Coils for a 1980 xs11 Special

[BowlingSS]

I am having a problem. After the bike runs for awhile and gets hot the bike dies. The bike has the stock coils on it. Will any other year coils work or are the Specials different? My son-in-law was riding and it dies. After it cooled it started right up. Where is the best place to get a set of coils?

Thanks guys.
Bill

[skids]

Do the plug-to-plug kohms go very high when hot? (could be a bad coil)

You might also check the gas cap breather in case there is fuel starvation.

[BowlingSS]

Do the plug-to-plug kohms go very high when hot? (could be a bad coil)

You might also check the gas cap breather in case there is fuel starvation.

That is funny on the gas cap breather. I just replaced the cap. Have not tried it yet. Do not want to be stuck on the side of the rode. The weather is starting to get really nice.

I need to check the coils when cold and then when hot. Need to dig up the specs.

Thanks.
Bill

[motoman]

I am having a problem. After the bike runs for awhile and gets hot the bike dies. The bike has the stock coils on it. Will any other year coils work or are the Specials different? My son-in-law was riding and it dies. After it cooled it started right up. Where is the best place to get a set of coils?

Thanks guys.
Bill

Bike dying and both coils being bad at same time......highly unlikely. Sounds like a secondary ignition issue somewhere else. May wanna check stop/run switch plug-in under tank on top frame on right side, then take apart stop/run switch itself and check that contact surfaces are REALLY clean. Stop/run switch COMPLETES running circuit. Then, using a volt meter, check plug-in voltage with key on. Same check at stop/run switch with key on. That voltage needs to be the same as battery voltage checked with key on. Needed voltage, same as batt. voltage IS necessary at both those locations. Make those voltage checks AFTER it quits when hot would be a good start.

[skids]

That is funny on the gas cap breather. I just replaced the cap. Have not tried it yet. Do not want to be stuck on the side of the rode. The weather is starting to get really nice.

I need to check the coils when cold and then when hot. Need to dig up the specs.

Thanks.
Bill

Check through the plug caps 1 to 4, then 2 to 3. I think they should be 12Kohm + the added values of the caps. The cap resistance should be printed on them and are typically 3Kohm to 8Kohm. Heat should not increase the value much.

[bikerphil]

If you still have the old glass fuse panel, it can cause poor connection when it heats up due to resistance.

[DiverRay]

+1 what bikerphil said!
Bad ignition coils would be one or the other, NOT both at once. If you have not done it yet, replace the fuse panel before anything else.

[motoman]

+2 to bikerphil's suggestion and Diver Ray's coil reference!

[BowlingSS]

If you still have the old glass fuse panel, it can cause poor connection when it heats up due to resistance.

I replaced the fuse panel a couple of years ago. I hated those glass fuses.

Thanks.
Bill

[DiverRay]

Check behind the fuse block and make sure the big connector from the alt. isn't trying to fry. Also, I believe you have the ballast resistor on that bike. If so, check it as it will shut down both coils at once. Pull the tank to get to it, and then pull it off the bike. Measure the resistance, should be about 1 to 2 Ohms. Now warm it up with a heat gun or put it in the over set to WARM. DO NOT get it over about 175F. Measure the resistance once again. If it's above 5 Ohms, you found the problem.
If that is the problem, myself or someone else can probably send you out a tested good one for just a few bucks.

[thumperjsa]

I picked up a 79 Special recently. Would be riding along fine, then all of a sudden, bike would shutdown. Replaced the glass fuse block with a plug in type for about $8 from Amazon. Haven't had an issue with it dying on me ever since. The old metal clips just don't hold the fuses as well anymore. You'll be much happier after the swap from glass fuses.