New owner 82 xs650 heritage special.

There are a list of things that can bite a TCI ignition. One oddball issue is that XS650 charging rotors often go bad, the magnet that the pickups see is embedded in the rotor. Non tci rotors (no magnet) look very similar and bolt on. Several members have reported that aftermarket replacement rotors are sometimes a touch thinner than the stock one. This moves the magnet far enough away from the pickups that they won't send a signal to create a spark. And it IS possible you have bad TCI. My point is that spending money on electronic parts hoping you will find the bad one is seldom smart. Some TCI failures can be fixed, others require replacement of the TCI $$$$ or conversion to an aftermarket ignition.
 
On Mike's coils. Item # 17-6822, $37.50 I don't reccomend, the plug wires are part of the coil and can't be replaced with out replacing the coil.
Item # 17-6803 $37.50 is better than the stock coil and you can replace plug wires.
Item # 17-6810 $76 is the one I use, A very hot coil. 75k volt output. Easy to burn out if not careful.
item # 17-6903 $69 82k volts, VERY hot coil. Not as senstive to mistakes as the green monster coil.
I might use the #17-6803 or the #17-6903. If it turns out the TCI is bad these coils work with the Pamco.
Leo
 
I think I am going to go with the 17-6803. What wires do i need to buy, and do I need to buy resistor caps for this one? Basically, what do I need for a complete coil swap out?

Thanks
 
If your old plug wires and caps are good then they should work fine.
Either set of Mike's wires are fine. The yellow ones have better insulation, more heat resistant. His 5k ohm caps #23-3113 are the ones you want.
gggGary, On the trouble shooting chart step four is to check the coil primary ohms, If not 2.25-2.75 replace coil and test again.
Step 5 is check secondary ohms. if not 10,500-15,500 replace and retest.
Step 6 is measure the pick up ohms if out of spec, replace and retest. If ok replace the TCI box.
So at this point if he has tested the voltage at the coil and TCI box, the pickup ohms and they are fine then the next thing is to try a different coil, see as how that one is not within the primary ohms spec.
It may prove that the TCI is bad.
Reading the TCI repair threads often fixes the TCI, but if the coil is the problem then it will still not get spark.
I also reccomend resoldering all the connections on the TCI circuit board. I think he wanted to make sure the coil was right first.
Leo
 
Leo,
Help me here. If I am testing the stock dual lead coil for, say, an '81, I test the primary by connecting the ohm pos+ to the red/white wire and the neg- to the orange, correct?
But how do you test the secondary? The manual shows to connect pos+ to the spark plug wire and neg- to the orange for a single coil, so how is done for the dual lead?
 
littlebill
The secondary is checked from plug cap to plug cap.
Pos/neg or left/right doesn't matter.
According to Hoyle it should be 11K ohms + or - 20% at 68 degree F.
The 4 I have always run into the 22-24K ohm range but I'm thinking the factory installed a 0 resistance cap. If you added the 5K for each cap and figured in the + or - 20% they would be in range?
 
XSLeo said:
So at this point if he has tested the voltage at the coil and TCI box, the pickup ohms and they are fine then the next thing is to try a different coil, see as how that one is not within the primary ohms spec.

Leo
Click to expand...

Yup, that is the mission.
 
littlebill31, Clymer book, page 184 shows how to test the dual output coil.
Weekendrider, according to Hoyle?
Leo
 
I was looking at my complete bike and wishing I could at least hear my new used xs650 try to start. I ordered an ignition coil from mikes xs but I am super impatient. Can I slap one of the coils off of my 81 xj550 on the xs? Or could this be a danger to my tci box if it aint fried already.
 
I think it might. THe XJ550 used a TCI, so the coil primary should be the same. Measure it and see.
Leo
 
I was looking on Ebay,there is a TCI on there now with a buy it now of $50. Most run much more but there are some on there. Search XS650 ignition.
Leo
 
Yeah I saw that, I am going to measure the coil and try to throw it on and see what happens. I don't have any spark plug caps though, will that cause any issues?
 
You need some sort of cap. You can should be able to find them locally. Try the Dealer or an Indepent shop.
Leo
 
Weekender, checked your link. I do recall people using that phrase when I was a kid.
Even had a "Rules to Games" book by Hoyle.
Thank for the reminder.
Leo
 
I ended up buying that cdi on ebay for 50. It is for an 83 but I think that should fit. If my cdi ends up being okay I can just sell this one or keep it as a spare. 50 bucks is a pretty good deal for a cdi box. Thanks for the heads up!
 
TCI not CDI, very big difference.
No difference. They 82 up had the side stand relay. 7 wire TCI. 80-81 had 6 wire TCI
Leo
 

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