Check your charging system output. Do the quick test - clip a voltmeter to the battery, start the bike, and rev it up. Maybe it quit charging on you. It would quit like that once the battery got a bit low and you let the revs fall at a stop.
-
Enjoy XS650.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS650.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
It's past time to start XS2 Resurrection
- Thread starter GLJ
- Start date
Not much progress.
Checked fuel flow through petcock, no problem there. Charging system working fine. Before looking at any of the wiring I checked voltage at the PAMCO. Not easy but I was able to get the probes on the solder joints on the board, red and black. Voltage within .2 volts of the battery voltage. I then pulled the tank went over all the connections, nothing falling apart. Couple of the female connectors were not as tight as I wanted so they got tightened up. They were not loose. Put everything back together went for a ride.
10 miles outside of town I slowed down to turn around. Guess what it died. Same as yesterday motor cranked no start. Let it sit for a minuet, cranked it, slight backfire then started. Heeded for home. Back in town slowing down for stop sign it died. Died pulling into drive way. Pushed it into garage and up on lift.
It's good and hot and acting up. Put timing light on it and of course it started it had been sitting for a couple of minuets. Was holding it a 2000 rpm, the timing light flashing perfect. After about 30 seconds light started skipping a beat at same time I could hear the motor skip a beat. 10 seconds later timing light completely quit flashing and the motor died. Cranked it over no flash no start. Minuet later light flashes when cranking and motor starts. 20 seconds later light breaks up and motor breaks up then light quits flashing and motor dies.
I would say my problem is definitely ignition related and heat related. I don't feel it is a switch problem because the starter solenoid works. Bike won't crank if kill switch is off.
Any thoughts guys? I hate to condemn the PAMCO or the coil but it's looking like it's one of them. I suppose I could get a small voltmeter and wire it in at the PAMCO leads just to make sure it's not a wiring problem.
Checked fuel flow through petcock, no problem there. Charging system working fine. Before looking at any of the wiring I checked voltage at the PAMCO. Not easy but I was able to get the probes on the solder joints on the board, red and black. Voltage within .2 volts of the battery voltage. I then pulled the tank went over all the connections, nothing falling apart. Couple of the female connectors were not as tight as I wanted so they got tightened up. They were not loose. Put everything back together went for a ride.
10 miles outside of town I slowed down to turn around. Guess what it died. Same as yesterday motor cranked no start. Let it sit for a minuet, cranked it, slight backfire then started. Heeded for home. Back in town slowing down for stop sign it died. Died pulling into drive way. Pushed it into garage and up on lift.
It's good and hot and acting up. Put timing light on it and of course it started it had been sitting for a couple of minuets. Was holding it a 2000 rpm, the timing light flashing perfect. After about 30 seconds light started skipping a beat at same time I could hear the motor skip a beat. 10 seconds later timing light completely quit flashing and the motor died. Cranked it over no flash no start. Minuet later light flashes when cranking and motor starts. 20 seconds later light breaks up and motor breaks up then light quits flashing and motor dies.
I would say my problem is definitely ignition related and heat related. I don't feel it is a switch problem because the starter solenoid works. Bike won't crank if kill switch is off.
Any thoughts guys? I hate to condemn the PAMCO or the coil but it's looking like it's one of them. I suppose I could get a small voltmeter and wire it in at the PAMCO leads just to make sure it's not a wiring problem.
I got a red Andrews.
This one.
Got it from PAMCO. Should be the real McCoy
Well, with electrical stuff, it's possible to get a bad unit of just about anything. Usually it craps out quick then (or doesn't work at all) like some part of your set-up has. Not sure how to pinpoint whether it's the Pamco or the coil though, other than parts substitution. Maybe if you contact Pamcopete, he can tell you.
I sent him a pm asking for his thoughts.
Ohm out the coil primary and repeat soon as the spark quits.
Tough to do with tank on. I have no way to get fuel to it without having tank on.
Possible.
I did temp wires from the red and black going to the PAMCO so I could check voltage while running. 14.1 volts. I also soldered all the crimped bullet connectors for the ignition.
No joy. Just got back from test ride. Ran great for 10 miles, then started doing same sh!t. Normally does it when stopped. Once I was running 30 mph at 3000 rpm. Quit just like you shut the key off. Came to a stop 30 seconds later it was running.
More fun.
Hoping Pete has some thoughts.
Reminds me a lot of the problems we had with the first cars with electronic ignition.
Long shot... but you could try running it with the cover off the Pamco board. Let it get some airflow. If it works, you'll know it's the Pamco overheating.
Possible.
I did temp wires from the red and black going to the PAMCO so I could check voltage while running. 14.1 volts. I also soldered all the crimped bullet connectors for the ignition.
No joy. Just got back from test ride. Ran great for 10 miles, then started doing same sh!t. Normally does it when stopped. Once I was running 30 mph at 3000 rpm. Quit just like you shut the key off. Came to a stop 30 seconds later it was running.
More fun.
Hoping Pete has some thoughts.
This sounds like a simple bad connection...or a cold soldered joint on a board and it is either heat or vibration that triggers a problem. Given that it started again after 30 seconds, my guess is vibration because the temperature wouldn’t likely drop that much in such a short time.
NOTE: I’m not saying it would necessarily be simple to find the bad connection...
Last edited:
Thanks for the suggestion Jim.
Removed cover and took her for a 16 mile ride. No dying at all.
I guess tomorrow I'll contact PAMCO and explain everything that's transpired.
Removed cover and took her for a 16 mile ride. No dying at all.
I guess tomorrow I'll contact PAMCO and explain everything that's transpired.
