I know there’s a few threads on hall sensor issues on this forum and others but…I’m a bit stuck. After complete loss of power and restarting when cooled down….then cut out once up to temperature again I got a replacement hall sensor (new from a guy in Greece via eBay). Fitted it and new drive belt, started up lovely got up to temperature and cut out again. This is a complete loss of electrics, the bike is dead until it cools down. I’m going to unplug the lambda sensor when I get home and see if that helps as seen this causing an issue in another forum. My bikes got 17000 miles, abs removed with a gsjohn chip fitted. It did it once after a service last year and then ran fine until last week when I was many miles from home. Waited 5 hrs for a tow, plenty of time to read forums. Runs lovely when it’s not cutting out and trying to kill me….any one had similar problems who could explain what their fix was…..? last go before I head to a proper mechanic.
1150 gsa 2004- Fault finding…
- Thread starter Kelly01
- Start date
I would start by checking the wiring from the ignition switch and the bar switches where they flex around the headstock when the bars are turned. I’d also check the interlock switches on the clutch and side stand for correct and consistent functioning. After that I’d pull, contact clean and reseat all of the electrical connectors and relays on the bike (at least every connector that could result in power/ignition being cut). If that didn’t sort it, I’d be thinking of looking more closely at the ignition switch itself.
You may need to cut the insulation back a bit to check there's no breaks there and it's often suggested to not cable tie the wires at all at the headstock.
I’ll get the multimeter out and take a look….appreciate the time taken to reply and I’ll give an update as to the fault before closing the thread. It’s a great resource this site
Generally a complete loss of electrical power is not associated with a hall sensor failure. If you're losing power completely (i.e. no dash lights, headlights etc) then a wiring fault is more likely. Also check the connectors where the main harness joins under the tank by the headstock.
The way you describe it is exactly what’s happening. I’ll check and update.
Can’t see how a broken ignition wiring fault around the headstock only develops when the engine gets hot and returns to normal when it cools down..... if it was in that area you’d lose power when the bars are turned from side to side. Easily tested by moving the wiring by hand while the engine is running.
I stand to be corrected, but I believe that coils can have issues that only present themselves when they get hot.
I can't see how a fault with the coils could kill all power?
Definitely strange and shouldn't be affected by heat but still worth checking as it may be only starting to break down & therefore wrongly associated with heat but in reality is happening when the wiring is being placed under repeated strain. As Steptoe says the quickest way to check this is to have the bike running then wiggle the harness and see if there's any replication of the symptoms.
Do you park your bike on the side stand ? And does it spend a lot of time parked outside ? ... Over the years I’ve had two bikes in that stick in the memory that continuously cut out once warmed up and started up when left to cool down. Did the usual hall sensor replacement on the first one, problem still persisted. Turned out the bikes were both parked outside, not garaged, and parked on the centre stand and water had gradually built up in the petrol tank. When starting up any water was in the left side of the tanks, and as the bikes were ridden the water would gradually balance out so reach the fuel pump located on the righthand side of the tank and get picked up causing the engine to stop running. This coincided with three/four bars being reached on the temp gauge so giving the impression of being heat related as it was so consistent. So non running bike gets left on the side stand after cutting out and the cycle of life starts again 
..... obviously there wasn’t a complete lack of power is all the ignition lights were still working and engine could be turned over. Unlike an ignition wiring breakage/fault when all ignition lights are dead.
..... obviously there wasn’t a complete lack of power is all the ignition lights were still working and engine could be turned over. Unlike an ignition wiring breakage/fault when all ignition lights are dead.
Interesting one Steppers. Did you find the fault quickly or was it one of them?
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The first one had me flummoxed, i changed the hall sensor as it was the typical problem when one starts to break down.
The second bike was simple if a bike comes in with cutting out after a short time and then restarting once left a while i now ask if it's left outside and parked on the side stand.
I also leave it on the centre stand, remove injector, pump some fuel out and check it for water.
Bloody hell, after the above I pulled the coils and only one is working. The other one looks like this!
Ordered two stainless steel ones from Motorworks and I’ll keep the working one as a spare. Looks like PaulG had it right (I hope). Giggled the wires around the headstock and no problem caused by doing that and bike not stored outside. Will see what the new coils do when things get up to temperature. I suppose the question for Steptoe is would a melted and broken coil cause a complete loss of electrics like I’m experiencing ?
I’ll keep the thread open until it’s sorted. Again thanks for the help
Ordered two stainless steel ones from Motorworks and I’ll keep the working one as a spare. Looks like PaulG had it right (I hope). Giggled the wires around the headstock and no problem caused by doing that and bike not stored outside. Will see what the new coils do when things get up to temperature. I suppose the question for Steptoe is would a melted and broken coil cause a complete loss of electrics like I’m experiencing ?
I’ll keep the thread open until it’s sorted. Again thanks for the help
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The only way I can see something causing a complete loss of electrics is the ignition switch itself or the wiring attached to it. It can’t be the coil sticks
I’ll check that properly tonight….when I seen the faulty coil I hoped I’d found the culprit…I’m great at getting the tank off now anyway….apart from damaging a washer on one of the fuel connectors. On another point how badly designed is the drive belt system….the alternator moves about as much as my teenage son !!
I’m becoming less clearer with this problem everytime you post ... have you tested the coil(s) or are simply going on it’s appearance ? And it’ll be nice to know what you actually mean by complete engine/electrical failure .. do all the instrument/electrical lights extinguish/ go out/ cease to function when the ignition is turned on ? Or does the engine stop but light are still
Illuminated ? . To test the main coils just pull off the lower secondary plug caps underneath and see if the engine still runs on both cylinders. You can’t go by appearances, The main coils can look in a terrible state but still work perfectly.
The first one had me flummoxed, i changed the hall sensor as it was the typical problem when one starts to break down.
The second bike was simple if a bike comes in with cutting out after a short time and then restarting once left a while i now ask if it's left outside and parked on the side stand.
I also leave it on the centre stand, remove injector, pump some fuel out and check it for water.
Did the seals have to be replaced around the filler cap?
So, Steptoe, are you going to answer or what? We need to know If they'll all leak when left outside on the centre stands in the rain!
Ok heres the answer:
1) I did test the coils one of them isnt working - the melted one.
2) when the bike is running and gets to temperature - the engine stops and the electrics cut off - lights go off / instruments go off / fuel pump goes off. Nothing. The electrics wont come on again and start the engine until its cooled down. Then the circle of life begins again.
3) I have released the cable ties around the head stock and checked for breakages and no shorts or breakages found on wires to the ignition.
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