Interesting TCI repair site and my coil search results

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edpink

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Hi fellow XS lovers, it been a couple of years since I have been here, but my 650 died last week, no spark. So I came back to find info to fix it and came across info as well for some that might find interesting.

This TCI is all new to me as I've always dealt with CDI before so glad I found the info here I did. I did determine my original coil crapped out on my 80XS so I went to Mikes (Canadian site) to order a new one, when I tried to order the stock replacement it showed no stock. So I went to the US site and it showed they had stock, so I sent an email to Canadian Mikes site saying I need the coil and when they could get one? They replied the next day(today):

Hello,
We have these on order and hope to have them in 1-2 months time. If you would like I can email you as soon as they reach us

I appreciate they replied back so fast but a month or two was too much for me as I enjoy riding my 650, so the search was on this site looking for my coil or any coil that will work asap. I then came across a thread here saying how some one bought an Accell unit with part number and how they where so impressed how good it worked. So I went to work and started calling the parts suppliers we deal with, I get my Accel coil tomorrow which had to be ordered in. The prices I found online where $120, my cost $95, so I'm pretty happy and cant wait to install it.

Now for the interesting site I found while searching for info about TCI info. I found a few threads here while searching about guys that would like to fix the box or found the solders a bad mess. Here is a great site about repairing Yamaha TCI units. If you haven't seen it before I hope it helps in your endeavors.

http://www.jetav8r.com/Vision/TCIRebuild/TCI_Rebuild.html

Ed
 
edpink said:
Hi fellow XS lovers, it been a couple of years since I have been here, but my 650 died last week, no spark. So I came back to find info to fix it and came across info as well for some that might find interesting.

This TCI is all new to me as I've always dealt with CDI before so glad I found the info here I did. I did determine my original coil crapped out on my 80XS so I went to Mikes (Canadian site) to order a new one, when I tried to order the stock replacement it showed no stock. So I went to the US site and it showed they had stock, so I sent an email to Canadian Mikes site saying I need the coil and when they could get one? They replied the next day(today):

Hello,
We have these on order and hope to have them in 1-2 months time. If you would like I can email you as soon as they reach us

I appreciate they replied back so fast but a month or two was too much for me as I enjoy riding my 650, so the search was on this site looking for my coil or any coil that will work asap. I then came across a thread here saying how some one bought an Accell unit with part number and how they where so impressed how good it worked. So I went to work and started calling the parts suppliers we deal with, I get my Accel coil tomorrow which had to be ordered in. The prices I found online where $120, my cost $95, so I'm pretty happy and cant wait to install it.

Now for the interesting site I found while searching for info about TCI info. I found a few threads here while searching about guys that would like to fix the box or found the solders a bad mess. Here is a great site about repairing Yamaha TCI units. If you haven't seen it before I hope it helps in your endeavors.

http://www.jetav8r.com/Vision/TCIRebuild/TCI_Rebuild.html

Ed
Click to expand...
If the Yamaha coil is bad and you need to ride, go to a scrap yard a get a coil from a Honda CB 600. The primary resistance is close enough and works well with the TCI. Very affordable, about $20 US.
 
Purplezinger said:
get a coil from a Honda CB 600. The primary resistance is close enough and works well with the TCI. Very affordable, about $20 US.
Click to expand...

This is good to know.

Regarding the TCI, from the site that was linked to:
"Have I done it. No. Has it been done by others. Yes. Unfortunately, we don't have any "DETAILED" explanation of a successful rebuilding project."

Note also the specifics there aren't for an xs TCI.

In the tech section here there's a thread I started where I repaired my TCI. At the beginning of the thread I mention some diodes in an unusual package that I found broken elsewhere on the bike. I replaced those diodes in the TCI thinking I'd fixed the problem, but it turned out that I'd tricked myself. Then I noticed some bad solder joints on the board. I tell you how to spot them. I resoldered those and it did fix it. Then I proceeded to resolder every joint on the board to try and catch ones that were on their way to going bad, since the bad ones looked like they'd been caused by vibration.

From my experience and that of others, it seems like one common symptom of a bad TCI is that out of the blue the engine will die, but immediately start back up if you pull the clutch and use the starter. I suspect what happens is the TCI is designed to go into a different mode when the pulses stop, and that a joint that's bad in the way that I saw will cause it to occasionally miss seeing pulses and go into that mode. But I don't know why you can simply start it up again without removing power to the TCI first to reset it.
 
MikesXS has a high-output TCI coil that used to be about $35. I'm running one, it's pretty awesome.
650Central sells it as the 'Kung-Fu' coil.
 
I put my Accel super coil in after work, the bike fired right up, started faster then before. I didn't have my helmet so I could only ride it on the short street work is located and it seemed to have a lot more pep. New chain and sprockets badly needed next.

Thanks for the advice on where to find a coil, no bike wrecking yards near where I live. I wanted to put in the Accel coil anyways once I found it online.
 
Purplezinger said:
If the Yamaha coil is bad and you need to ride, go to a scrap yard a get a coil from a Honda CB 600. The primary resistance is close enough and works well with the TCI. Very affordable, about $20 US.
Click to expand...


Is it the same coil as the CBR 600? Also, is that coil used on other models, because I'm seeing a coil advertised for the 600, 750, and others. The pictures I've seen look like it could just bolt right on, conceivably.
 
Thanks. Is there a slick and easy way to adapt it, since it is a bit shorter?
 
Hey, all, I would first like to say thanks for this site. I've been reading and researching since last October when I bought my first xs. I'm having an issue and was hoping for some feedback. Let me appologize in advance for the length...

I have a 1980 SG which I've hardtailed. The bike ran well for the 60 miles I put on it before I started chopping, but ever since not so much. It sputters bad around the mid-range and never recovers. The bike did not have a tach when I got it, so I can't give RPMs, but from what I can tell the spark breaks up somewhere around the mid-range. I borrowed a friends electro tester, and I ran a spark gap test. It misfired around mid-range with a gap of 5mm and less, but idles well (misfire occured +10mm at idle). Same for both plugs. The bike never recovers past mid-range. Checked resistance on coil, 2.8 primary and 12.4k secondary. Pickup coil resistance is 718/756 ohms. The books (Yamaha and Clymer) say to replace TCI with a known working one to rule out. I found one on ebay (hope its a working one, 14 day return policy), waiting for bid to end. Also ordered new coil/wires/plug caps (old caps 7.8/8.4 ohms) just in case (old parts appear original). All of this was after extenuous carb work on the '83 BS34s that came with the bike (should have borrowed the electro tester sooner...). I guess I'm just wondering if I'm missing something simple. You guys seem to know what you're talking about, so any advice would be appreciated...
 
^That's what I was thinking about doing. I ordered one a few days ago, for $20 total. I really like the idea of an oem coil which is not all that old, over just about anything aftermarket. Especially factoring in price.
 
It worked out well for me. The factory TCI coil on my bike had failed open on the secondary side. I measured the primary resistance, then went on the hunt for something that matched. CBR 600 was what I found, but there may be others that would work just as well.
BTW, that was nearly a year and half ago and it's still running like a top.
 
Well, I got it and it seems to be a good item, made in the Motherland (Japan). Good production item rather than something of undisclosed origin... Seems to be identified by "MP08" molded onto it.

It might be used on all the following bikes, but not sure for sure. I think it's used on others as well, but don't have a list.

* 1987-1998 CBR 600
* 1993-1999 CBR 900
* 1987-1996 CBR 1000
* 1987 VF 700
* 1988-2003 VF 750
* 1988-2003 GL 1500
* 1989-1990 CB 400
* 1991-2002 CB 750
* 2002-2007 CB 900
* 1994-1995 CB 1000
* 1991-2002 ST 1100
* 1994 RVF 750


Interesting thing is it seems to be originally vibration mounted rather than mounted for cooling into the frame. Appears to measure about 3 ohms and 14,000 ohms.
 

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