1979 Kick Only Wiring Diagram Help

Surfrat28

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Hey everyone in the xs650 community:

My name is AR and I just recently got myself a 1979 XS650 that has been bored out. I am trying to make a chopper for BF9 and am cutting it to the wire. I have built some Yamaha café racers however, they have been simple DT's. I have never delt with an xs650 and it seems every diagram I look at either has something I have or don't have or the person who made the diagram calls it something else. I am trying to get the bike started to see how it runs before I continue this build. I know how to wire the headlight and tail light so I did not include them into the diagram that I have attached. I have a complete stock 79 XS650 that has an ignition box, a single coil with dual ends, points, and a pick up system. I am not sure if I am missing anything electrical wise. Any help would be much appreciated!

Thank you for looking!
XS650 Wire Diagram.jpg
 
Can you post some pics? Your points are period correct for the bike but an ignition box is for an 80+ xs with a tci ignition.
 
Engine.jpg
Ignition Unit.jpg
Points.jpg
Reg-Rec.jpg
Stator and Pick up.jpg
Can you post some pics? Your points are period correct for the bike but an ignition box is for an 80+ xs with a tci ignition.

That is what I thought when I saw the ignition unit and it has been throwing me off. Here are some pictures of what I have so far.
 
Surfrat I'm not sure where you got the idea that you have points from but you do not have points, you have a TCI (transistor controlled ignition). The unit that you are referring to as your ignition box is also called your TCI box. The wiring diagram that you are showing looks correct for a TCI bike.
Since your building a chopper I'm sure your going to want to use a smaller battery than the stock cinder block of a battery. If you use a smaller battery I'd make sure you wire your headlight and tail light to a separate switch to turn on after the bike is running. That way they aren't drawing all the current when you turn your key on, which would leave your TCI box with less voltage than needed, not allowing the ignition to operate.
 
Surfrat I'm not sure where you got the idea that you have points from but you do not have points, you have a TCI (transistor controlled ignition). The unit that you are referring to as your ignition box is also called your TCI box. The wiring diagram that you are showing looks correct for a TCI bike.
Since your building a chopper I'm sure your going to want to use a smaller battery than the stock cinder block of a battery. If you use a smaller battery I'd make sure you wire your headlight and tail light to a separate switch to turn on after the bike is running. That way they aren't drawing all the current when you turn your key on, which would leave your TCI box with less voltage than needed, not allowing the ignition to operate.
To be fair he does have points installed, indicated by the wire hanging out of the camshaft. We've messaged, he's gonna bypass points and try to wire it up as a tci ignition.
 
I noticed that but it's just strange that there is a pick up coil on the stator. Also he has a dual output coil. Why does the bike have points and a TCI ignition? Lol.
 
I noticed that but it's just strange that there is a pick up coil on the stator. Also he has a dual output coil. Why does the bike have points and a TCI ignition? Lol.
You're right, the pick up coil and dual output indicated tci. Best I can figure is someone was gonna convert to points but never followed through. Finishing someone else's work is common on these bikes as we all know.....
 
Is there an easy way to finish it to make it only points? I believe all the easy lifting has been done. If it's replace a few parts would it be worth the change over??
 
To be fair he does have points installed, indicated by the wire hanging out of the camshaft. We've messaged, he's gonna bypass points and try to wire it up as a tci ignition.


B Burdine97 so I have tried this set up that you gave me and I'm still not getting s spark when I kick it. I have held it to the frame to check for a spark and still have nothing. Is there a set up just to get the engine to kick over. I'm curious to see if it even runs.
 
In the diagram you have posted in your first post is fine, except the red/white wire that you show from TCI box to coil, you need to splice into the wire and run it to power through a kill switch.
If you check close the wire running from TCI box to Pickups is white/red not red/white. You have it marked red/white in your diagram.
Check any stock diagram from 80 up, You will find it that way. The red/white wire feeds battery power to both the coil and TCI box.
Leo
 
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Another thing, those pleated pod filters are a poor choice for the stock carbs. They create air flow turbulence that cause poor vacuum for slide lift, causing tough carb tuning. A long straight foam filter is much better.
It may be a 79 but someone replaced the 79 stator and rotor from an 80 up bike. If it runs with the TCI bits the I would remove the points and advancer rod and advancer, don't throw away, keep them in case you want to return to points or install a Pamco basic ignition.
Leo
 
Yes, listen to leo to solve your problem. If you just want to run your bike for a short period of time. Grab a fully charged battery, hook up your pick up coil (on stator) to your ignition unit the way you have it in your diagram, ground the ignition unit to the battery, run the orange and red/white wires from ignition unit to the coil. Splice a hot wire into the red/white wire and start kicking away! You should have spark. I actually just fired up my bike after a fresh rebuild by wiring it like how i just explained. Started on first kick!! Was a great feeling.
Good luck sir.
 
Hey I just got the Boyer ignition system that ive been recommended and have installed it. I have spark now but still cant get it to start. I am wondering if it is my wiring. I am currently running a battery not a capacitor at the moment. Any idea? I have drawn the diagram that I am using to best match the one you had given me. I have not hooked up the tail light just cause I wanted to get it started before going any further.
XS650 Wire Diagram Boyer System WO Tail light.jpg

Yes, listen to leo to solve your problem. If you just want to run your bike for a short period of time. Grab a fully charged battery, hook up your pick up coil (on stator) to your ignition unit the way you have it in your diagram, ground the ignition unit to the battery, run the orange and red/white wires from ignition unit to the coil. Splice a hot wire into the red/white wire and start kicking away! You should have spark. I actually just fired up my bike after a fresh rebuild by wiring it like how i just explained. Started on first kick!! Was a great feeling.
Good luck sir.
 
I don't have any experience with the Boyer. the instructions that came with it should tell you how to static time the ignition to get it to ruin., then use a timing light to get it right after you get it running.
if you have spark and the timing is close, the bike should run if the carbs are half way clean.
At this point I would suspect the carbs need cleaning. www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf will help with that.
Leo
 
I use Boyer Ignition all the time and work great. So like Leo said if you got spark the next thing I would be looking at is CARBS. You could have a motor with low compression and not sucking gas or just very dirty carbs and it won't start. One thing you could try is open carbs and shoot some carb cleaner or brake clean and see if it try's to start or pops . I have started these motors with no carbs just to see if motor would kick. You can also put your hand over carb and kick it and see if gas blasts your hand. Just sounds like carbs to me.
 
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