1982 GS450TX, First Rebuild and First Real Bike

[pete]

Neutral indicator could be a bad ground issue. It's under the sprocket cover on the end of the shift drum. It can get oiled up under there so may just need a clean. Part #36 on the gear shifting fiche, and may require a new O ring part #37. Also make sure the spring #42 is there and that #41 is clean to create the ground.



Are you holding the throttle wide open while checking compression?

[Davidov]

Neutral indicator could be a bad ground issue. It's under the sprocket cover on the end of the shift drum. It can get oiled up under there so may just need a clean. Part #36 on the gear shifting fiche, and may require a new O ring part #37. Also make sure the spring #42 is there and that #41 is clean to create the ground.

Went and found the part just in case, I'll order it today if I can't get it working via cleaning and checking connections, thanks!

EDIT: If it makes any difference, the other gear indicators /do/ work.

Are you holding the throttle wide open while checking compression?

*facepalms* No, since I was focusing on holding the battery lead in place. Will re-test, if still low then I'll check my valve timing and clearance, next.

[pete]

Went and found the part just in case, I'll order it today if I can't get it working via cleaning and checking connections, thanks!

EDIT: If it makes any difference, the other gear indicators /do/ work.

In that case it may not be the switch under the cover.

The 6 wires for the other positions are together in a 6 way connector in the harness, but neutral is a separate wire on it's own, so it could simply be something like a dodgy bullet connector.

I'd trace that neutral wire first and make sure it's connected all the way through.

*facepalms* No, since I was focusing on holding the battery lead in place. Will re-test, if still low then I'll check my valve timing and clearance, next.

Don't worry, you're not the first!

[Davidov]

So, one wiring harness has wiring that's hacked back to 1985, and the new one keeps burning fuses. What do I do now?

[pete]

My suggestion... choose the one that looks the best, then persevere and carefully clean every single connector with contact cleaner.

I did this thoroughly with my harness and it's pretty good. Not perfect because it's nearly 32 years old but still pretty good.

After cleaning the harness thoroughly and cleaning the kill switch and ignition switch contacts as well as the left/right control contacts, I got a 2v voltage drop at the coils down to about 0.5v which was enough for me not to have to worry about the coil relay mod.

If you are blowing fuses, then it's a matter of disconnecting everything from the harness and connecting things one at a time until you find the culprit.