Pamco Electronic Advance test, No spark?

warrenlevihursh

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Hi, I recently bought a project cafe XS650 (this is my 4th XS650). I am in the process of wiring it enough to get it started and then I will strip it down for frame and engine paint. Anyway, I believe the Pamco electronic advance box that came with the bike is bad. Everything was brand new with the bike. I have a mikesXS PMA set up with the PAMCO and e-advance box. I wired everything according to the directions, but I still cannot get spark. The coil tested perfect according to the directions provided by PAMCOPETE I found. I can hook a test light to the primary lead on the coil. It will light up (dimly) but not pulsate when the bike is kicked over. Does anyone know of a way to isolate a bad e-advance box vs a bad PAMCO? I don't want to replace stuff that isn't bad, but I'm fairly confident that box isn't working properly? Thanks (in advance) for any help.
 
If your ignition came as parts of a PMA conversion kit from Mike's. then it is NOT a Pamco. Pete stopped selling his ignition to Mike's because Mike's started selling knock off copies of his ignition. They even had Pamco printed on the circuit board.
If they copied Pete's early ignition you can run it without the E-advance box. If they copied Pete's second version of sensor plate you have to have the E-advancer inline.
I don't think there is a way to test the E-Advancer apart from the rest of ignition.
You might want to check with Mike's.
Leo
 
If your ignition came as parts of a PMA conversion kit from Mike's. then it is NOT a Pamco. Pete stopped selling his ignition to Mike's because Mike's started selling knock off copies of his ignition. They even had Pamco printed on the circuit board.
If they copied Pete's early ignition you can run it without the E-advance box. If they copied Pete's second version of sensor plate you have to have the E-advancer inline.
I don't think there is a way to test the E-Advancer apart from the rest of ignition.
You might want to check with Mike's.
Leo
Well that makes things complicated. I was told by the seller it was a PAMCO brand unit, I explicitly asked that, but if what you are saying is true, he may have thought that and it might not be. Does Pete sell just the e-advance box separately?
 
I can say yes and no to that question. When you turn on the key you should have battery voltage at the coil on the red/white wire. On the Pamco side of the coil, it depends.
The Pamco turns the ground for the coil on/off. In the on position the voltage will read very low, like under 2 volts. In the off position it will read very close to battery voltage.
Leo
 
I can say yes and no to that question. When you turn on the key you should have battery voltage at the coil on the red/white wire. On the Pamco side of the coil, it depends.
The Pamco turns the ground for the coil on/off. In the on position the voltage will read very low, like under 2 volts. In the off position it will read very close to battery voltage.
Leo
Ok, I believe that is what i have going on. When you say the pampco side, you mean the other primary terminal of the coil where the green pamco wire is hooked up, correct? Everything seems to check out, but still no spark at the plug when the motor is kicked over.....
 
If your voltage on the green wire is going from high to low then the Pamco is working.
Have you checked the coil? Primary side ohms, terminal to terminal, From terminals to the mount points on the coil. You should get around 2.5 ohms terminal to terminal. with a very high to infinity from terminals to mount points.
Check from plug cap to plug cap. Should be around 30k ohms. Check from plug caps to mount points, should be very high or infinity. These are stock coils. If your isn't stock then they could be different.
On theses checks you are finding good continuity one way and no shorts to ground the other.
If the plug to plug is much higher it could be bad caps, connections or wires.
Possibly bad plugs.
I test for spark by taking about 6 inches of wire. Copper from a piece of house wiring is good. Even a coat hanger is good. just need clean bare wire.
Take one end of wire and wrap tightly around the threads on a plug. Wrap the other on another plug. Plug your wires onto these plugs. Crank engine. You should see the spark on both plugs. A darkened room or if outside in the dark lets you see the spark better.
Leo
 
If your voltage on the green wire is going from high to low then the Pamco is working.
Have you checked the coil? Primary side ohms, terminal to terminal, From terminals to the mount points on the coil. You should get around 2.5 ohms terminal to terminal. with a very high to infinity from terminals to mount points.
Check from plug cap to plug cap. Should be around 30k ohms. Check from plug caps to mount points, should be very high or infinity. These are stock coils. If your isn't stock then they could be different.
On theses checks you are finding good continuity one way and no shorts to ground the other.
If the plug to plug is much higher it could be bad caps, connections or wires.
Possibly bad plugs.
I test for spark by taking about 6 inches of wire. Copper from a piece of house wiring is good. Even a coat hanger is good. just need clean bare wire.
Take one end of wire and wrap tightly around the threads on a plug. Wrap the other on another plug. Plug your wires onto these plugs. Crank engine. You should see the spark on both plugs. A darkened room or if outside in the dark lets you see the spark better.
Leo
Thanks, yes I checked the coil according to instructions I found, and everything checked out for that. I'll check everything again and do the spark test and report back.
 
Ok, so here's the update. The PAMCO and e-advance is definitely genuine. I have battery voltage on the POS wire at coil, but nothing at the other primary coil wire, even when turning the motor over. I have 2.8 volts at the e-advance green wire on the sensor side, but nother on the coil side. I took the cover off the box and even probed the solder points. I am losing that 2.8 volts somewhere from the entry to the exit point of the e-advance circuit board. I wish PamcoPete could chime in here and confirm that this is not functioning properly. Anyway, a new integrated pamco and advance has been ordered from this site, so hopefully I can get this started and the project back on track. If anyone can confirm anything with my findings, it would be appreciated, thanks.
 
I got the new integrated Pamco and advance yesterday and now have good spark! The bike just back fires though so I need to go back over everything. I have the pma disconnected just trying to start it. Should the pamco base plate just be centered for initial start up until it runs and can be adjusted with a timing light? Thanks
 
I got the new integrated Pamco and advance yesterday and now have good spark! The bike just back fires though so I need to go back over everything. I have the pma disconnected just trying to start it. Should the pamco base plate just be centered for initial start up until it runs and can be adjusted with a timing light? Thanks

Im having the exact issue at the moment. What ignition did you end up replacing it with? i cant find an integrated Pamco and advance
 
Im having the exact issue at the moment. What ignition did you end up replacing it with? i cant find an integrated Pamco and advance
I don't think you can buy the integrated ones anymore now that Pete stopped making them. The box was def bad that I had. Xscharge makes decent stuff now from Mike's I guess.
 
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