Not starting after bike went down

[williamcryan]

Sorry, haven't gotten back. I've been working extra hours and the bike is outside covered and it's been too cold to get deeper into it. I'm ready to begin seeing what's wrong and fixing it. Thanks for responding guys.

[williamcryan]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I'm healed from a couple of spots of road rash and doing fine. I have checked the run switch and it is on. I did pull plugs and they seemed OK and put them back in. Cranked for a while and no life. I hadn't thought of cyclinders flooded and I had just had the top end worked on with new rings put in. I did check the points cover case and no damage. I then pulled it off and I didn't see any damage to points or wiring. I will pull plugs this week and try suggestions to hold throttle wide open and crank it over to remove any fuel in the cyclinders. I've got new plugs, so I will replace them at the same time. I will post results this weekend. Thanks again, as I mentioned, I've been working extra hours and the bike is outside and it's been raining. I'm in Oregeon, what else would you expect. My baby is covered though and has survived several winters with no problems.

[tom203]

When you get back at it; make sure you're getting fuel to carbs, so open and drain one fuel bowl into cup; then put petcock on prime and check that the bowl gets refilled. During a cold start after a little cranking, plugs should be slightly wet when "choke" is applied.
Pull one spark plug, reattached plug wire, and hold against ehgine and check for good spark during cranking. If you got fuel and spark, it will fire.

About the gravel stuff.... It takes practice to avoid braking when you sudddenly find gravel/sand in your turn- you're in it, so it's too late to slow down. You will drift sideways, but revolving tires offer nice gyroscopic resisting force- getting your inside leg down will help with your comfort level as you drift. Happens to me regularly- easier (i.e less fear) when you're on a 250 lb dirt bike than a 500 lb street bike but principle is the same. It will happen to you again, so practice- borrow a friend's dirtbike and have some fun!

[tkent02]

You park it outside all winter in Oregon and have the audacity to call it your baby?
The reason it's not starting now is most certainly not the same reason it wouldn't start after being dumped.

[williamcryan]

Mr. Tkent02, not a very kind comment. I don't have a garage, I do the best I can. The bike is covered. In the winter, I start it every week, keep it clean and I ride it whenever it is not wet. The bike has not complained, it rides great and has for the seven years that I've owned it though the winters. It always starts right up. I have had the top end rebuilt a couple of times. The bike not starting has nothing to do with keeping my baby outside in the winter, although I wish I had a better place to keep her, but I don't. I had the top end rebuilt the past fall and until I dropped my bike it ran strong. You should take a look at your audacity in commenting when you don't know the situation.

[williamcryan]

I have pulled the plugs, cranked it over with throttle open as recommended, replaced with new plugs and still not starting or sound like anything is firing up. The carbs are getting fuel. It seems to be an ignition problem, possible electronic ignition. Before I have it taken to the shop, I'd like to check the ignition. Any tips on how to check if I am getting spark to my plugs while I'm cranking the engine. From what I read, I'll just pull a plug, crank the engine and see if I see if I see spark jumping across the electrode. Any tips would be appreciated on the next step if I don't see a spark.

[Agemax]

pull a plug, attach it back on the HT lead and lay the plug on the cylinder head so it is grounded. then spin the motor over and you will see if you have a spark or not. DO NOT HOLD ON TO THE PLUG WHEN CRANKING MOTOR...IT HURTS!
best to check a plug from both coils just to eliminate a duff coil

[williamcryan]

Thanks Agemax. shoot, I pulled the plug, attached it back to the HD lead, grounded the plug and no spark. I then connected a test lamp to the grounded plug and no light. I replaced the two coils a couple of years ago. The electronic ignition is probably stock. What other electronic components can I test to isolate the problem?

[Agemax]

Thanks Agemax. shoot, I pulled the plug, attached it back to the HD lead, grounded the plug and no spark. I then connected a test lamp to the grounded plug and no light. I replaced the two coils a couple of years ago. The electronic ignition is probably stock. What other electronic components can I test to isolate the problem?

sorry but i really dont know much about the 1100 electronic ignition set up so i cant really help any more. i am sure somebody will be along soon with some help for you.you wont light a test lamp by attaching it to a plug by the way.

only 1 thing i can suggest is to make sure you have 12v at the coils with the ignition switch on, then i'm out of ideas.......

have a look here, it may help you.........

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/electrical_odd-n-ends.html#A11

[williamcryan]

Thanks for your help. I will check volts at the coil. I did check for spark at both outer cylinders. Something electrical could have jostled loose when the bike went down. The bike went down pretty easy, just slipped and slid. Any information on how to test the electronic ignition for my 82 GS1100G would be appreciated.

[Agemax]

Thanks for your help. I will check volts at the coil. I did check for spark at both outer cylinders. Something electrical could have jostled loose when the bike went down. The bike went down pretty easy, just slipped and slid. Any information on how to test the electronic ignition for my 82 GS1100G would be appreciated.

1 + 4 (the 2 outer cylinders) use the same coil so i would just check either 2 or 3 for a spark just to be sure

[williamcryan]

Thanks for the 'Testing the ignition System' link. I checked battery voltage, it was about 12.6, although not fully charged. I checked plugs by cranking engine and no spark on cylinders 1 and 2, used by both coils. I then checked voltage on the coils with ignition on and I got about 9 volts on each coil. I didn't measure voltage while starting and lights on, but I'm not suspecting a battery problem since the bike has always started right up even after sitting for several days and cold weather. I did not check ohms on the coil. At this point going forward in my testing I sort of ran into a knowledge wall, but thanks to the Clymer manual and the testing link, I believe I can continue on with testing the igniter, which was were I was running into a problem with since I didn't know where it was located and I still don't, except it is on the left side and I think I know what it looks like. So, onward I go, maybe I can finish testing tomorrow.

[tom203]

With ignition on, you should get about a minimum of 11 volts from orange/white wire (connects to both coils) to a good ground - 9 volts is likly too low for some ignitors to fire (no spark at plugs). Assuming your battery is OK, somewhere you are losing juice ( key and/or run switch or wiring ). Since you went down on right side, I'd be suspicious of off/run switch wiring. You could run a jumper wire from battery positive to o/w wires on coils and then see if you get spark during cranking. Be careful, bike on centerstand and in neutral

[williamcryan]

Thanks for the tip Tom203. That's were experience and knowledge helps. I'll give it another test and proceed on.

[tom203]

Thanks for the tip Tom203. That's were experience and knowledge helps. I'll give it another test and proceed on.

I should have added that the jumper wire needs to feed the ignitor too- that o/w wire connects to coils and then travels down harness to feed ignitor. If your coils have spade terminals, pull back connection slightly and stick jumper on exposed o/w terminal-this way both the coils and the ignitor see full battery voltage,