WON"T START - NEED GS GURU HELP

[Anonymous]

Hello all of you GS lovers. I'm in urgent need of help with my 1980 GS1000G. I'm missing the prime riding days of summer - HELP
About 2 weeks ago my normally trouble free GS1000G wouldn't start when hot. I pushed it and kick started it and drove home. I check the battery and found it a 11.4 VDC. I started it and ran the RPMS up and found no change on the battery voltage. I remember the conversations on this web site about the stator and regulator and performed the checks from the stator pages. The rectifier/regulator was shorted and I ordered a replacement. While I had the bike down and apart I went through most of the connections and cleaned them (One at a time). I also removed the petcock and cleaned the gas tank of sedement. I pulled the plugs and cleaned and regaped them and charged the battery. I thought once I replaced the R/R I would get back on the bike and get some more miles in, but now the bike won't start. It turns over great but won't kick off. It doesn't even try to kick. I tried the prime for 10 seconds and set to on with no throttle but chocked but still nothing. I've retraced my steps and pulled the Hayes manual wiring diagrams and all looks good. I pulled the plugs and checked for spark. I have spark so I tried shooting some carb cleaner in the air box to see if it would at least attempt to start - nothing, just cranks and cranks. I have compression and expected the problem to be fuel but even a spry of carb cleaner into each cylinder won't give even a small indication of it kicking off. The battery is at 12.4 VDC and my wiring has been checked with an ohmmeter more than once with no problem found. I've searched hours on this forum to find an answer and have checked many of the post that sounded like something I should check but come up empty handed. I know everything points to something I did, that's why i have taken so many hours retracing my steps and checking what I did. I have a working bike with a dead battery and now it won't start - I'm really bummed and hope someone has had a similar situation and can shed some light on this one. PLEASE HELP, this bike is my freedom ( and sanity) from the hectic life we all live.

[mpogue]

Hi rockinGS

I personally haven't had this problem, but from what I've read in the forum, one thing to check is a weak spark. This would be due to the ignitor. Check it to see if it's gone. Here's one link about checking it. Go down to Billy Ricks post.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/viewtopic.php?t=23489

Also, if that's not enough info for you, do a search. I got a ton of threads that have something to do on checking ignitors.

Good luck.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Might not be getting fuel. The 1980 petcocks are a pain. Try checking or replacing the vacuum line and then put the petcock back on prime. These '80 petcocks sometimes don't flow on prime unless there is constant engine cranking. Just give it a longer chance to start. If no start, I would take out the floatbowl drain screw out of at least one floatbowl and see if there's fuel entering. You can also take a plug out and see if it's getting fuel. You may have to clean out the petcock too.

[Anonymous]

re. WON"T START, NEED GS GURU

Thanks for the quick replies. How can I check to see if I have enough (Good) spark. I have spark but is it strong enough to kick the bike over? Is there a way to measure, or can I setup a jig to measure the distance the spark will jump which will correspond to the amount of spark I have.

As far as Fuel. I currently have a clear fuel line plugged directly into the fuel line to the carbs. I fill this line with gas and hang it so it will gravity feed. This takes the petcock out of the picture. I do notice that the gas level in the tubing decreases over time. I cannot watch it move but after cranking the bike off and on for a few hours I have to refill the line. The gas is going somewhere and I don't see any leaks or smell high levels of fuel. Why won't it attempt to start when I spray carb cleaner directly into the cylinder.

I keep thinking the bike ran before I changed the regulator.

A few things I wonder about, maybe someone can shed some light on.
I used anti-seaze on the spark plugs threads, not much but I've done this on autos before and never had problems...... :?

I didn't plug the vacuum line to the petcock when I was running a test fuel line. I know a vacuum leaks is bad, but don't thing it would stop the bike from starting...

I used a little silicon lube on the petcock gasket when I had it apart to make it easier to move. I had the tank on for a short time with it connected but removed it when it didn't start. Could this do something to the carbs???? Still it should kick over a little when I sprayed carb cleaner into the cylinder......

I'm a weekend mechanic and willing to try almost anything my self, so my lack of experience must have ended me up in this situation. Dumb mistake... I do know electricity and electronics and I feel confident in my replacement of the R/R and cleaning connectors and grounds. Unless something failed at the same time that I had the R/R out, I caused the problem and need to find out what. Please share any dumb mistakes you GS gurus may have made that I may have duplicated in the attempt to make my GS perform to the best of its ability.

Thanks for this forum, I'd be towing my GS to the shop by now if I didn't have guys and gals like you willing to share your wealth of knowledge.

[mpogue]

Re: re. WON"T START, NEED GS GURU

I was assuming you knew you were getting fuel. Anyways, since it wasn't trying to start with carb cleaner, the spark was my next thought. I'd follow Keith's reply first. Make sure there is gas in the carbs. It sounds like it from your description. :? You should plug the vacuum line though.

If you look at my last reply, the link has some discussion on spark colour. The link I have below is on how to test the ignition coils. Follow it. At least you can be sure that they're not your problem if the ignitors pass. It also talks about checking the signal generator too.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/viewtopic.php?t=17373

Good Luck.

Thanks for the quick replies. How can I check to see if I have enough (Good) spark. I have spark but is it strong enough to kick the bike over? Is there a way to measure, or can I setup a jig to measure the distance the spark will jump which will correspond to the amount of spark I have.

As far as Fuel. I currently have a clear fuel line plugged directly into the fuel line to the carbs. I fill this line with gas and hang it so it will gravity feed. This takes the petcock out of the picture. I do notice that the gas level in the tubing decreases over time. I cannot watch it move but after cranking the bike off and on for a few hours I have to refill the line. The gas is going somewhere and I don't see any leaks or smell high levels of fuel. Why won't it attempt to start when I spray carb cleaner directly into the cylinder.

I keep thinking the bike ran before I changed the regulator.

A few things I wonder about, maybe someone can shed some light on.
I used anti-seaze on the spark plugs threads, not much but I've done this on autos before and never had problems...... :?

I didn't plug the vacuum line to the petcock when I was running a test fuel line. I know a vacuum leaks is bad, but don't thing it would stop the bike from starting...

I used a little silicon lube on the petcock gasket when I had it apart to make it easier to move. I had the tank on for a short time with it connected but removed it when it didn't start. Could this do something to the carbs???? Still it should kick over a little when I sprayed carb cleaner into the cylinder......

I'm a weekend mechanic and willing to try almost anything my self, so my lack of experience must have ended me up in this situation. Dumb mistake... I do know electricity and electronics and I feel confident in my replacement of the R/R and cleaning connectors and grounds. Unless something failed at the same time that I had the R/R out, I caused the problem and need to find out what. Please share any dumb mistakes you GS gurus may have made that I may have duplicated in the attempt to make my GS perform to the best of its ability.

Thanks for this forum, I'd be towing my GS to the shop by now if I didn't have guys and gals like you willing to share your wealth of knowledge.

[lhanscom]

Make sure you have the coils hooked up to the right cylinders, it would be quite easy to swap the wires going to the coils and have them fireing oppisite from when they're supposed to. You could also check things with a timing light if you have one.