85 GL1200 won't start

[dano955]

Little history on 1985 GL1200 Interstate---after the rebuild of starter it would not engaged (just spin) i was advised to add seafoam and drive 100 miles to remove sludge from stater clutch--drove it about 50 miles and bike just shut off--trailered it home and started just fine the next morning but shut off again within 10 mins.--then i was advised that could be the pulse generators--i swapped P/G with parts bike i bought (same model and year as mine down to the same color) i understand that they should ohms out at 1 to 2 (both sets ohmn to 3 to 4) --it started and ran great last night but would not start today-----things i tested (12 volts to both coils) (fuel pump fine) (cut-off switch cleaned) anymore suggestions

Read more: http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic....z2MVYlyN4V

[SIR tricky]

85 PG's should test out at 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS They may test OK cold but heated up they may open..... but at a guess it might take a little longer than 10 mins to heat up on the bike.


Test the set you have out, then heat them with a hair drier or heat gun and see if there is any change.

[neoracer]

when you say shut off,exactly what do u mean
do you have lights,radio etc or is it a complete blackout?

[SIR tricky]

I can see where neoracer is heading with his post.

I always jump to conclusions presuming that the main fuse and connections have already been checked, the fuel filter replaced, etc

[dano955]

when you say shut off,exactly what do u mean
do you have lights,radio etc or is it a complete blackout?

yes sir it will do everything but start now but eariler run fine--got to be something simple i hope--their is no maybe or maybe not with the P/G right either they are ok or they are no good-all most like the kill switch is on or out of gas--the fuel pump is pumping,

---

85 PG's should test out at 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS They may test OK cold but heated up they may open..... but at a guess it might take a little longer than 10 mins to heat up on the bike.


Test the set you have out, then heat them with a hair drier or heat gun and see if there is any change.

yes sir. i will test them and let you know what i get

[SIR tricky]

Have you taken a good look at the main fuse and the connection?

[dano955]

when you say shut off,exactly what do u mean
do you have lights,radio etc or is it a complete blackout?

yes sir it will do everything but start now but eariler run fine--got to be something simple i hope--their is no maybe or maybe not with the P/G right either they are ok or they are no good-all most like the kill switch is on or out of gas--the fuel pump is pumping,

---

85 PG's should test out at 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS They may test OK cold but heated up they may open..... but at a guess it might take a little longer than 10 mins to heat up on the bike.


Test the set you have out, then heat them with a hair drier or heat gun and see if there is any change.

yes sir. i will test them and let you know what i get

what does 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS mean. i tested the ohms on both sets and got between 3 and 4 at 2K --I do not see how both can be bad and remenber there is no stupid question

[bs175dths]

Little history on 1985 GL1200 Interstate---after the rebuild of starter it would not engaged (just spin) i was advised to add seafoam and drive 100 miles to remove sludge from stater clutch--drove it about 50 miles and bike just shut off--trailered it home and started just fine the next morning but shut off again within 10 mins.--then i was advised that could be the pulse generators--i swapped P/G with parts bike i bought (same model and year as mine down to the same color) i understand that they should ohms out at 1 to 2 (both sets ohmn to 3 to 4) --it started and ran great last night but would not start today-----things i tested (12 volts to both coils) (fuel pump fine) (cut-off switch cleaned) anymore suggestions

Read more: http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic....z2MVYlyN4V

When the starter was rebuilt, was it lubed? Was it bench tested before being installed? Is it seated properly in the engine case?

Does the starter engage each time the starter button is pushed, or just sometimes? Other times does it sound like it is spinning freely, ending in a 'clunk'?

Two other items to check are too thick an oil for the season and a weak battery.
I had a problem with both with my bike when I first brought her home.
Given the miles of my bike I used 20W oil and it was duing the winter months hers in So. Cal.
(yea, I know, we don't compare to the rest of the country) but changing to a lighter oil helped. It didn't cure it, but it helped.
My cause was a weak battery. Testing for 12V isn't enough. Too weak a battery will not spin the starter fast enough to egage the clutch (spin freely and end with a 'clunk'). Tooe weak of a battery may not allow the ignition system to function either.

Testing the specific gravity oe each cell of your battery will tell you all you need to know abouot the 'strength' of your battery. Your battery should meter out at 12.65V. Also, each cell should test out at, at least 50%. Also, youor battery will not take a charge if the water level is so low that the lead fins are viewable through the fill holes.

If the water is low, top off to the level marked n the side of the battery, with distilled water.
Using the hydrometer, check the specific gravity of each cell (write it down if you have a memory like mine), put the battery on no more than 1.75mA trickle or maintainer and let it take a charge ro 1 hour or so.
Take another hydrometer reading and note any differences with the first reading.
If the battery is taking a charge...... good. If not, not so good.

Batteries which test with a low or very low hydrometer reading may take some time before they start to show signs of taking a charge. It may take a day before a change can be measured.

Use caution: acid burns, baking soda and water will neutralize the acid spills. I don't leave my batteries charging overnight, unattended. Use good judgement here please.

Your starting problem may lie somewhere else, but a weak battery may be sending you in the wrong direction.

Good Luck

-Ride On

[SIR tricky]

when you say shut off,exactly what do u mean
do you have lights,radio etc or is it a complete blackout?

yes sir it will do everything but start now but eariler run fine--got to be something simple i hope--their is no maybe or maybe not with the P/G right either they are ok or they are no good-all most like the kill switch is on or out of gas--the fuel pump is pumping,

---

85 PG's should test out at 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS They may test OK cold but heated up they may open..... but at a guess it might take a little longer than 10 mins to heat up on the bike.


Test the set you have out, then heat them with a hair drier or heat gun and see if there is any change.

yes sir. i will test them and let you know what i get

what does 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS mean. i tested the ohms on both sets and got between 3 and 4 at 2K --I do not see how both can be bad and remenber there is no stupid question

No there isnt any stupid questions.

It means at 20 degrees C (68F) the reading should be 330 OHMS plus or minus 33 Ohms (363 OHMS to 297 OHMS)

If they read that they would appear to be OK but then hit them with a heat gun and see if the reading changes to a great extent.

[dano955]

Little history on 1985 GL1200 Interstate---after the rebuild of starter it would not engaged (just spin) i was advised to add seafoam and drive 100 miles to remove sludge from stater clutch--drove it about 50 miles and bike just shut off--trailered it home and started just fine the next morning but shut off again within 10 mins.--then i was advised that could be the pulse generators--i swapped P/G with parts bike i bought (same model and year as mine down to the same color) i understand that they should ohms out at 1 to 2 (both sets ohmn to 3 to 4) --it started and ran great last night but would not start today-----things i tested (12 volts to both coils) (fuel pump fine) (cut-off switch cleaned) anymore suggestions

Read more: http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic....z2MVYlyN4V

When the starter was rebuilt, was it lubed? Was it bench tested before being installed? Is it seated properly in the engine case?

Does the starter engage each time the starter button is pushed, or just sometimes? Other times does it sound like it is spinning freely, ending in a 'clunk'?

Two other items to check are too thick an oil for the season and a weak battery.
I had a problem with both with my bike when I first brought her home.
Given the miles of my bike I used 20W oil and it was duing the winter months hers in So. Cal.
(yea, I know, we don't compare to the rest of the country) but changing to a lighter oil helped. It didn't cure it, but it helped.
My cause was a weak battery. Testing for 12V isn't enough. Too weak a battery will not spin the starter fast enough to egage the clutch (spin freely and end with a 'clunk'). Tooe weak of a battery may not allow the ignition system to function either.

Testing the specific gravity oe each cell of your battery will tell you all you need to know abouot the 'strength' of your battery. Your battery should meter out at 12.65V. Also, each cell should test out at, at least 50%. Also, youor battery will not take a charge if the water level is so low that the lead fins are viewable through the fill holes.

If the water is low, top off to the level marked n the side of the battery, with distilled water.
Using the hydrometer, check the specific gravity of each cell (write it down if you have a memory like mine), put the battery on no more than 1.75mA trickle or maintainer and let it take a charge ro 1 hour or so.
Take another hydrometer reading and note any differences with the first reading.
If the battery is taking a charge...... good. If not, not so good.

Batteries which test with a low or very low hydrometer reading may take some time before they start to show signs of taking a charge. It may take a day before a change can be measured.

Use caution: acid burns, baking soda and water will neutralize the acid spills. I don't leave my batteries charging overnight, unattended. Use good judgement here please.

Your starting problem may lie somewhere else, but a weak battery may be sending you in the wrong direction.

Good Luck

-Ride On

i got the starter issue resolved--it was a weak battery
==

[dano955]

85 PG's should test out at 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS They may test OK cold but heated up they may open..... but at a guess it might take a little longer than 10 mins to heat up on the bike.


Test the set you have out, then heat them with a hair drier or heat gun and see if there is any ch

WireThe P/Gs OHMNS began to climb as I heated them up—I started taking connecters loose and inspecting–I clean them and add dielectric grease to them–they really didn’t look that bad until I got to the one that the rectifier is plug in with==it looked pretty bad an I got to thinking this is problem, nope stiill want start and backfired pretty loud thru the carbs and the muffler–got my multi=meter out and started testing and found that I was only getting 9 volts to coil for ( the right one ;and only ,16 on the left one, that like setting on bike looking forward- with further testing I found that the 4-pin plug that connects to the computer on the harness side has 10.6 volts to the green wire, 9 volts to yellow, .16 to blue and can remenber the black but wasn’t much,—the dogbone fuse is fine, I off tomorrow so I am going to check the connections around the solonoid, I have a clue what to do after that but, there is a reason that he don’t want me on the bike, or he wants me to be a expert on goldwings and work on them when I retire in couple years I have even thought of just buying a new one but done got atached to my 85 and we will ride down the rode again together BUT WHEN

[elcamino121]

85 PG's should test out at 20 degC 330+-33 OHMS They may test OK cold but heated up they may open..... but at a guess it might take a little longer than 10 mins to heat up on the bike.


Test the set you have out, then heat them with a hair drier or heat gun and see if there is any ch

WireThe P/Gs OHMNS began to climb as I heated them up—I started taking connecters loose and inspecting–I clean them and add dielectric grease to them–they really didn’t look that bad until I got to the one that the rectifier is plug in with==it looked pretty bad an I got to thinking this is problem, nope stiill want start and backfired pretty loud thru the carbs and the muffler–got my multi=meter out and started testing and found that I was only getting 9 volts to coil for ( the right one ;and only ,16 on the left one, that like setting on bike looking forward- with further testing I found that the 4-pin plug that connects to the computer on the harness side has 10.6 volts to the green wire, 9 volts to yellow, .16 to blue and can remenber the black but wasn’t much,—the dogbone fuse is fine, I off tomorrow so I am going to check the connections around the solonoid, I have a clue what to do after that but, there is a reason that he don’t want me on the bike, or he wants me to be a expert on goldwings and work on them when I retire in couple years I have even thought of just buying a new one but done got atached to my 85 and we will ride down the rode again together BUT WHEN

Dank please either tell us where you are located or go to the control panel and enter your location.

---

Someone may be very near you that could help you with this issue!

[dano955]

hey guys thanks, the problem was the kill switch, getting 10+ volts at both ignition coils, but it backfired like a pistol going off, i mean real loud out of the left pipe. now it has been setting for about 6 months, i am thinking the carbs need cleaning and can i clean them without removing them
i updated my profile, i am from middle of ga

[SIR tricky]

I would use Seafoam in the gas tank it will clean out them carbs, and use it occasionally afterwards.

In fact prior to your next oil change remove a little oil (messy and add a can of seafoam to the oil, run for about 300 mile then do your oil change.

While your at it, remove the gas tank cap and soak it overnight in seafoam.