No spark on any cylinder

[marnold]

I am at a loss about what to do with my 1980 xs1100sg. Went on our first 2 day trip this weekend. It was running perfectly. Very strong but poor fuel economy (around 25 miles / gallon). (Plugs show signs of having rich fuel mixture). About 100 miles from home, I stopped to fuel up, no problems. Started the bike just fine and sat at idle for about a minute while my friends finished fueling, then, put it into gear after being in neutral, The bike immediately sputtered and died. Dead as a doornail. I have a fully charged new battery about a month old. I have already ridden the bike about 400 miles this year and have never had this problem before. Since I got it home, I have checked the Rectifier according to the manual but I do not think I am doing something right. I only get a reading on one of the 8 tests to do and only in one direction with my ohm meter set on 200k ohms. (I also checked the rectifier of an XJ I have. No readings in that either but it runs) I have also tested the coils primary and secondary windings. both check out very nearly within specs. Since I don't get spark in any of the 4 cylinders I think it could be the pick up coil. (Does that sound right to anyone?) My Clymer manual also has a wiring diagram that shows a neutral safety switch. I have never (in 2 years) had to pull the clutch to start this bike. Any advice I can get would be welcomed. TIA

[wingnut]

I know it's kind of simple but did you check the fuse on the ing circuit? If you have the glass fuses they can just quit like that. Any way thats the place to start chasing the 12V and keep going until you find out were you lost it

[James England]

If it's a faulty pickup, you'd have no sparks on only two cylinders but sparks on the other two. It's unlikely that both pickups stopped working at the same time.

The rectifier test is, I've found, tricky. I had two of them which the test showed as not working but they both worked fine.

There's another thread running right now about lack of sparks. Have a look at that, as I suspect it might apply in your case......

[DGXSER]

Deos it start back up now, and then die when put into gear? does the starter turn?

On my current bike, I had a clutch handle and switch off of a Suzuki (its a PO thing). With that setup, I could NOT start the bike unless it was in neutral. Clutch pulled or not, it would not start without being in neutral. Fiannly switched to an XS clutch lever and switch. Now it starts in gear with clutch pulled.

[cywelchjr]

Deos it start back up now, and then die when put into gear? does the starter turn?

On my current bike, I had a clutch handle and switch off of a Suzuki (its a PO thing). With that setup, I could NOT start the bike unless it was in neutral. Clutch pulled or not, it would not start without being in neutral. Fiannly switched to an XS clutch lever and switch. Now it starts in gear with clutch pulled.

An 80 shouldn't have any interlocks, unless it's actually an 81 (which is the first year for interlock switches). But water or oil in the wires for the pickup coils can cause it to die when put into gear. Also if the charging circuit is not working it can seem to be doing fine and then suddenly stop running and not start back up and not run, but it usually won't crank anymore at that point either DAMHIK.

It is possible for the pickup coils to both go at the same time, but I would be more suspicious of the fuse box with it suddenly quiting like that.