No sparks = no go

[cywelchjr]

+1 on the glass fuses. If nothing else just pick up 4 inline blade fuse holders and put them in place of the glass fuses first. As was said, the clips not not putting enough pressure on the sides of the fuses anymore to handle the current flow anymore. That really is the reason everybody switched, those old clips just don't hold up over the years.

[3Phase]

Loho, I'm heading up to Santa Cruz tomorrow or Wednesday and I'll have my '80G with a few spare parts.

I could stop by Fresno on the way up to Santa Cruz or on the way back after I fix Ed's ovloV. It's up you!

[LoHo]

Thanks for the offer, Scott, but I'm going to do the fuse box change and see what wonders that reveals. I plan to get this myself. Failing that, bring tools to the June Rally....

[3Phase]

No problem, Loho, I'm on my way up north in a few minutes and you have my mobile number if you get stuck. I really don't want to get greasy at the rally so happy hunting!

[LoHo]

Well, hell...

I tried cobbing in a blade fuse in the ignition curcuit, and no joy. A few minutes later the mailman brough TC's fusebox. I disconnected the negative battery terminal and worked it in with a minimum of difficulty. Hooked up the wires, fit in the fuses, all looked nice and neat. Turn the key...nothing. What the...oh yeah, the battery. Hook up the battery, and SPARKS from the SPARK PLUG!

I got her to run a little while (no tank, seat, timing cover), so I put her back together for a test ride. Starting her up again with the gas hooked up, she ran rough at first, then came to life, but with a new clanky/grindy sound from the rear of the engine. I let it go a while thinking something was stuck from the two months of not running, but the noise persisted, off and on. I decided it might be the new/old starter not disengaging from the flywheel, so I decided to put my old starter in. Did it, but still that noise.

I pondered this for a while, looked things over, adjusted the cam chain tensioner, and started her again. Or tried to start her...again no spark. I now have two spare TCIs and none of them makes a difference. I either have good spark or no spark.

And I'm clueless about the new clunk/grind. Never had that before. I can't figure out any correlation to the noise and the no-spark. Could I have damaged something trying to push start her two months ago?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Loho,

That's good news in that you were able to attain spark! Now look at what you did...removed the NEGATIVE/Ground cable, installed fuseblock, reattached Neg/Ground and it had spark and ran. But with new sound!

Took out starter....remember that large braided wire that was connected to one of the starter bolts....that's the ENGINE ground to frame. You need to take it OFF from the FRAME, clean it and the frame, and reconnect it, also clean where the bolt goes thru it, the head of the bolt, even the threads of the bolt, and put it back in. Also clean off the battery negative to FRAME contact, and I'm thinking that it will have spark again! While doing this, throw it on the charger just for fun.

As to the engine noise...I don't want to throw aspersions, I'm sure you remembered to rotate the engine several times and the slowly approach the "C" position on the timing plate before doing the Cam Chain tensioner adjustment?!

I would seriously doubt you did any damage push starting it.
However, the starter solenoid may now be suspect...keeping the starter engaged even when you let off of the button, and can also be a possible culprit in it starting or not!

T.C.

[LoHo]

TC, that ground strap doesn't hook to the starter but is close to it. I've cleaned up every connection I can find, including that one. It started in the current configuration, but now no spark. That's the kicker: It started as is, now no spark. What changed?

[LoHo]

Oh, and engine noise was before the cam chain adjustment, which was an effort to stop the noise.

[natemoen]

What in the world......gotta think for a bit....

[DGXSER]

You got some wire that is very iffy somewhere. Forgive me not rereading the entire thread, so I may suggest things you already did.

I believe you already checked and replaced your pick up coil wires. Have you checked the pick up coils themselves? Tired different coils? IIRC you have swapped out about every component in the circuit now. So it has to be in the wires somewhere.

Also, check one of your crimps to the wires in the fuse box did not come loose. A while ago a local XSive was having trouble gettign his bike to start, just replaced the fuse box. Went over and chased out the circuit with a meter and found one the wire crimps came loose. Cut the crimped connector off, put a new one on good and tight and it fired right up.

[natemoen]

Never got an answer to before. You said you had done some "electrical fixes" during this process. What were those?

[soccer4m]

call 3phase

Hi LoHO,,,,while Scott is up your way,,,,,,have him stop by and try to narrow this problemo. His specialty is electric,,,so use him and get this beast running so you can have some fun riding. Its very frustrating trying to solve wierd problems like this, maybe one more set of eyes can resolve it. Besides, Scott will have something to add to his repertoire of bringing another XS back to life for a good member of the XS clan. Mike in SUN DIEGO

[LoHo]

Well, I'm pulling the head because I think the noise is a small lock washer from my first days of working on her that found that tiny spark plug hole. I dropped one and I thought I found it, but maybe not.

Anyone want a TCI for a good price? Two available.

[natemoen]

I may be intetested, depending on the price.

[James England]

Well, I'm pulling the head because I think the noise is a small lock washer from my first days of working on her that found that tiny spark plug hole. .

Just stick a small magnet down the plughole on the end of a soft wire (firmly fixed to it, of course)....... It would save pulling the head off just for that......