1994 gl1500 intermittent no spark no start

[Farmermann23]

Been working on a 94 1500 for a while now and it's got me confused and I thought I was a decent mechanic . More often than not I will park it one day running perfect and the next day it won't start unless it sits for a few days and I mess with the batteries and even then sometimes it won't fire. So far I got a new battery, cleaned the pulse generator connectors and other connectors there, checked all the fuses and relays as well as the voltage while cranking. Everything looks good and I'm confused man . Got like 13.2 volts sitting and like 12 while cranking and when it does decide to run it fires right up even if you keep holding the start button. Kill switch works as it should and I've tried it with the side stand up and down and center stand up and down and anything else you could think of. Any ideas at all would be appreciated

[FM-USA]

2023 - 1994 = 29 years.
I'm sure you know most if not all these below. Sometimes a refresher helps or reminds us of a forgotten "other" item.
Cable connections at battery and electrical points should be removed & cleaned. Many here say they look good but have a coating that hinders the higher power draws. Charging won't top out a battery when they're not cleanly connected, 'higher resistance'.

I've done this, low bike battery after overnight charging, added a battery with
jump cables and it started right up. Found the bikes battery had a weak cell.

Another time the batteries posts look great until the cable is removed and
the lead posts looks dull. I make it shiny using a file, it maxes the contact area.

Most times when a battery cell looks cloudy it's time to replace.

Lastly, is the alternator output really putting out? Around 80k miles the brushes are needing replacing. It's easy but tedious job of soldering... JUST BE CAREFUL of that plastic plate inside. Age makes it really brittle and can be near impossible to heat weld back together.
I made a mistake of not leaving slack in the brushes wire. Few K-miles the alt stopped putting out. (GRRRR)

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[Farmermann23]

Alternator charges good and hot when it's running and if you run it twice or 25 times in the same day it'll fire up in half a crank every time. Connections are clean and tight and I added an extra ground and battery because it can never be too good right? I'm guessing it's either the pulse generators themselves or the ecm but who knows could be simple and I'm inept

[FM-USA]

I posted more info above.

Pulse gen... someone found a broken wire at the thru-hole. MAYBE???
ECM very rarely goes out unless overheated.

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[Farmermann23]

I was almost thinking there could be a broken wire where they go through the case, I'll have to check the resistance values at the plug next time it doesn't start. Just measured some stuff for the heck of it, charges at like 14 when it's running and holds there if I turn on all the extra lights and stuff so that's good I would assume. Just tried to start it today and it would crank and crank with a charger on it but no start and as soon as I took the charger off it fired and ran mint. Could be a coincidence but that happened once before. I will check more wiring and voltage at the coils next time it doesn't run.

[FM-USA]

I was almost thinking there could be a broken wire where they go through the case, I'll have to check the resistance values at the plug next time it doesn't start. Just measured some stuff for the heck of it, charges at like 14 when it's running and holds there if I turn on all the extra lights and stuff so that's good I would assume. Just tried to start it today and it would crank and crank with a charger on it but no start and as soon as I took the charger off it fired and ran mint. Could be a coincidence but that happened once before. I will check more wiring and voltage at the coils next time it doesn't run.

I too had this hard to no start issue, almost went bonkers until I went back to basics.
What I noticed... I pushed the button differently when on charge or jumped.
When a no start happens, push that button in 4 different directions & release. If any of these makes it start, you found the issue (fingers crossed).
SMALL spring & ball in that handle. I use a T-Shirt as a safety net under the part I'm working on, SAVED ME many times.

HOPE THIS WORKS

[Farmermann23]

I'll be sure to try that. Just clean it and put it back together if that ends up being the problem?

[FM-USA]

I'll be sure to try that. Just clean it and put it back together if that ends up being the problem?

Clean & grease. . . . . otherwise, Ebay or FB marketplace time.
I also noticed Ebay prices... WOW!!! WAY UP these days.



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[Farmermann23]

Moving the starter button around didn't fix it unless my technique is flawed. Might take it apart and clean it anyway. One thing I didn't add is that it does not have the x stamped in the frame for the bank sensor recall. I sort of ruled that out because it's never shut off while riding also if you tip it over it shuts off and when you stand it back up it starts. I still wanna check with the Honda shop if the work was done tho.

[csj]

I've got three carbureted flat six engines here that require the choke/enricher to be fully depressed. (first start of the day)
They won't start otherwise. (warm or cold weather)
I did not see in your posts that you did this.

[Farmermann23]

I tried it with the choke on and off but no spark. Getting plenty of fuel and some days it fires up with no choke, I'll try that again though.

[Farmermann23]

Thought I posted this yesterday but it doesn't show up now so apparently I didn't and I'll do it again

Kind of an update I suppose. I'll add any information I know of that I haven't said yet.

Batteries hold at 13.2 and drop to 12.5 when cranking which seems good to me

Cruise control light comes on and I read somewhere that means it has power going to something in the ignition system maybe the coils

Seems to be temperature sensitive? Won't start in the morning pretty consistently but after it sits in the sun all day it fires right up.

Everything else on the bike works as it should as far as I can tell and all the wires that I've seen look good which doesn't necessarily mean they are good

That's all I can think of at the moment, if anyone wants to know anything else then ask away

[MikeB]

Cruise control light comes on and I read somewhere that means it has power going to something in the ignition system maybe the coils

The Cruise Control light will stay off if the Kill Switch is engaged.

The Kill Switch one thing you have not mentioned yet. It can be intermittent. A dirty switch or loose wire on the kill switch can be the issue. Prior to 1998, all the GL1500's would crank but not start with the Kill Switch out of position.

[Farmermann23]

I will clean the kill switch and check the wires. The cruise control light goes out when the kill switch is in either off position even when no start though, isn't that normal?

[MikeB]

I will clean the kill switch and check the wires. The cruise control light goes out when the kill switch is in either off position even when no start though, isn't that normal?

Yes, it is normal.