No spark now!

[johnstewart]

Aiiight - I'm definitely not getting any spark to my plugs. I think it may be a problem with how the PO "fixed" the kill switch.

According to Clymer p. 166 (this is the XS11 Second Edition book), there is a wire coming out of the ignition unit which goes through the emergency shut off switch and then to ground.

According to p. 272-3, which is the 1979 XS1100SF wiring diagram, there is a B/W wire coming out of the ignitor unit and goes to the emergency stop switch (with a B wire, apparently ground, on the other side).

I was able to trace the B/W wire out of the ignitor unit, and it goes into a large group of wires that is routed on the right side of the frame. However, I can't seem to find where this wire ends up. This group of wires splits into two groups, which go into the headlight area. I can't seem to find a B/W coming out of any of these anyplace.

Furthermore, it seems to be a group of 4 wires coming out of the kill switch area on the bike, which matches a group of wires labeled "Handlebar switch, right". However, these don't seem to have any direct relation to the kill switch.

What am I missing here?

thanks!

[rainbowshooter]

I believe the b/w goes to the emergency stop switch, located right behind the coils on my 78.

[johnstewart]

Interesting... yet another thing I never knew existed. =)

I'll have to find that now...

thanks!

[xssiveone]

I believe the b/w goes to the emergency stop switch, located right behind the coils on my 78

John, this isn't an actual switch, so don't look for a toggle that you can flip on and off. It's a mercury switch that is designed to shut the engine down in the event that the bike gets dropped or you have to lay it down.

[johnstewart]

AHA! Thanks; that's what I was missing. I didn't realize such a thing existed; I thought "emergency shutoff switch" was the same thing as the kill switch.

I'ts *supposed* to be open unless the bike tips, so that's not my problem.

I went and tested the ignition coils according to Cylmer. The left one is in spec but the right one is way out of whack: 3.9 ohms primary, 200kohms secondary (should be 1.5 +-10% and 15k +-10%). However, my parts bike has a bad right ignition coil too, dammit! The left one is good on the parts bike; I wonder what the implications are of using the left coil in place of the right one - the plug wires are too long, perhaps, but it seems like operationally it would be the same.

Anyway, I also tested the pick up coil. One pair of wires is way out of whack on my main bike (425kohm, should be 720 ohms +-20%), but is good on my parts bike. So I wanted to swap the pick up coil. However, I can't seem to find where the heck it is! I've been scouring my books here, and I don't see any reference to it. It doesn't appear to be menitioned in the cable routing diagram or anything.

Where should I be looking for the pickup coil?

thanks!

johnS

[johnstewart]

Originally posted by johnstewart

Where should I be looking for the pickup coil?

Yikes - okay, looks like it is in the ignition advance mechanism someplace? Looks like a fairly involved process.

So in this tech tip:

http://www.xs11.com/tips/repair/repair8.shtml

The two wires it refers to are under the ignition cover someplace?

Hrmmmm...

[skids]

I'll give it a shot:

I think that the kill switch has a wire in parallel with the ignition box. When you "kill" it, it causes a dead short to ground through the black wire and robs the ignition of the current that it needs to fire. If it is open instead of shorted, it should allow fire.

[johnstewart]

Cool; found the pickup. The thing was giving waaay too high resistance on one of the pairs of wires. I took it out, and then after I tested it with it off, it was fine. I saw a little bit of water in there. After drying it all out and putting the dang thing together, it RUNS!

So I think I got a little water into that left cover and wreaked havoc with the pickup coil. Seems to be fine now.

One coil is bad, though it does run as well as it always has; I will try pulling the good one off the parts bike and this might improve things. But maybe an aftermarket coil set is in order.

One problem is that I'm still leaking a bit out of the oil pan. I'll likely have to drop it again and seal it with this formagasket stuff....

thanks for your help!

johnS

[Ken Talbot]

Have you checked the pick-up coil leads pick up coil leads ? Your description sure sounds like the standard symptoms - i.e. high resistance, intermittent, etc.

[johnstewart]

Originally posted by Ken Talbot
Have you checked the pick-up coil leads pick up coil leads ? Your description sure sounds like the standard symptoms - i.e. high resistance, intermittent, etc.

Yeah, they all seemed in really good conditions, and once I dried it all out, it read good for resistance; definitely within spec.

Seems to be running as well as always now; however I'm thinking of upgrading the coils after seeing all the info about them here...