04 GS500F keeps dying

[Petrostar]

Hey guys, I have an 04 GS500F that just keeps randomly dying on me. Some times I will be able to ride it at lower rpms for awhile and then the tach goes to zero and Its just dead. I will then have to immediately pop the clutch and just restart it. I thought the carbs were sticking so we took em out, they look like new. Brand new battery also. I just had it idling for a good twenty minutes in the driveway and it didn't do it until I started to zip down the street and the rpms got a little higher, it just died on me...AGAIN. Please if anybody has any suggestions on what to check or what to do please help. Thanks. Btw, it has new oil filter/oil new air filter and new plugs also. You would never know it has problems by sitting on it in the driveway and cranking on the throttle, it runs just fine there.

[adidasguy]

One thing that kills the bike is the side stand or center stand. When down and in gear, it will stop.
Check for shorts in the wires for those guys.

[mister]

One thing that kills the bike is the side stand or center stand. When down and in gear, it will stop.
Check for shorts in the wires for those guys.

Center stand? Are you sure? I can run my bike in gear while on the center stand. And I'm pretty sure all GS500s can, which is why the warning NOT to use this method as an easy way top lube the chain - why warn against doing something that cannot be done. Side stand cutout, yes. But I don't think so on the center stand, at least not on mine.

Michael

[pave_spectre]

No centre stand cut out here either

[Big Rich]

Fuel starvation caused by clogged gas tank vents or carb vents?  At idle it may let enough air in to equalize the pressure, but higher rpm 's are gagging it.

[The Buddha]

+1 Big rich. Idle uses up a lot less fuel, you start getting it to 3-4K you're using 3-5X the fuel @ idle.

Also to remember - problems when under load that seem to disappear when revving to that same rpm - like it cuts off @5K when you're riding, but standing still it handles 5k great = carburetion. For electrical, it makes no diff whether you're going up hill/down hill or not at all, 5K is 5K for it. When riding, say you're in 4th gear, 5K is near about 1/2 throttle, @ no load it would do 5K with 1/8th throttle. Bingo, that's the issue. 1/2 throttle circuit is DOA.

Cool.
Buddha.

[ohgood]

check ur battery cables. all the way. corrsion hides under the insulation. I had your exact problem. a new ground fixed it.

doesn't sound at all like starvation or carburation.

[Petrostar]

Thank all of you for your tips and advice, I am going to check the battery cables right now. Seemed strange to me that a brand new battery lost its charge after sitting for a month anyway. Ill post back soon, thanks. Peter

[The Buddha]

1 month is plenty of time to down a battery ... especially if it wasn't fully charged to start with.
Let me put it in perspective ...
Every 5 second crank needs a 15-20 min run @ 3500 rpm atleast to get back to where it was.
If you start it 4-5 times in a short period of time and say the battery was good for ~10 bursts ... guess what, you're @ 50% already.
There on it can drop to under 20% easy in a month and @ 20% it wont turn over.
Also check if the diaphragms have a tiny rip in it. A tiny rip in 1 carb can kill that 1/4 throttle and up.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Petrostar]

So, I checked the ground to the chassis, its good. I had all my blinkers disconnected and some wires may have been shorting so I reconnected all of them. These bikes sure are a hooker to keep running when they're cold, its about 40 here now. So, I have it warming up for a good 15 minutes and decide hey, its not cutting out when I increase the throttle. I drove it around the block, realized it still wasn't warmed up enough. Ugh.

Starting running great now, no choke needed now its doing it, Ill increase the throttle and the tach will climb and then drop to zero while the bike is still running. How is that possible? Ill have the throttle steady and the bike will just drop a thousand or two rpms on the tach instantly. I actually recorded it with my phone, Ill post it or send it to anybody who is interested in whats going on. Its so random when it happens, for a few minutes sitting still, I was able to crank the throttle, keep it steady 3-4k and it was steady with no problems.

Is this possible an ignition coil issue? I am so lost guys. Any more help would be awesome. Thanks.

Peter

[skirecs]

So, I checked the ground to the chassis, its good. I had all my blinkers disconnected and some wires may have been shorting so I reconnected all of them. These bikes sure are a hooker to keep running when they're cold, its about 40 here now. So, I have it warming up for a good 15 minutes and decide hey, its not cutting out when I increase the throttle. I drove it around the block, realized it still wasn't warmed up enough. Ugh.

Starting running great now, no choke needed now its doing it, Ill increase the throttle and the tach will climb and then drop to zero while the bike is still running. How is that possible? Ill have the throttle steady and the bike will just drop a thousand or two rpms on the tach instantly. I actually recorded it with my phone, Ill post it or send it to anybody who is interested in whats going on. Its so random when it happens, for a few minutes sitting still, I was able to crank the throttle, keep it steady 3-4k and it was steady with no problems.

Is this possible an ignition coil issue? I am so lost guys. Any more help would be awesome. Thanks.

Peter

my 89 starts fine in 25 degree weather with a warm battery and clean carbs and operating choke

[Petrostar]

Well, I did clean the carbs with the help of a friend who is a mechanic. He said they looked great even before that. So, here is a video link I just went and put it on youtube. Thanks again guys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnvVHNwX0lE

My username is petrolstar78, I also have a couple vids of my 06 Hornet that I did a little work to.

[jeffdodge]

love those Honda Hornets. I almost picked one up before I got my GS but it was pretty beat. 
I wish they were easier to come by around here.

[Unsane]

Just watched the video - fuel related issues would not cause the tacho to cut out so suddenly!

The tach is only doing what the Igniter is telling it to, so if the bike is cutting out then it has to related to either power to the igniter or signal from the signal generator.

Power gets to the igniter in the following sequence...

(1) BATTERY
(2) MAIN FUSE
(3) IGNITION SWITCH
(4) SIDE STAND RELAY
(5) ENGINE STOP SWITCH
(6) IGNITER

... so power dropping away between the battery and igniter could come from one of 4 other sources... not to mention breaks in the wiring and connectors!!!

I would suggest you get yourself a wiring diagram (search ) and start with a test-light or multimeter on the Orange/White wire coming out of the Igniter module and check to see what happens to power when the engine starts to cut out. If power DOES cut out, then start tracing it back thru every connector, relay and switch back to the battery!

If power DOES NOT cut out, then check continuity to the signal generator

If continuity is good and power source is good, swap a known good igniter or a known good signal generator pickup.

[k.rollin]

Here's the wiring diagram (thanks adidasguy):

Note that we don't have a passing switch.

[Petrostar]

You guys are fantastic! Now, to do some testing. Ill keep you posted.