How to test pickups?

[Sgriger534]

With a multimeter how do you check the pickups while cranking. I have checked resistance but is there anyway to check it while cranking to make sure the tci is getting a good signal from the pick ups

[Sgriger534]

OK, i got ahold of a fluke multimeter, why better then my cheap fifteen dollar one. Checking resistance with the pickup unplug at the tci, the top and bottom slots were OL. i went all the way down to the pick up and tried it but still OL with one lead at the tci and the other at the pick up. But if you plug it in, then it reads fifteen k Ohms. i am not very good at electrical, and i think the pick ups are my problem, but i am alittle confused about my results

[dbeardslee]

I don't know of a running test for the pickups. If you got the correct resistance readings, and they don't jump around all over the place if you wiggle the pickup wires, your pickups are probably fine. There's just not much there to go bad, other than the wires.

You do, however, have to have the pickup gap set correctly. If you look on the rotor you'll see a raised area on it, and a corresponding raised 'bump' on each of the pickups. You rotate the crank by hand until the raised area on the rotor is lined up with the raised area on the pickup. You set the gap by loosening one of the screws on the pickup and adjusting it's position for the correct gap. I usually just hold a fueler gauge in the gap, apply a little pressure to the pickup, and retighten the screw. Then I remove the fueler gauge and give it a final check. Then rotate the crank and repeat on the other pickup. They should be set between .5 and .7mm. I set mine towards the lower number just to make sure those old magnets are doing their thing.

[randy]

Sgriger534;

Is it not running at all?

Take a look on my site (link below) and there is a cranking test you can do at the TCI. That test will show if the pickups are working and if the TCI is putting out it's signal to the coils.

Unfortunately, your fluke is no good for the test. The test only works with an analog (the old type with the needle) meter.

[crazy steve]

...Unfortunately, your fluke is no good for the test. The test only works with an analog (the old type with the needle) meter.

Unlike many digital meters, most Flukes have a 'bar graph' at the bottom of the display which will display the 'pulses' you're looking for here. The numerical readout won't react (it's 'damped' to prevent a constantly-changing display), but the bar will give you the same function as an analog meter.

'78E original owner

[Sgriger534]

So i took the meter and used the bar graph on the bottom. I tested the tci first by putting the leads on the ground and orange wire at the harnes into the tci. it went up and them dropped. Then i stuck the two lead into the back of the coil harness at the tci, and got nothing at all from the graph on the multimeter while cranking, also when you check resistance it goes OL so i think tomorrow, i have the day off from work so i think i am going to tear the pick ups apart and see if the connection came apart

[Sgriger534]

Also how does the ignition work, i think i have it figures out, the TCI sends a signal through the orange wire to the coil to activate it, then the tci recives the signal from the pick ups and sends a signal through the red wire to the coils?

[randy]

Before you tear up the coils, check the connector behind the fuse panel. Yes, there are TWO pickup connectors. One at the TCI and one mid-span Take a look at my site for an explanation of how the TCI and pickups work.

[Sgriger534]

Not sure what this is, but could it affect my pickups? It is a little black box thing that sits above my battery, it looks like the wires of the tci the are for the pickups run to it, at least it is the same color

[Sgriger534]

[IMG][/IMG]

[bikerphil]

The picture above is the module for the self-cancelling turn signals. It has nothing to do with the ignition. The connector for the pick up coils is in back of the fuse panel. I've had that connector corrode up and my engine would stop whenever it felt like it.

[Sgriger534]

Well i think i am going to try to find someone who is better at electrical at me. It is sad i went to school for automotive technology but i suck so bad at electrical. Everything seems to be working in the ignition system except that i get no spark, but i am probably missing somthing simple i am sure. Thanks for all of your guys help

[Sgriger534]

I figured it out finally, I pulled the wire conduit off of the pickup coil wire were it ran under the engine, And i found a wire that felt like a rubber band. Pulled it apart and found that the wire had brake, not sure why it broke there and not at the pick ups like it sounded like everyone elses problem with it, but it looks like someone had fixed it before and used the smallest, cheapes wire they could find. I put a butt connector on it for now, but i am going to totally rewire it here soon becuase all the wires felt pretty cheap too, going to take care of it before it gives me more trouble

[DGXSER]

Nice work finding that. It is amazing how a simple little wire can make such a big headache. There are many threads here on how to fix the pickup wires. I know Dbeardslee did a write-up recently of how he did it repacing the wires all the back past where your issue is.

[natemoen]

Glad you found the problem! Good luck with the rest of it!