1982 gs850gl won’t run!!

[Jonchap101]

Hello I’m in need of some help I have a 1982 gs850gl and my bike won’t run it just doesn’t make sense to me it will hit and fire but just won’t run. I’ve replace wiring harness, I don’t know if it is fully correct but it has good spark new plugs, new battery, signal generator is good and it is also getting fuel. I’ve even tried to get it running off starting fluid but does the same the spits and fires I’ve even put the timing to oem spec and the compression is good so that makes me believe it is with the wiring somewhere I just don’t know a lot about the bike.

[stinkwheel]

Are the plug caps in the correct order? If they aren't, you'd get a whole lot of popping and banging and stuttering as if it wanted to start but doesn't.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Pete.]

[Jonchap101]

It’s not the order I just changed them to see it should be from left to right 1,2,3,4.

[Jonchap101]

It may be the Cdi box I bought this with the electronics messed with so it maybe be the cdi. 131100-2281 That’s the one on the bike that’s the part number.

[Pete.]

[A100man]

Has it been standing a while? If so it will also need the carbs cleaning- thoroughly.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Jonchap101]

I’ve cleaned the carbs and the coils are in the correct place now there no clamps hold on the carbs in so maybe that is it or the timing might be off.

[Jonchap101]

I just checked the carbs and the timing it looks good on these bike do the stator need to work perfectly right for the bike to run.

[bypass2]

when was the last time the bike was running if a long time ago may be carb diaphams maybe split/damaged how old is the petrol

[A100man]

1) Compression test - ought to be over 110psi to run

2) Clean the carbs, every passage, not just the jetcs. The pilot circuits are teensy weensy.

3) The igniter (probably a TCI) you have is from a GS1000 according to this site.. https://www.carmoelectronics.co.uk/
.. maybe it will work still - who knows? Does it need to impedance match the pickups? If the igniter is bodged in has it been bodged in correctly pick-ups => Igniter => coils

What is the 'signal generator' btw?
____________________
Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Robby]

A few years back a friend had a similar problem with a similar bike. The problem there was the inline fuel filter, the fuel tap didn't want to work with a fuel filter in place. Remove the filter and ran a normal fuel line from tap to carbs and it worked perfectly.

Check the simple things like that, making sure you have a spark and that the coils are connected to the correct wires before trying to chase down imaginary problems in sealed black boxes of electricity.

It should still run even if the carbs in a very sorry state - full of varnish, split diaphragms etc. It could run very poorly, or not for very long, but it should still run. Japanese bikes from that time were surprisingly tolerant of pretty big problems.

[spottedtango]

Best way to rule out ignition timing/compression is buy a can of easy start.


If it runs on it, it’s a fuelling issue. If not the rabbit hole gets deeper.