pick-up coil question

[Jack L]

its been a while, but I need a little advice. I have an 83 GS 650GL that number 1 and 4 have quit on. I have pulled the tank ( A few times) and changed the coils wires (all ) and either coil will run # 2 and 3, but neither will run # 1 and 4. I have it figured to be a bad pick-up coil. I took the cover off of the pick-ups and everything looks good, but I know thats just good for wire condition, gap, etc.

Being a little low of funds I go to ebay and find a set from an 1982 GS 650gl for sale. Will they bolt on, will they work with a modification, or should I keep looking. for all I can see I think they will work fine, but don't need any parts that won't help me.

You all have been great in the past and i have learned a lot just reading posts of other people, so thanks for ALL the help!!!!

[duaneage]

I have a set or two that will work on your engine, yours for 15 dollars including shipping. Send me a PM if interested

[Billy Ricks]

Are you sure you have the plug wires right? Sounds like you have two of them wrong. One coil fires 1 and 4 and the other 2 and 3. If one of the signal generators was bad you would have one of those pairs not firing, not one from each coil.

[Suzuki_Don]

I could be wrong, and there are much more knowledgeable people on this forum than me. But I would think that if the pickup for 1-4 was not working then neither of these two cylinders would fire. The same would apply for 2-3 cylinders. I would check all four spark plugs placed on the cylinder head and crank the engine and check for spark at each plug in turn.

If all four plugs fire the pickup is not your problem. If cylinders 1 & 3 do not fire at the plugs but 2 and 4 do then it looks like a coil problem to my way of thinking.
You may need to look somewhere else, maybe in the carb area.

EDIT: You beat me to it Billy, while I was still typing you had already replied.

[Suzuki_Don]

Another thought could be tight valves. Not closing fully and a loss of compression on those two cylinders.

[Jack L]

oops

my computer miss typed agine!! I wanted to say that # 1 and 4 quit and # 2 and 3 did not. I moved plug wires and the wires that hook onto the coils ( swiched which coil fire witch plug ) and I still only had # 2 and 3 firing. this I checked by letting it run just long enought to be able to feel the exaust pipes. only 2 and 3 get hot on eather coil while # 1 and 4 do not. sorry, i fixed the first post.

[Suzuki_Don]

Jack you need to pull the spark plugs and test them on the cylinder head for spark. It could just be a couple of bad spark plugs.

[SqDancerLynn1]

Sounds like you have it figured, Probably bad coil