to the '82 engine.

I'm going the opposite way, but I think I'll give it a try after I get the engine bolted in the rest of the way.

[Nessism]

I'm going the opposite way, but I think I'll give it a try after I get the engine bolted in the rest of the way.

Oops, misread your post. The '82 engine does not have a mechanical advance but the '80 engine does. Hopefully you can get the parts to move over between the two.

[psyguy]

the systems are different in both the advance system and the ignitor box
i think you should be able to take the 80 setup out and put the one from your 82 in
that way you would retain the 82 electronic advance which is superior to the older mechanical advance system

[mighty13d]

the systems are different in both the advance system and the ignitor box
i think you should be able to take the 80 setup out and put the one from your 82 in
that way you would retain the 82 electronic advance which is superior to the older mechanical advance system

yeah I got the mechanical advance out fairly easily, but just like every single other bolt/screw on the 82, I'm having issues with the ones on the electronic advance. the bolt in the middle came out after I ruined one allen wrench on it. I think he-man put everything together on that bike... the 3 screws that hold the plate on are a pain. 1 came out easily and the other two stripped out despite using the impact driver. I'm going to get the other two out with a bolt-out.

So despite having this figured out, I was trying to bolt up the engine to the frame and I noticed that the bolt holes on the plate from the trans weren't meeting up correctly with the holes from the plate on the drive shaft. So i dug the drive shaft out of the 80 frame and measured the holes. Then measured the ones on the 82 engine. They definately have different spacing. So the engine has to come back out. I'm having a rough day.

[psyguy]

So despite having this figured out, I was trying to bolt up the engine to the frame and I noticed that the bolt holes on the plate from the trans weren't meeting up correctly with the holes from the plate on the drive shaft. So i dug the drive shaft out of the 80 frame and measured the holes. Then measured the ones on the 82 engine. They definately have different spacing. So the engine has to come back out. I'm having a rough day.

oh, sorry to hear that
yeah, the secondary gears and the final shaft have changed in 82 as well

not too sure why you're doing all that and where you got your spare motor from but the 1100 bolts right in too

[mighty13d]

oh, sorry to hear that
yeah, the secondary gears and the final shaft have changed in 82 as well

not too sure why you're doing all that and where you got your spare motor from but the 1100 bolts right in too

I had messed up threads on the cyl 3 spark plug hole, so i pulled the engine because I was going to have it fixed and I was told it's easiest out of the bike. Originally i was going to pull the head to have it fixed. then I found an 80 gs850g for $200. I bought that and decided to just swap engines out.

I swapped the drive shaft on the 82 with the parts bike one and used the original electronic advance signal generator on the replacement motor. Then threw on the newly cleaned/rebuilt carbs and plugged everything in like it should.

And guess what happened next... IT STARTED!!! WOOHOO!!! It reved a few times normally, but then came down slowly and stayed up next time I reved it up a little. I'm thinking I just need to mess with the pilot screws some. This engine sounds sooooo sweet compaired to the old one. It is nice and smooth. especially since this one doesn't have any vacuum leaks!\\/\\/

I didn't know that an 1100 is a direct bolt on, but I liked the 850. Maybe if I end up pulling this engine, I might throw in an 1100. My buddie's step dad has all sorts of them. Maybe I should have said something sooner. He has about 30 bikes over there. I'm pretty sure all of them are 1100s. he drag races some of them.

Anyway, I'm going to search to see if the high revving is the adjustment screws and then head to bed.

Matt

[TheCafeKid]

I had messed up threads on the cyl 3 spark plug hole, so i pulled the engine because I was going to have it fixed and I was told it's easiest out of the bike. Originally i was going to pull the head to have it fixed. then I found an 80 gs850g for $200. I bought that and decided to just swap engines out.

I swapped the drive shaft on the 82 with the parts bike one and used the original electronic advance signal generator on the replacement motor. Then threw on the newly cleaned/rebuilt carbs and plugged everything in like it should.

And guess what happened next... IT STARTED!!! WOOHOO!!! It reved a few times normally, but then came down slowly and stayed up next time I reved it up a little. I'm thinking I just need to mess with the pilot screws some. This engine sounds sooooo sweet compaired to the old one. It is nice and smooth. especially since this one doesn't have any vacuum leaks!\\/\\/

I didn't know that an 1100 is a direct bolt on, but I liked the 850. Maybe if I end up pulling this engine, I might throw in an 1100. My buddie's step dad has all sorts of them. Maybe I should have said something sooner. He has about 30 bikes over there. I'm pretty sure all of them are 1100s. he drag races some of them.

Anyway, I'm going to search to see if the high revving is the adjustment screws and then head to bed.

Matt

Be aware that he is speaking of the 1100 "G" motor, which is 8v shaft drive like your 850. Not to be confused with the 16v 1100 motor, chain drive, and likely WONT bolt right in.

BTW, if you happen to have a spare 82 850 tank laying around, I would love to buy it off you

[mighty13d]

Be aware that he is speaking of the 1100 "G" motor, which is 8v shaft drive like your 850. Not to be confused with the 16v 1100 motor, chain drive, and likely WONT bolt right in.

BTW, if you happen to have a spare 82 850 tank laying around, I would love to buy it off you

thanks for the tip! I think his are shafties.. but we'll tackle that obstical when we get to it! The spare tank I have is a rusty one that's got HUGE dents and that's actually off the 80 that is my parts bike. So not the one you want, and even if it was... it's too abused to be helpful.

Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe the reving is coming partly from an exhaust leak (a broken off exhaust bolt that I'm yet to fix) and my air filter is actually lose inside the breather box. I just wanted to get it together, but I bet that's playing more of a part of the reving than the pilot screws..... anyway, bed time.

Matt

[850 Combat]

I prefer the '80 to the '82. More comfortable.

[TheCafeKid]

I prefer the '80 to the '82. More comfortable.

I too, when i eventually get an 850 to add to my GS stable, will prefer the 79-81 850. I think it looks more muscular. I was asking about the 82 tank simply because its the same tank my 82 1100G uses, and im looking for a spare for a new paint job i want to do, and not ruin the stock body work. I think the 82 and up 850Gs look a lil thinner or something, i dunno. The 1100 looks fine in that body work because of the taller motor. But I agree, having sat on an 81 850, the ergos are a lil nicer, and again, i think it looks meaner...

[psyguy]

The 1100 looks fine in that body work because of the taller motor.

i measured my 850 against buddy's 1100 and the motors seem to have the exact same external dimensions
it must be the position of the tank that makes the 1100 motor look taller