1983 Suzuki GS1100ED --- "Big Boy"

[Flaming Chainsaws]

That is one the most crazy "WTFs" I have heard yet.
Where Jeeprusty with his cloud theory?

Right you are. "Look up and admire the dark cloud abouve your head, Allen."

But seriously, WTF???

Maybe the boot is off on the starter where the cable hooks up and is grounding so slightly to the dust cover or the crankcase?

Good call! I will check that out!

[Flaming Chainsaws]

Have you considered the ignition switch?

Explain.

[Tech73]

Shouldn't the lights work even if you didn't have a motor in it? Now I don't mean take the motor out but unplug everything from the motor to the wiring harrness and see if you get lights.

I'm thinking if it's in the engine he unplugs everything from the engine to the harrness then the lights should come on. Am I right or am I wrong chef?

[Flaming Chainsaws]

Shouldn't the lights work even if you didn't have a motor in it? Now I don't mean take the motor out but unplug everything from the motor to the wiring harrness and see if you get lights.

I'm thinking if it's in the engine he unplugs everything from the engine to the harrness then the lights should come on. Am I right or am I wrong chef?

Hmmm... Not quite. The check panel control unit is dependent on the oil pressure switch.

My batteries ground is on the engine too.

[chef1366]

Hmmm... Not quite. The check panel control unit is dependent on the oil pressure switch.

My batteries ground is on the engine too.

I would try moving the battery ground from the crankcase to a frame bolt if it will reach.

[Tech73]

Yea, I know about the ground but I was talking more in the area of the starter, stator ect...stuff like that. I hope you find it.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

I would try moving the battery ground from the crankcase to a frame bolt if it will reach.

It should be able to reach.

Yea, I know about the ground but I was talking more in the area of the starter, stator ect...stuff like that. I hope you find it.

Gotcha! I'll try that as well.

Thanks for the help guys! Now I head back into the garage.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

OK...

I have moved the battery's ground from the engine to the frame. Still the same.

Tried disconnecting and reconnecting parts and nothing.

Took off the clutch cover in an attempt to get my lights back on. NOTHING!

I have checked all of the surrounding wires and those are good. Sealed, intact, not loose, not touching anything, not kinked...

How do the **** does this bike work?

[Curly]

You could double check that oil pressure switch is working correctly, there should be very little resistance between the threaded body and terminal on top. When it sees pressure, it disconnects the ground.

Try disconnecting the pickups and see if the lights work, sounds like a short somewhere in there. You can do this at the CDI box, you should still have dash lights and tail lights. Lemme check....yup should still have lights. You're disconnecting the smaller blue/green/yellow/black connector.


P.S. It doesn't help, since I doubt the wiring in the back is the issue, but that brown wire is your tail light, just checked on mine. So in the future, that's the one that should have 12v without having to touch the brakes.

[windcrow]

Curly is right on the oil pressure switch. The idiot light on the dash for that switch is actually wired live on the positive side and switched on the neg. side (i.e. pressure switch). However, on that engine (82-83 yrs.) right next to the pressure switch there is a sending unit for the temperature gauge(should be). 80-81 yrs. don't. The wiring for these should run under the starter cover, around the starter, and under the sprocket cover, alongside the stator wires and hot wire for the starter. Check for chafing/grounding out along that path. If the wires are routed above the starter cover and chafing against the clutch cable(or bottom of carbs) that might have been your short and you disturbed the scenario when you pulled the clutch cover. Also, the sending unit(s) for the gear selection indicator and neutral light are under the sprocket cover. Below your clutch cover run the wires for the ignition pick-ups. Are those chafing? I really don't think so, as you wouldn't have a running engine if they did. If all this checks out OK then you might have to look into the gauge cluster. Just thought of one more thing. Check the whole path of the clutch cable, that it isn't binding against the wiring harness in any way. (The cable should also have (as much as possible) no sharp bends in its' path, for a light pull.
Hope this isn't Too Much Information--I've been thru 6 of these wonderful machines(still have almost 4 of them) and all of their P.O.'s uck-fups
Good Luck I think yer almost there.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

windcrow, thank you! It makes so much sense. I will need to check...

[Curly]

I'd start with the pickups, easy to unplug, and they're the most likely candidate for causing your clutch cover issues, they're wrapped around 1/2 the cover (bottom and back).

[pete]

Just had a thought...

You say engine is connected to battery negative... then you moved it to the frame.

Is there a ground wire joining the engine to the frame?

Try both the frame and the engine connected directly to battery negative or at least a good connection between the engine and the frame.

Maybe the engine bolts aren't actually grounding it to the frame good enough?

I'm thinking along these lines because my 450 has quite a thick wire from the engine to battery negative in addition to the electric's tray ground going to battery negative. At least I think that's how it was stock... either way it's all grounded now...

[Flaming Chainsaws]

I'd start with the pickups, easy to unplug, and they're the most likely candidate for causing your clutch cover issues, they're wrapped around 1/2 the cover (bottom and back).

Yeah, those are only two wires; one blue and one green.

Pete, the bike has only one battery ground. Right now, it's connected to the frame. Should I make another wire so that it will ground to the frame AND the engine?

[pete]

Yes, make 100% sure the engine and frame have a 100% good connection to battery negative.