Javier Segura Bogota, Columbia

[DAVINCI]

I got an e-mail this morning from this guy looking for help with ignition. Take a look:

Good Morning,

I´m the owner of a 79 XS100 special, this bike was in a few boxes for a many years. I bought on ebay ALL the electrical issues because those were lost: 2H7 CDI, harness, ignition coils, pickup coils, etc. Everything is conected and tested (as your guide) everything is powered but we are testing all for a two days and get no spark at all.

I'm desperate, I don't know what else test, and have many questions.

- How test if the coil cables are broked inside the plastic housing?
- How test if the pickup coils are "reading" correctly the pulse?
- How test if CDI are sending the pulse to the ignition coils?
- What other parts may "cancel" the signal or the sparks to the plugs?

Please I need help, I don't want to bring this bike to a mechanic because in my city (Bogota, Colombia, South America) there is no a good motorcycle. I'm pretty sure this condition is because we miss something.

Thank you in advance for any help you can get me.

Javier Segura

P.S. Sorry for my poor english.

Good morning, Javier.

Your English is very good, better than some Americans I know!

You wrote that everything is connected and tested as per my guide. Do you mean my guide on my personal website? if so, there is a TCI test written there. If you did that test and the meter showed a good voltage swing, and you still have no spark, then there is something wrong between the TCI and the ignition coils.

Check your red/white wire where it is connected at the ignition coils. With the key on, there should be 12 volts there. If no voltage is there, are you sure you have a ballast resistor installed?

First of all, thank you very much for answer me.

And yes, All voltage test is OK as shown on your guide (personal web site).

I have 12V at the red/white cable, just at the coils IN, and the resistor is in good condition testet with voltimeter.

I'm lost on it.

I've reading all the XS11.com forum but not a clue of this problem.

Any ideas?

Thank You very much.

Javier Segura

OK, can you find the 'Tip-Over" switch? It's located near the headlight relay. It MUST be installed one way only, it works on gravity (no kidding). Try to start the engine without the tip-over switch connected, unplug it,.

[Rickrod3]

I'm Impressed

Randy you are becoming a world renown Xs11 electronics expert.

I'd like to take a stab at trouble shooting his problem.
I would check the coils, high tension leads and caps next.
He mentioned he had voltage to the coil.

Rick

[TopCatGr58]

I agree on testing the spark plug coils. He bought parts on ebay, but no telling whether the plug coils were good? He needs to test his plug coils with his ohmeter without the plug caps on to ensure that he has the proper resistances on both primary side...1.5 ohms, as well as secondary plug side, 15k ohms +/-10%. I'm writing this with explicit instructions so if Javier is reading it, will hopefully understand what "we" mean, don't want to assume anything.

Simple thing, is battery STRONG? What voltage is he seeing at the "TCI" (Javier, it's not a CDI) during cranking? If near or less than 10.5 volts, then TCI can't work= no spark!

Javier, if you'll use the CONTACT US link to email us, state your preferred username/password and year/model of bike, we can get your account created so you can post replies here for more direct assistance.

Randy/Davinci is very good and knowledgeable, but he also recognizes the benefits of the collective knowledge here on the site and other points of view, ideas, etc. for trouble shooting! This is probably why he posted your email contents here for others to contribute their thoughts!