1980 Stock Ignition?

madmax-im

Yamaha...Go your own way...
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Is it an electronic igniition or is it still using points? At what point was the changeover from points to electronic? The bike I'm tentatively buying has the stock ignition..Just unsure what ignition that is..???
 
Thanks..No plans to change it..i'm sure there are no outstanding issues on this bike..Just was curious as to what was in there...I'm of the opinon that says ..if it works with no issues ..leave it the heck alone..
 
For the U.S. market, 1980 was the first year for the electronic ignition. Some other markets in other parts of the world continued to use the points ignition for a few more years. A quick visual check will tell you if it's got points. Look for a small wire loom coming out of the little housing on the left side above the spark plug .....

BuyQCH7.jpg
 
For the U.S. market, 1980 was the first year for the electronic ignition. Some other markets in other parts of the world continued to use the points ignition for a few more years. A quick visual check will tell you if it's got points. Look for a small wire loom coming out of the little housing on the left side above the spark plug .....

BuyQCH7.jpg
I already know for a fact that it is the stock electronic ignition..This is a US spec. bike...Thanks
 
Nice and clean! The engine's been apart, or at least the rubber coated washers under the big acorn nuts have been replaced with brass ones. The petcock isn't stock, but is likely better... I see a couple signs of somebody who knew some esoteric stuff.
 
Nice and clean! The engine's been apart, or at least the rubber coated washers under the big acorn nuts have been replaced with brass ones. The petcock isn't stock, but is likely better... I see a couple signs of somebody who knew some esoteric stuff.
1980 Special -Two...Thankyou..top end was redone..I cant take the credit but Cafefill can.... 100% turnkey...:D
 
There's always something to do, even on the "good" ones. For instance, it looks like the 40 year old original spark plug caps are still on there. Must have blown the wad on the topend job, lol.
 
Yeah..I suppose..but i am quoting him..however at some point ........betcha anything those are not 40 yr old wires or plug caps...
 
They sure look like the originals. The issue I have with the original coil is you can't change the plug wires, they're molded into it.
 
They sure look like the originals. The issue I have with the original coil is you can't change the plug wires, they're molded into it.
Ah ha..did not know that ofc...but also do not know what Phil knows..he has supplied pics that he took..but nothing is written down so theres alot of details that are not recorded...I have a feeling this was somehow addressed...Certainly will ask him when i see him. Thanks for the education.
 
That original stuff may still be fine but the plug caps can and do go bad sometimes. The resistance in them begins to grow and if/when it gets too high, that starts choking off the spark. Easy to check, just remove the cap and measure the resistance through it. Yamaha used a rather oddball resistor value on their caps, about 9K ohms. To me, that higher value is yet another reason to replace them with the normal 5K ohm NGK caps. Besides, the NGK cap is pretty much the standard of the industry and very reliable.
 
According to the builder ..it has been a while so he doesnt quite recall..but he thinks the coil is original and the wires and caps were replaced with new..The way i see it..i have something to do once i get the bike...but i am of the mindset..'if it aint broke...dont fuck with it" ;)
 
Not a fan of petcocks at all...TCIs' have been okay in my 1979-1982 XS/XJ1100s. when they failed its usually resweating the soldering on the connections.. i had a habit of keeping backup TCIs' just in case...not a biggie...
 
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