1980 NO SPARK Troubleshooting....What am I missing?

Did you just grind down one of the rivots to allow the trigger coil to pivot? I started reading the thread on the GN conversion. Seems like little to no adjustment is needed to be a functional ignition swap? Some folks are talking about installing a new magnet on the rotor and such, perhaps fine tuning?
They're not rivets, they're screws that shear the heads off when they're installed. I used a 1/16" cutoff wheel on a die grinder to cut a flathead screwdriver slot, then just screwed them out... replaced with regular phillips screws. You'll need to elongate the top hole in the pickup and use a timing light to adjust the timing as required for your particular iggy (GN250) box.
 
With the stator off, you can also just grab the other side of the screws with a mini vice grip and start them turning. To slot the hole, use a really sharp burr to avoid heating the pickup innards like a cheap pistol
 
....grab the other side of the screws with a mini vice grip and start them turning.
That's really not a good way to go about it. The screw is steel and the pliers will chew up the threads as you grip it. As those chewed up threads turn out through the aluminum stator, it'll chew up the threads on the inside of the holes. That's more of a last resort way of doing it. Try slotting the head first.

To slot the hole, use a really sharp burr to avoid heating the pickup innards like a cheap pistol
It's mild steel. Here's about 30 sec. with a small round hand file....

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I think I used a piece of old leather shoe tongue between the grips and the threads. Worked OK. Good deal with the file, I used a dremel and cylindrical burr
 
I think I used a piece of old leather shoe tongue between the grips and the threads. Worked OK.
All I can say is you're a better wrench than me... getting pliers and shoe leather in there. I'll be damned if I can even get this toothpick to touch the screw. My hats off to ya..... :rolleyes:

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I distinctly remember doing it from the inside :) Maybe I just did the bottom one from the inside. It was ten years ago. Later ones are pre-slotted and held on by regular phillips screws so it may not be an issue anyway
 
Here's another path you might want to consider Rich. A $20 Suzuki GN250 igniter box is a viable replacement for the TCI box. Have a read here.
There's currently 8 or 10 bikes running this thing with no problems so far... including mine. At 20 bucks a pop, you can afford to carry a spare in your pocket.;)
Here's the pin out for the GN box.

View attachment 178603

just so we are on the same page I want to verify some GN250 wiring nomenclature and wire positions. My harness is not stock so the color identification isn’t right. I drew a simplified diagram of my interpretation of your image.
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Yes, that looks correct. You can wave a magnet under the trigger to find the retard side. look for a mv signal on two of the wires.
 
Yes, that looks correct. You can wave a magnet under the trigger to find the retard side. look for a mv signal on two of the wires.

Pardon my ignorance.... but I need to use the advance time wire from the pick up trigger coil correct? The way to distinguish which is which is by waiving a magnet over pickup to find a mv signal - aka retard wire, not to be used?
 
No, you want the retard trigger. The one on the left as you look at it installed. The GN box bases it's advance curve off the retard trigger. No need for the advance side. Just cap that wire.
 
Installed my CHI-NA box and she purrs like a kitten! Turns out replacing my tci was the right move!

Yes Sir so You went for the Gonzo thing I assume
Any chance for a short video both sides of bike .. with some throttle twisting .and .. Sound
I believe it would be of interest for those in your situation further on ---as well as for further development aspects.
If not perfect already.
 
Installed my CHI-NA box and she purrs like a kitten! Turns out replacing my tci was the right move!
Glad to hear it. If you wouldn't mind, go over to the GN250 link and put up a comment adding your name to the list of people running it?
 
I was looking at your diagram. Seems OK. Not really sure if the Pickup coils are hooked up right. I have to assume TC Bros did their harness properly. Because you are using different color wires for the pickup coils, we can't really tell whether it is right just from the diagram. If the PU coils are not hooked up correctly, it won't work. Each coil has to connect to the right input on the board. They are 25 degrees apart and just won't drive the TCI module correctly. It won't burn up the board, but it just won't work. With respect to what Jim was pointing out earlier, you do have to be careful checking the components on the board. In the case of ZD4 which has that darkish look about it on the photograph, if you put an ohmmeter across it, you will likely measure the large 82 ohm resistor that is parallel to it. If ZD4 is blackened, and I can't really see that clearly, then it likely burned up. Not a big deal. Just replace the diode. These diodes cost maybe a buck at most, but you have to be careful replacing them. they only go in one way. Your measurements on the output transistor didn't sound great, but they didn't sound bad either. More like something wasn't quite right in the way you measured it. Jim's option of the alternate TCI might work. The guys seem to have put a lot of effort into it. If you are looking at buying a replacement TCI board, this might be a good option. If you really want to get this board working, and have the time to spare, you could send it to me and I could check it out on the bench properly, and upgrade the electrolytics at the same time.

Drifted off to sleep last night realizing I made a mistake in this post. That 82 ohm restor is not in parallel with the zener diode. It is in series. sorry. There is however a capacitor in parallel that will throw off any on board testing. In truth, all on-board testing with a meter should be taken with a grain of salt. It takes a bit of experience to know when to trust what you are seeing on the meter and when not. All component testing starts with a good visual inspection, which is why Jim immediately pointed out a suspicious looking zener diode. Off hand, I would say the rest off the board looks good and is easily salvageable. ....Got to stop falling asleep dreaming about motorbikes and TCI stuff.


I have time to spare and if the offer still stands to repair the stock tci box, I may just take you up on this. I have another engine missing some stuff and would like to have a working stock box around.
 
I have a 1980 xs650 project that I received about half completed. I wanted to verify spark before I continue to build. The bike has not run in over 3 years. I have videos of it running from the seller. It has the tcbros 6 pin harness and i am mocking up a very simplified harness for testing purposes only (i have numerous schematics of simplified wiring) , i am not using an ignition or running any auxiliary lighting, all stock components, again i am just verifying ignition systems. I am using a battery with ~12.6 volts. NO spark has lead me to read countless threads for days on troubleshooting the infamous tci box and wiring, all of your threads are very helpful how ever I cannot seem to solve my dilemma. I am getting sufficient voltage to the plug coil (proves path through tci?), in fact at times it got warm, it is evident i am not getting the intermittent ground or signal (orange wire) from the tci to primary coil. I have ohmed out (to specs from other threads) my pick up coil, primary coils to lugs and leads, plugs, verified resistance change while passing a magnet over tci pick up coil, verified tci pick up magnet with a nail WITHOUT power to stator, i have checked all my grounds from connections to battery and frame (~ half ohm on lowest setting) I have checked for continuity to ground with all coils and hot wires found NOTHING. I have unlanded individuals wires and ohmed to verify low path resistance and no breakage. I got spark with the reg/rec UNPLUGGED when the tci was initially powered up at REST, I then cranked the bike over with reg/rec UNPLUGGED and got no spark, ONLY spark at initial power up. When the reg/rec is plugged in the stator is powered up and the tci pick up magnet becomes weak and the nail does not stick to it well at all (favors the stator face) . Could i possibly have a weak tci pick up magnet on stator or is my rec/reg bad, sending power to the stator above the 12.5v setting and causing magnetic interference??

Any further troubleshooting steps would be greatly appreciated....
Use a ngk B8ES ,$4 each .
 
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