Pulse generator maintenance?

[saganaga]

I've been reading through the service manual, and a thought occurred to me:

When doing a rear wheel replacement on a newly acquired GL1100, should the pulse generator be checked?

The service manual says the final drive and swingarm must be removed for pulse generator maintenance. But online, others are saying that they can access the pulse generator without swingarm removal. If so, seems to me that the pulse generator should be checked and regreased on a newly acquired GL1100.

Thoughts?

 

[D-50Dave]

My thought is "My Oldwing has a pulse generator?" :headscratch:

 

[saganaga]

D-50Dave » Today, 5:42 am[/url]":27yjivdv]
My thought is "My Oldwing has a pulse generator?" :headscratch:

Supposedly, buried on the back of the engine on the 1100s and 1200s.

Can't say I ever looked at it. I was just going through the service manual on the ignition system because I didn't know anything about it.

 

[dan filipi]

Probably a good idea to check it in case a PO had their hands in it.

 

[Tom_Charlton]

1983 and 1984 had pulse generators at the back of the engine. see pics. The canister holds the pulse generators.
85-up had pulse generators in the front, next to crankshaft.

 

[saganaga]

Tom_Charlton » Yesterday, 5:45 pm[/url]":38tlq26f]
1983 and 1984 had pulse generators at the back of the engine. see pics. The canister holds the pulse generators.
85-up had pulse generators in the front, next to crankshaft.

Is that a GL1200 engine?

 

[Tom_Charlton]

Yes. 1984 GL1200 on run stand with 2-bbl progressive carburetor. Runs good, just don't have a bike currently that needs an engine.

 

[skiri251]

'82 1100 is similar to 1200. At the back.
I did it when I removed the engine so not sure how you do it while engine is in the frame.
Don't think you can remove it w/o removing the swingarm. Probably in a way.
I have never removed the swingarm because I don't have that special tool nut socket.

 

[saganaga]

skiri251 » Today, 3:15 pm[/url]":19dovtiu]
'82 1100 is similar to 1200. At the back.
I did it when I removed the engine so not sure how you do it while engine is in the frame.
Don't think you can remove it w/o removing the swingarm. Probably in a way.
I have never removed the swingarm because I don't have that special tool nut socket.

Supposedly, a similar tool is used to remove certain types of freehubs from bicycles, and Park Tools sells that tool for about $16 or so.

My Goldwing is still asleep in the garage, so I haven't checked if there's a way to remove the cover without pulling the swingarm.

 

[Tom_Charlton]

If you are going to remove the rear pulse generators for inspection/replacement, be very carefull when you pull the reluctor. It sets on a small pin that goes thru the shaft. That pin can fall out and the motor will not run. Oh, the things that experience will teach us!!

If the bike loses spark when hot, but starts good after cooling off, the pulse generators are the primary suspect. Check them when the bike is at normal operating temperature, not when cold. The below was copied from Goldwingfacts.com, so check your GL1100 book for specifics.

GL1200 PULSE GENERATOR INSPECTION
Remove the left side cover and disconnect the pulse generator coupler.
Measure the coil resistance between white/yellow and yellow lead (No.1, 2 cylinders) or white/blue and blue lead (No.3, 4 cylinders). Wire colors may be different on the 1100. Resistance should be 1.1-1.3 Kohms.

My 86 would run 3.7 miles before quitting. After cool down, it would start and run back to within a block from the house. New pulse generators cured that problem.

I made my swingarm removal socket using a grinder and an old socket. Yes, you can buy a bicycle sprocket removal socket, but that's no challenge.

 

[skiri251]

saganaga » Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:20 pm[/url]":1b2y63o2]

skiri251 » Today, 3:15 pm[/url]":1b2y63o2]
'82 1100 is similar to 1200. At the back.
I did it when I removed the engine so not sure how you do it while engine is in the frame.
Don't think you can remove it w/o removing the swingarm. Probably in a way.
I have never removed the swingarm because I don't have that special tool nut socket.

Supposedly, a similar tool is used to remove certain types of freehubs from bicycles, and Park Tools sells that tool for about $16 or so.

My Goldwing is still asleep in the garage, so I haven't checked if there's a way to remove the cover without pulling the swingarm.

$16 is a great price!
I saw ones on eBay which cost $45 or so.

 

[skiri251]

skiri251 » Thu Mar 05, 2020 8:04 am[/url]":2mpykcv7]

saganaga » Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:20 pm[/url]":2mpykcv7]

skiri251 » Today, 3:15 pm[/url]":2mpykcv7]
'82 1100 is similar to 1200. At the back.
I did it when I removed the engine so not sure how you do it while engine is in the frame.
Don't think you can remove it w/o removing the swingarm. Probably in a way.
I have never removed the swingarm because I don't have that special tool nut socket.

Supposedly, a similar tool is used to remove certain types of freehubs from bicycles, and Park Tools sells that tool for about $16 or so.

My Goldwing is still asleep in the garage, so I haven't checked if there's a way to remove the cover without pulling the swingarm.

$16 is a great price!
I saw ones on eBay which cost $45 or so.

Sorry to hi-jack the thread.

Is this the one?

It says 40mm OD, 32mm ID.

This is the one I was talking about.

It says 40mm OD, 34mm ID. And costs almost $60 shipped.

I guess I can grind off extra 2mm if it doesn't fit..
Or make my own as I was thinking before.

 

[GTC@MSAC]

I'm wondering if the one in my 81 GL100 isn't in need of some pulse-generator service or repair. On rare occasions the timing seems flat until I open up the throttle full-on and then it comes back to life with good acceleration. and then there are times when i think there is some pinging from too much timing advance, especially around 4,000 RPM. Am I barking up the right tree?

 

[Tom_Charlton]

GTC@MSAC » Thu Mar 05, 2020 12:05 pm[/url]":3r9b34nm]
I'm wondering if the one in my 81 GL100 isn't in need of some pulse-generator service or repair. On rare occasions the timing seems flat until I open up the throttle full-on and then it comes back to life with good acceleration. and then there are times when i think there is some pinging from too much timing advance, especially around 4,000 RPM. Am I barking up the right tree?

This article from goldwingsdoc.com may be relevant to your problem. https://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38088
if the spring and vacuum advances aren't working correctly, you can lose some acceleration capability. Good luck.

 

[GTC@MSAC]

Tom_Charlton » 05 Mar 2020, 22:26[/url]":vddvbi0q]

GTC@MSAC » Thu Mar 05, 2020 12:05 pm[/url]":vddvbi0q]
I'm wondering if the one in my 81 GL100 isn't in need of some pulse-generator service or repair. On rare occasions the timing seems flat until I open up the throttle full-on and then it comes back to life with good acceleration. and then there are times when i think there is some pinging from too much timing advance, especially around 4,000 RPM. Am I barking up the right tree?

This article from goldwingsdoc.com may be relevant to your problem. https://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38088
if the spring and vacuum advances aren't working correctly, you can lose some acceleration capability. Good luck.

Thanks for the link. I read it and it gives me good reason to suspect the fault is in that area, especially as that is one of the few things
I have not cleaned or serviced since buying the bike in 2016. The valve rattle at 4K rpm was my 1st clue, and the occasional flat-ness of acceleration seems to indicate the same area of malfunction. Carb overhaul, timing belts, and valve clearance were the 1st things I did in 2016, but I have been putting of fooling with the timing plate, for obvious reasons of inacessability, lol! Guess it's time to roll up my sleeves and go at it again, sigh!

 

[joedrum]

Ok the advance on 1100 is vacuum and spring machanicle ....need tomsuckmon the vacuum hose and check for movement in advance ..this checks both movements .ive seen them totally stuck before....hm? Guess it only checks vacuum and ignition plate movement ...you can also retardant advance timing manually if you modify vacuum canister set screw ..

 

[GTC@MSAC]

joedrum » 06 Mar 2020, 22:45[/url]":m1p81xiz]
Ok the advance on 1100 is vacuum and spring machanicle ....need tomsuckmon the vacuum hose and check for movement in advance ..this checks both movements .ive seen them totally stuck before....hm? Guess it only checks vacuum and ignition plate movement ...you can also retardant advance timing manually if you modify vacuum canister set screw ..

Thanks Joe, that might be worth a look-see if weather is good this weekend, which I doubt it will be, lol!

 

[saganaga]

So can you inspect it without pulling the swingarm? Note I'm willing to buy such esoteric tools like a half-moon wrench set if that's what it takes.

 

[mcgovern61]

saganaga » Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:43 pm[/url]":164ysxyz]
So can you inspect it without pulling the swingarm? Note I'm willing to buy such esoteric tools like a half-moon wrench set if that's what it takes.

You can test it without pulling the swingarm Like Joe stated, with the engine off, pull the vacuum hose off #3 carb and suck on it. You should hear it moving back and forth.

 

[DaveKamp]

Strange that I just came across this thread... yesterday I wound a replacement solenoid coil for the "J" relay of a mid-1920's Kohler 1A21 automatic light plant... and re-wound one of the pickups from an old Precision Bass... and while doing some tidying up in my basement, i was at the 'bicycle repair' station, gathering up all the special tools, including... a box of freewheel and freehub removal tools...