No Spark

[BA80]

TC - what burns up if you run 3 ohm coils with the ballast resistor in place - the coils or something else?

Nothing, you just get weak or no spark.

[dbeardslee]

TC
Should I get dyna coils do you know part number?

I don't want to speak for TC, but this is where I got my DC1-1's. $130 for a pair - Z1 Enterprises

[dbeardslee]

Nothing, you just get weak or no spark.

For some reason I was thinking it could damage the windings in the coil. Probably just the 70's making their presence known in my synapses again.

[Roncoach70]

Disconnected the ballast resistor and connected the wires together. Still no spark.

[Roncoach70]

Thanks DB. Have I screwed this bike?

[Roncoach70]

Thank you everyone for your knowledge, advice and support, I truly appreciate it. Time for bed pick it up after work tomorrow night.
Thank you all, goodnight.

[dbeardslee]

Disconnected the ballast resistor and connected the wires together. Still no spark.

Did you trace the red wire with the white stripe? IIRC it runs from the fuse block to the handlebar switch to the ballast resistor to the primary coil leads. And check across the fuse block to make sure you've got continuity between the brown wire and the red/white. Don't just check the fuse - check from where the brown wire plugs in to where the red/white plugs in, if that makes sense. Might be a good idea to check your frame grounds, too. You can also check your resistance readings at the TCI for the coils as well as for the pickup coils.

And no, I don't think you screwed up your bike. Just part of it. Only kidding.

[TopCatGr58]

T.C. That is the post I used for the pickup wire repair. They soldiered the wire that's why I did it and I don't remember it saying anything about using test lead wire. So should I redo what I did with crimped connectors and test lead wire.
Thanks .

Hey Ron,

Guess I should be reading them more closely! That tip was made many years ago. It still provides good info. Others with electrical repair knowledge (Crazy Steve, Captain Zap, etc) promote crimp connectors due to the stiffness of solder joints and their propensity to fracture/fail at the solder joint. Those wires move a lot, and so a variation to that repair is to get enough TEST LEAD wire to make a loose loop around the timing parts, so that when they flex, the won't bend at as much of a sharp angle like the oem ones do. The heat shrink is good for insulation and protection, and the test lead wire can handle the flexing much better.

By now hopefully someone else has posted a similar reply. I received a phone call from my High School best friend in Texas, and we talked for over an hour!

T.C.

[Roncoach70]

Hey thanks to all your help I have a living xsf, I think anyway. 1 ride down no issues and it started back up when I got back in the garage. I disconnected the ballast resistor and redid all my pickup wires with test lead wire and bullet crimp connectors. Thanks guys for your help, who knows you may even make me into half a mechanic someday. Much appreciated. Anyone up for a fall ride in New York, I am at your service.

[BowlingSS]

Glad you got it fixed. My wife (engineering tech) replaced my coil wires. She knows her way around wires. She is a keeper.

Started getting cooler up in NY? We have had high 50's as the low here in GA.

Bill

[Roncoach70]

Thanks Bill, any chance I can borrow your wife? She must come in handy with a meter I could use some meter lessons. Weather in New York has been absolutely gorgeous here for the past two months so happy to have my xsf up and running great.
Ron

[Roncoach70]

Went for another shake down ride tonight. My Xs1100SF is running better than it has in years. I think the pick up wires have been broken for a while because even with the air box and stock exhaust it is a missile. So very thankful to everyone who has helped me sort out my bikes issues.
Thank you all.