Pamco help!

[mjamusic]

So I have no spark, running pamco e advance with HHB PMA. I used the following test method as per Pete:


Testing the coil:

Using the lowest scale on the meter, measure the resistance between the primary terminals with the wires removed. Should read from 2.5 to 4.5 Ohms.
=3.6 ohm, brand new Accel 140403s coil
Using the highest scale on the meter, measure between one of the primary terminals and the center core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance. (open)
= infinite
Measure between one of the primary terminals and one of the plug wire terminals. Should be infinite resistance. (open circuit)
= infinite
Measure between one of the plug wire terminals and the core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance (open circuit)
= infinite
Measure from one plug terminal to the other. Should be 15,000 to 20,000 Ohms
Testing the PAMCO
= 25.9 ohm (200k scale, plug caps on)
1. Use a voltmeter and check for battery voltage on each of the red/white wires with the key and kill switch are turned on.
= 12.9

2. The dual output coil has to have both spark plug wires connected to a spark plug at all times.

3. To test for spark, connect one of the spark plug wires to a spark plug that is grounded to the engine.


To test for spark without having to turn the engine over, do this procedure:

1. Remove the PAMCO rotor.

2. Remove the locating pin in the advance rod.

3. Reinstall the rotor, but without the pin.

4. Replace the nut holding the rotor on loosely. This will allow you to spin the rotor to produce a spark without having to turn the engine over.

5. Connect one of the spark plug wires to a spark plug that is grounded to the engine, but not installed in the engine.

6. Make sure that the other spark plug wire is connected to a spark plug in the engine.

7. Turn on the ignition switch and the kill switch.

8. Spin the rotor while looking at the gap in the spark plug for a spark.

9. Turn off the kill switch and the ignition switch.

I'm not sure how to proceed from here? I'd like to test the pamco with a separate battery but not sure how to wire that up? Also, I noticed that one of the leads on the pamco is bent...see pic. Lastly, I think my wiring connections might not be solid, I am using bullet connectors and it seems the wires are too small for the connectors, Pete what is the best method to make these wiring connections? Solder? Please help! Weather is gorgeous and all I wanna do is ride.

 

[mjamusic]

A little help?.....

 

[XSLeo]

To test with a battery, unhook the wire on the power side of the engine stop switch. Hook this to the positive of a battery. Run a ground from battery to bike. This will power just the ignition.
Doing this you can power the ignition from a spare battery and test the PMA to ensure it is functioning properly.
On the crimp on terminals I strip the wires farther back and fold the wire over double before in crimp the terminal on. This gives you a wire twice as big.
I also carefully solder then so the solder is just on and in the crimp. Adding enough heat and solder so the solder flows up the wire is not good. This makes the wire to stiff to handle the vibrations.
A slight bend in the leads on the transistor won't effect anything as long as it's not touching anything. I doubt that is the problem.
Also you might want to check your wiring to be sure it is correct.
Leo

 

[mjamusic]

Leo,
As I have seen many times before on here you come through in the clutch!! So pardon the lack of knowledge but is the power side the wires coming directly from the engine stop switch? (red/white, blue/white, brown). once I am hooked up to the battery I can attempt to start the bike as usual with the electric start? Lastly, I did the wiring from scratch which Ive never done before so I was hoping you could look at my diagram and see if anything looks wrong? THanks man!

 

[XSLeo]

After studying your diagram it looks like you don't have power to the Pamco.
Your power flow goes from battery through a 25 amp fuse, 20 is all you need here, to the main switch. From the main switch to the fuse box. From the 7.5 amp fuse you have power going to the coil.
It should go to the engine stop switch. In your diagram I think that would be the brown wire. Out on the red/white to both the coil and Pamco.
The blue/white wire is for the starter.
To verify this with your key on, engine stop switch in run. Do you have battery voltage on the red wire at the Pamco and red/white wire at the coil?
Leo

 

[mjamusic]

Leo,
I made the changes you suggested, I have 12.9v on red wire at pamco, and red/white wire at coil. The bike will still not start...can I check for spark with the e-start? Also, to wire up the separate battery which wire is on the power side of the engine stop switch? Please know how grateful I am for your help!

-Matt

 

[XSLeo]

The power side of the engine stop switch is the side the power comes to it from. In your diagram this is the brown wire. As I said earlier just unplug it. Make a jumper wire that will plug into the harness side of the plug. Plug it into the red/white wire. Hook this to battery positive. Run a wire from battery negative to a ground on the bike.
This will power just the ignition.
At this point you should be able to test the Pamco as described in the first post.
Where do you have the Pamco grounded?
Make sure it has a good clean bare metal to clean bare metal contact.
Your wiring diagram looks much better now. The rest looked good before but it all looks good now.
Leo

 

[mjamusic]

Had a busy day...I'll be able to get out to the bike tomorrow and test the pamco as described with a separate battery. I have a good ground to a top motor mount...is that ok? Will report back on my results. Thanks Leo!!

 

[XSLeo]

The top engine mount is made up of 8 parts held together by 2 bolts. This assembly bolts to the frame with four bolts. This has many connections between the engine and frame.
I would use a coil mount bolt. This is one bolt straight to the frame. As always clean bare metal to clean bare metal is the key. A dab of grease helps prevent corrosion.
Leo

 

[mjamusic]

Leo, could you look at this pic before I test and see if it looks right? I've got the jumper wire going from the red/white wire ( the one that connects to the brown wire of the ignition switch and goes to pamco on the other side) to the battery positive, and a ground wire on the negative to the frame. As usual I am very grateful for your help.

 

[XSLeo]

It looks ok, just be sure your hooked to the plug half that goes to the ignition.
Leo

 

[mjamusic]

You mean to the half that goes to the coil and the pamco?

 

[mjamusic]

Based on the separate battery test I still have no spark...I've tested the coil, plug wires and know they are good....does this mean the pamco is bad?

 

[njrmahoney]

isn't poss for a coil to test good but still be bad?

 

[XSLeo]

Yes, it's possible. If you have another coil that has similar primary ohms you can try it.
The Pamco could be bad. You can PM Pamcopete to see how that gets handled.
Leo

 

[njrmahoney]

What ever happened?

 

[mjamusic]

I got a new pamco, but then discovered my PMA wiring had been damaged. I got a new bike and went back to work so I'm going to dig in again once the winter arrives.