Where are the diodes?

The problem came on slowly.

The green light is on, I push the start button....nothing..

I push it a few more times and then it starts...

Then it would start only when I pulled in the clutch...

Now it doesn't even start when I do that...


I think it's the diodes but on a '79 GL1000, they aren't under the fake gas tank shield on the left side...


Where the heck are they?....

hmmmmmm not sure ......though i should know

Rectifier should be mounted very close to the voltage regulator.

I have found pictures where the diodes are mounted right below the rectifier but not so in a '79...=/

Rectifier is the diode pack.

Pretty sure all 1000 models had separate voltage regulators and rectifiers.

dont think this is main problem your facing with starter switch and all

Have you checked the voltage at the battery with the motor running at 3000 rpm? If you are getting 14 volts at 3000 rpm. It is more likely the contacts in the start button are not making good contact.

Yeah, I was going to ask if the switch had been cleaned. Never hurts to ask.

~O~

I don't think the charging system has anything to do with the problem.
Sounds more to me like a start circuit problem, start button or start relay maybe.
With a volt meter you can check if power getting to the start relay right at the relay plug.
Could help narrow it down by ground the ground pin to the battery negative and hit the button. Try the same with battery plus on the other pin.

My problem went away....but only because of the help you guys gave me...

I had a similar problem with a 750 a few decades back and it turned out to be a diode problem.

Slabghost suggested that in a '79, the rectifier is the diodes so I checked the schematics in my trusty Clymer and it showed there were diodes up until '78 and then they vanished (insert ghostly moaning here)

I would of loved to check if I was getting 14 volts at 3000 rpm's but the '79 also lacked a kick start and I wasn't keen on sparking the starter just yet..

I discounted the switch because it worked out than engaging the starter. The head light went off and, on those rare times it did engage the starter, it worked just fine..

dan filipi thought it might be a start power problem and if I had ignored the troublehooting section of the Clymers, I would of leaned that way too...PurpleGL1200I echoed the same thing, except I didn't believe the starter itself was a problem, though they are fun to clean up...

Armed with all ya'll threw at me, I put a twelve pack on ice and took off the left side cover and left fake gas panel.

I dragged out my parts bike (a pretty good 78 I buried under Christmas stuff in the back of my shed).

For fun, and because the parts bike regulator was cleaner than the one on my 79, I swapped it out...

I opened my first beer and took a swig...

I removed the battery on my 79 and then removed the battery cage with all the fix'ins (starter relay, rectifier, condenser, etc.)

Setting it aside, I grabbed my beer and my 10mm ratchet and took two swigs before doing the same with the parts bike, which went pretty quick because I took the battery out when I stored it...

I reversed the installation noting the connections appeared to be clean. I reinstalled the battery and gave it a try...

It cranked right up...

I tried it a few times to see if I could get it to NOT crank (this I usually do by using profanity in my fake Japanese) but it cranked into a satisfying purr that we Wingers know all too well...


Realizing I had too much beer for the job at hand, I left the side covers off and spent the rest of the day sitting in a lawn chair working on reducing my beer overstock...

I will pull out the multi-meter from the saddlebags tomorrow and do a check on what I removed because I am curious as to what the problem actually was...and if I ever find a junked '75 thru'77, I'll cut the diodes off of it and mount them under the regulator just to confuse the next owner of my Wing after I die...

I thank all of you for your input and direction...and this beer is raised for all of you....cheers... :salute:

:clapping: :salute: :moped:

:beer: LOL..like those fix jobs