Author Topic: 1988 gtr1000 running problems  (Read 3758 times)

Offline dondon11

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1988 gtr1000 running problems
« on: December 16, 2017, 11:52:58 AM »
hello every body.
i am new here  :) and send you all greetings from the uk.
i obviously own a gtr1000 which ive had since February 2016. mostly used for work and odd trip back home to see family...
unfortunately it has been off the road since about july. i brought it as a cheap run around but needed some work when i got it for the mot, however happily it worked fine and got a ticket..
but since july, ive had to replace coils and leads and plug caps, mostly because of an intermittent running issue, best way to describe it is it drops a cylinder when your riding and loses power.. had to also buy a repair kit for the carbs, float needles, seals, idle needlles that sort of thing.. after doing all this, it ran lovely on tick over, sat on its stand.. but as soon as you ride of up the road, it loses power..
Now, i have checked fuel flow, air flow an spark. all ok..
but on one occasion was running the bike on idle, an after maybe 5 minuets the rev counter needle dropped to zero and the ecu/cdi unit burnt out, smoke an all.. not had that before, ever... anyway managed to get another unit.. put it in, same thing.. except i switched it off as soon as i knew there was still a problem.. well the bike wont run  for more then 2 or 3 minutes now befor dieing...

as you can probably tell im totally at a lose.. really in need of technical help here!! any advise anyone has would be great.
Do i need to be looking at an electrical component thats maybe failing? im totally confused buy the rev counter needle dropping to zero before the bike dieing.. but switch off the ignition and on again the bike starts straight away...

Help! please!  :-\

Don

Offline dondon11

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1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2017, 12:02:43 PM »
hello every body.
i am new here  :) and send you all greetings from the uk.
i obviously own a gtr1000 which ive had since February 2016. mostly used for work and odd trip back home to see family...
unfortunately it has been off the road since about july. i brought it as a cheap run around but needed some work when i got it for the mot, however happily it worked fine and got a ticket..
but since july, ive had to replace coils and leads and plug caps, mostly because of an intermittent running issue, best way to describe it is it drops a cylinder when your riding and loses power.. had to also buy a repair kit for the carbs, float needles, seals, idle needlles that sort of thing.. after doing all this, it ran lovely on tick over, sat on its stand.. but as soon as you ride of up the road, it loses power..
Now, i have checked fuel flow, air flow an spark. all ok..
but on one occasion was running the bike on idle, an after maybe 5 minuets the rev counter needle dropped to zero and the ecu/cdi unit burnt out, smoke an all.. not had that before, ever... anyway managed to get another unit.. put it in, same thing.. except i switched it off as soon as i knew there was still a problem.. well the bike wont run  for more then 2 or 3 minutes now befor dieing...

as you can probably tell im totally at a lose.. really in need of technical help here!! any advise anyone has would be great.
Do i need to be looking at an electrical component thats maybe failing? im totally confused buy the rev counter needle dropping to zero before the bike dieing.. but switch off the ignition and on again the bike starts straight away...

Help! please!  :-\

Don

Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: 1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2017, 01:44:30 PM »
hello every body.
i am new here  :) and send you all greetings from the uk.
i obviously own a gtr1000 which ive had since February 2016. mostly used for work and odd trip back home to see family...
unfortunately it has been off the road since about july. i brought it as a cheap run around but needed some work when i got it for the mot, however happily it worked fine and got a ticket..
but since july, ive had to replace coils and leads and plug caps, mostly because of an intermittent running issue, best way to describe it is it drops a cylinder when your riding and loses power.. had to also buy a repair kit for the carbs, float needles, seals, idle needlles that sort of thing.. after doing all this, it ran lovely on tick over, sat on its stand.. but as soon as you ride of up the road, it loses power..
Now, i have checked fuel flow, air flow an spark. all ok..
but on one occasion was running the bike on idle, an after maybe 5 minuets the rev counter needle dropped to zero and the ecu/cdi unit burnt out, smoke an all.. not had that before, ever... anyway managed to get another unit.. put it in, same thing.. except i switched it off as soon as i knew there was still a problem.. well the bike wont run  for more then 2 or 3 minutes now befor dieing...

as you can probably tell im totally at a lose.. really in need of technical help here!! any advise anyone has would be great.
Do i need to be looking at an electrical component thats maybe failing? im totally confused buy the rev counter needle dropping to zero before the bike dieing.. but switch off the ignition and on again the bike starts straight away...

Help! please!  :-\

Don

you did a lot of parts replacements, and that makes things a bit complicated to try to pin down exactly which item was the culprit.. but I'll attempt based on what you have written...

first off, when you replaced the plug wires, and caps and such, did you use wires with a "stranded wire core", or some other "carbon core type" as used on most cars? Carbon core wires cannot be used on this, or any motorcycle... they require a true stranded internal solid wire.
Did you press the plug cap firmly onto the wire, and continue keeping pressure on it while threading it onto/into the wire's core, which is required, as the internal "pin" is actually threaded, and must be screwed into the core... about 13mm..
If you did not do this, and only "pushed/forced" the cap onto the wires ends, in an attempt to make the piercing attachment, this is a major fault point. It would also effect the other ignition components...
Also, look closely at the left hand coil (as seated on bike), and find the black wire with yellow stripe, which attaches under a coil retainer bolt.. make sure this is there, and intact, and not a compromised connection... the point you made about the tachometer issue is telling me that wire is not well attached...
the combo of both the things i'm pointing out will make a serious effect, and as I've never "not done these points", I cannot say for sure if it would cause severe damage to the CDI unit, but I'm sure its possible...

so, make sure the wires installed are a stranded solid wire core, the caps are the correct OEM style, with the resistors intact, and not some "autoparts store car parts", and make sure the grounding wire, the Black/Yellow one, is attached to that grounding point on the coil mounting bolt...

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: 1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2017, 01:58:00 PM »
I answered this in the other posting you made,
please do not multiple post in different areas, for the same problem... it creates confusion, and is not conducive to getting you an answer that you want...
for convenience, I copied and pasted my answers from the other posting, here... best of luck.


hello every body.
i am new here  :) and send you all greetings from the uk.
i obviously own a gtr1000 which ive had since February 2016. mostly used for work and odd trip back home to see family...
unfortunately it has been off the road since about july. i brought it as a cheap run around but needed some work when i got it for the mot, however happily it worked fine and got a ticket..
but since july, ive had to replace coils and leads and plug caps, mostly because of an intermittent running issue, best way to describe it is it drops a cylinder when your riding and loses power.. had to also buy a repair kit for the carbs, float needles, seals, idle needlles that sort of thing.. after doing all this, it ran lovely on tick over, sat on its stand.. but as soon as you ride of up the road, it loses power..
Now, i have checked fuel flow, air flow an spark. all ok..
but on one occasion was running the bike on idle, an after maybe 5 minuets the rev counter needle dropped to zero and the ecu/cdi unit burnt out, smoke an all.. not had that before, ever... anyway managed to get another unit.. put it in, same thing.. except i switched it off as soon as i knew there was still a problem.. well the bike wont run  for more then 2 or 3 minutes now befor dieing...

as you can probably tell im totally at a lose.. really in need of technical help here!! any advise anyone has would be great.
Do i need to be looking at an electrical component thats maybe failing? im totally confused buy the rev counter needle dropping to zero before the bike dieing.. but switch off the ignition and on again the bike starts straight away...

Help! please!  :-\

Don

you did a lot of parts replacements, and that makes things a bit complicated to try to pin down exactly which item was the culprit.. but I'll attempt based on what you have written...

first off, when you replaced the plug wires, and caps and such, did you use wires with a "stranded wire core", or some other "carbon core type" as used on most cars? Carbon core wires cannot be used on this, or any motorcycle... they require a true stranded internal solid wire.
Did you press the plug cap firmly onto the wire, and continue keeping pressure on it while threading it onto/into the wire's core, which is required, as the internal "pin" is actually threaded, and must be screwed into the core... about 13mm..
If you did not do this, and only "pushed/forced" the cap onto the wires ends, in an attempt to make the piercing attachment, this is a major fault point. It would also effect the other ignition components...
Also, look closely at the left hand coil (as seated on bike), and find the black wire with yellow stripe, which attaches under a coil retainer bolt.. make sure this is there, and intact, and not a compromised connection... the point you made about the tachometer issue is telling me that wire is not well attached...
the combo of both the things i'm pointing out will make a serious effect, and as I've never "not done these points", I cannot say for sure if it would cause severe damage to the CDI unit, but I'm sure its possible...

so, make sure the wires installed are a stranded solid wire core, the caps are the correct OEM style, with the resistors intact, and not some "autoparts store car parts", and make sure the grounding wire, the Black/Yellow one, is attached to that grounding point on the coil mounting bolt...

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline dondon11

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Re: 1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2017, 04:09:34 PM »
hello.

many thanks for taking the time to read and reply to my post.

the things you have pointed out for investigation are totally viable and in all honesty are open to miss fitment in the first place, so i will check all these again. the wire i used is standard core, which i have use on other bikes in the past, the caps are NGK and i already was aware of the screw type fitment for the caps but worth looking at again.

i have checked the spark on all plugs and they suggest that all is ok in that department, so im guessing coils are doing what they should.

can i ask your thoughts on maybe another possibility for burning out the cdi unit.. now in my limited knowlege on technical diagnostic..
the cdi unit produces power for the coils which if im right comes from the regulator!!.. is this right? well if it is could it be possible that for some reason the voltage comes from the regulator is too high for the cdi and its frying! i relise regulators arent cheap to replace but would like to rule out any possibility.

many thanks,



Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: 1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2017, 10:48:14 AM »
trying to grasp what you say is burning up, I have to assume it is what is called the IC Ignitor box, which does supply pulsed voltage to the coils, based on the signals it gets from the individual pickup coils down at the timing rotor.
As the regulator, and also the rectifier controls are both internal to the alternator, that is where you need to focus attention, If you have been burning up boxes, and perform inspections on those internal components in conjunction with the methods outlined in the factory service manual, but in reality, and alternator assembly can be found on e-bay for very cheap, and frankly worth not having to disassemble the unit you have. It's an easier option, to replace that complete assembly.
Did you find any fuses blown in the junction box, when the Ignitor box cooked?
Regulated and rectified Power from the alternator is distributed back into the Junction box, and fused and relay controlled for the charging circuit of the bike there.

so, If I toasted a second Ignitor box, I would go directly to the alternator for replacement and inspection. But I would still go thru the inspection on the Ignitor box, as shown in manual, prior to installing another one...


46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

Offline qman

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Re: 1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2017, 03:50:08 PM »
also obtain a wiring diagram and check the wiring for the ignition circuit for shorts, to ground, to positive, within the unit itself. Most manuals (Clymer or Haynes) will show how to check the components individually but usually leave out the wiring itself. Motorcycle wiring is subject to a lot of vibration and ifnot routed properly can rub though the insulation and cause bad things to happen

Offline jollypirate

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Re: 1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2018, 05:40:37 AM »
Hi all, new here from the uk. I suspect the OP sold his bike (if it was a white one).I believe it may be the one I have just purchased. I replaced the wiring loom as the original was cut to bits,also repaired the split airbox and split intake boots she now runs like a dream :)

Online turbojoe78

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Re: 1988 gtr1000 running problems
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2018, 06:27:10 AM »
ARRRRRR, great job matey! ;)
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