Hoping you guys can plz help

[Greasybobber77]

First off i have a 1977 xs650 bobber with points ignition and bs38 carbs and simplified wiring....anyway I posted on here about a charging system issue, long story short I scrapped the OEM charging system and decided to go with mikesxs PMA and capacitor and delete the battery and starter motor and all the excess wiring...lemme just say im very mechanically inclined,ive built this bike but wiring/electrical is my weak point but i already switch out the coils, rotor and stator to the pma and mounted the regulator/rectifier and capacitor. So here's my question guys Im wanting to know if anyone has a diagram of simplifies wiring for points or if you can tell me if the diagram I found on Google would work? Any info would be appreciated fellas!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

On that diagram, where it says 'condenser', that's actually 2 condensers fitted to a single bracket.
No big deal. Otherwise, that's all there is to it. Simple, huh?

 

[Greasybobber77]

Yeah I'm familiar with them... Yeah seemed to simple to be true, I'll try it out tomorrow and give a follow up either way...thanks

 

[Greasybobber77]

So I wired it up exactly like the picture but not getting any spark to plugs? Any ideas where I'm going wrong?

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Could be a grounding issue. The points need to ground to the points plate, which needs to ground to the cam endcover, which needs to ground to the engine, which needs to ground to the frame, which needs to ground to the battery (-).

Rotate the engine to about 90° BTDC, so that one of the points is closed. Then, with the ignition turned 'on', you can just finger-flick that closed point and see if you get a tiny spark in the points gap, which should simultaneously produce a spark at the plug.

Lemme know whut happens...

 

[Lasper01]

You need ground from the reg/rec and sparx but not from the PMA.

 

[Greasybobber77]

Would the points still spark if I haven the capacitor hooked up and not the battery, because the battery is removed from the bike as of now

 

[Brassneck]

Both the Sparx and Reg/Rec have to be grounded, I think.

Oh, looks like that was mentioned already.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Would the points still spark if I haven the capacitor hooked up and not the battery, because the battery is removed from the bike as of now

Oh, just noticed that you're running PMA/Sparx. You could temporarily jumper a battery, parallel with the Sparx, and still do the finger-flick points test. That battery hook-up would also let you test other functions, like lighting, horn, rocket launchers, and drag chute.

Otherwise, you're going to have to be kicking it while testing...

 

[Greasybobber77]

Ok tried that but only my right points are sparking, nothing from the left and there both wired the same

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Then, it may be time for the multimeter.
If power is getting to both coils, then need to check everything down the leftside path.
Coil continuity and test, non-grounded condenser, unbroken/ungrounded wiring, the funky lug connection to the point with those tiny washers, the point contact faces, ...etc.

Simply unplugging the left condenser will eliminate it from the potential problem list.

Edit: Unless you forgot to rotate the engine 360° before testing the other point. It needs to be closed for the finger-flick test...

 

[Greasybobber77]

Got it!!!! New plugs and clean and a slight adjustment of points got her running like a champ! Thanks guys I appreciate all your help

 

[XSLeo]

Others have spoken of the ignition issues, so I'll talk more about that wiring diagram.
The main 20 amp fuse should be between the power source and the rest of the system. You have it between the two parts of your power source. In your system the power source is the PMA and the cap. The main fuse when blown should stop the power from reaching any of the system.
Remove the fuse from where it is. Where the red wire that runs from the PMA to cap tees off to go to the switch, put the fuse in this wire.
The way you have it if the fuse blows it removes the load of the cap from the reg/rec. This will allow the reg/rec to become unable to regulate PMA output and will send high voltage spikes through the rest of the system. Blowing light bulbs and if you ever add an electronic ignition these spikes can hurt it too.
As others have mentioned on the ignition check the connections in the circuits. Measure continuity from your power source through the main switch, fuse, kill switch, to the coils. From the coils to the points and condensers.
Leo