nickyd confused

[nickyd]

no spark on 1 and 4,they share the same coil.bad coil or does it get a signal to module from somewhere else first.how do i check before i throw a coil on it?????????

[DGXSER]

Well, the spark system starts with a signal form the pickup coil under the left hand timing cover. So check that it is working first. The wires from them tend to break, but are typically an intermitent problem. Still check it out. Next is the TCI, but it seems unlikely it would only kill one coil. Then is the ignition coil.

Check each component for voltage and such. Those are kind of expensive parts to go buying without knowing they are broken.

[nickyd]

thanx for the help i have a manual so i will check the wires from pickup coil to tci if not broken i can assume bad coil i guess.their isnt a seperate wire from pickup coil to tci for each coil is there?one sends signal at top dead the other 180 degrees?

[fredintoon]

no spark on 1 and 4,they share the same coil.bad coil or does it get a signal to module from somewhere else first.how do i check before i throw a coil on it?????????

Hi Nicky,
there's a red wire that splits and feeds both coils, check that both coil connections are live. There's also an orange wire that goes to one coil and a gray wire that goes to the other. Swap those wires each to other and check all 4 for spark. If 1 & 4 now spark and 2 & 3 don't, both coils are OK and the prime suspect becomes the pickup coil wire.

[fredintoon]

thanx for the help i have a manual so i will check the wires from pickup coil to tci if not broken i can assume bad coil i guess.their isnt a seperate wire from pickup coil to tci for each coil is there?one sends signal at top dead the other 180 degrees?

Hi Nicky,
it's a waste spark system, each coil sparks two plugs at every revolution so you can swap #1 & #4 plug leads (or #2 & #3) and the engine won't care. Swapping #1 or #4 with #2 or #3 will put the spark at ~bdc which is a bad thing.
There are two pickup coils, one for each ignition coil.

[prometheus578]

No spark on 1 and 4, huh?

Pull all the spark plugs, place them back in their caps and lay them back down against the head. We're gonna watch for spark when we crank the engine over. Keep them away from the spark plug holes lest we ignite the fumes and the flaming jet singes our moustache.


Test #1: Swap the wires GOING TO the coils. (The wires for coil 1+4 are now going to coil 2+3, etc.) Crank the engine and watch fer schparkin'.

If 1+4 still don't have spark...you have a bad coil.
If 1+4 now have spark, but not 2+3... you have a "TCI brain box" or "pick-up coil" issue.

Switch the wires going to the coils back to the way they were originally.

Test#2: Find the wire connector from the pick-up coils to the TCI box and disconnect it. We are now gonna swap wires again. Two ways to do this... By sticking a pointed object in the connector, you can remove the wires one by one and stick them in other holes and reconnect the connector, or you can take several short lengths of wire and jump across the gap of the open wiring connector. What we are trying to do is have the signal from the pick-up coils for cyl 1+4 go to the TCI box on the wires for cyl 2+3, etc. Crank the engine and watch for spark.

If 2+3 were previously firing, but now 1+4 are firing, then you have a defective pick-up coil/ or a break in the pick-up coil wire. If 2+3 were previously firing and they still are the only ones firing, then it's the TCI getting both pick-up signals but only sending out on one line, hence defective TCI.

(Pick-up coil wires are known to break inside the insulation)

[thewiz]

Hey, Prom ... good to hear ... good lesson too

[natemoen]

I have never seen that test Prom! I like it, I might need to give it a try here soon

[nickyd]

got er fixed!!!!!!

thanx for all the help guys.it was the infamous pick up coil wires coming apart.i cut and soddered all new ones thing runs great.i have had this intermitent miss for over two year but it would go away before the bike would strand me.it would never idle when it dropped cylinders,so i was never able to start checking stuff(pulling wires off one by one)it finally dropped two cylinders last week i barely got her home and it idled for me i pulled 1 &4 no spark.did all ur tests and it was the pick up coil wires.what a relief,i can take an extensive ride and not worry anymore!!!!!whooooooooooo hooooooooo!

[natemoen]

what a relief,i can take an extensive ride and not worry anymore!!!!!whooooooooooo hooooooooo!

Congrats man! Ride Her Hard