No spark...until

[LoHo]

I have about given up on Effing Bee, but will give her another shot.

A fresh battery...cleaned-up wires...replaced TCI...cleaned up grounds...etc.

The starter cranks the engine, but no spark; then a couple of seconds after releasing the starter button, there's a single spark.

Does that point to a discrete problem for further inquiry?

[cywelchjr]

I have about given up on Effing Bee, but will give her another shot.

A fresh battery...cleaned-up wires...replaced TCI...cleaned up grounds...etc.

The starter cranks the engine, but no spark; then a couple of seconds after releasing the starter button, there's a single spark.

Does that point to a discrete problem for further inquiry?

Did you unplug the tipover switch? It sounds like it could maybe be the tipover switch has gone bad on you. That could be wrong, but it seems like you have tried everything else. IIRC you also checked the pickup coil wires as well right?

[Redshirt]

+1 for Cy's comments.
I went through the same thing and I had both problems: a bad coil and a bad tip-over switch.

[XS1100 Newbie]

I would check the ballast resistor if yours has one. I know that Chrysler products used to do that when they ran ballast resistors.

[LoHo]

Yep, I replaced the ballast. And the tip-over switch. I have a choice of three TCIs. Maybe I'll just go through the wires again. It must be a bad connection somewhere. I re-did my vacuum advance wires, but have no way of telling if they are right without the bike running.

It ran well until it got wet last November in the rain, and has shown spark a couple of times since for brief periods. Then I re-assemble, and zip. The tough part is I know it can work, but doesn't.

I even bought a replacement bike, thinking she'd start up as soon as her successor rolled into the garage, since I always find the 12mm socket right after I buy a new 12mm socket.

The only thing wrong with the bike is no spark, but that has proven to be important for proper running.

[cywelchjr]

Yep, I replaced the ballast. And the tip-over switch. I have a choice of three TCIs. Maybe I'll just go through the wires again. It must be a bad connection somewhere. I re-did my vacuum advance wires, but have no way of telling if they are right without the bike running.

It ran well until it got wet last November in the rain, and has shown spark a couple of times since for brief periods. Then I re-assemble, and zip. The tough part is I know it can work, but doesn't.

I even bought a replacement bike, thinking she'd start up as soon as her successor rolled into the garage, since I always find the 12mm socket right after I buy a new 12mm socket.

The only thing wrong with the bike is no spark, but that has proven to be important for proper running.

Did you try just unpludding the dipover switch? It's not likely but the replacement could be bad, and the fastest way to test for that is to just unplug it, as it works by shorting across it's terminals to shut down the TCI, and would show exactly the symptoms your seeing.

As for testing the wire repairs, you should be able to tell if they are right with an ohmmeter testing for correct resistance and then pulling on them to make sure it doesn't change (checking from the TCI end of the plug of course), as those would also cause the symptoms, but again, should be easy to check with a DVOM or VOM (a VOM can be a little better for the tug test as it's more sensitive to changes). With a VOM you can also check while cranking to see if you see any flickers in resistance as the engine turns over, which might be a sign of BAD pickup coils even if the resistance is reading fine.

[motoman]

I even bought a replacement bike, thinking she'd start up as soon as her successor rolled into the garage//////////////IMHO, different replacement scoot may have done the trick.......

[BA80]

Let me throw this out there. Check the voltage to the red/white wire going to the coils while your turning it over. It should be at least 10v.

When the starter is engaged the starter solenoid is supposed to bypass the resistor and put full battery voltage to the coils for startup. The red/white wire on the solenoid. If there is a bad connection,wire, or solenoid full voltage won't be provided and there may not be enough going to the coils to fire them. Until, the start button is released and the solenoid de-energizes.

JAT

[Bellerophon]

I helped a friend get his SG going. It did exactly as you described, a lone spark as you turn off the ignition switch. His turned out to be the pick up coil wires for both sets of cylinders. It's worth a check.

[LoHo]

Can someone check this for me: crank your bike without letting it start.

Does your headlight come on and stay on? Does the headlight only come on with a start, or just from cranking?

[oldyam80sg]

If my SG cranks without starting headlight wont come on and for years i ran without tip over switch-i just unplugged it.I think it is in the on off switch.

[DGXSER]

Lo-Ho,

The headlight on my bikes never comes on without the engine starting, if ever so briefly. The relay gets pulled in by the Alternator putting out juice. Just cranking it over does not produce enough current fromt he alternator to pull that relay in, at least not on mine.

Pull the ground cable off your battery, and check for continuity from the battery ground cable to the black connection at the TCI. With the key in the on position, your right hand control e-stop in the on position, check you have 12 V at the TCI on both the R/W wires. If you do, then unplug the tipover switch for now. Now, when your pushing the starter button and the bike is cranking, check if you have 12 Volts at the R/Y wire to the TCI. If all of those are good, then check for continuity from the TCI connector to the coil connectors for both the orange and the grrey wires as well as the R/W wire. If all that is good, then it seems it has to be in the pickup coils side of the system.