Pamco Test Setup Problems

[MiniDanzig]

hey you guys, i am hoping someone can point out something i am doing wrong. i installed my Pamco ignition today and attempted to get it running on a battery as per Pamco Pete's advice in several threads. the directions from Pete were as follows:

1. Connect the red wire from the PAMCO to the battery positive terminal.

2. Connect the green wire from the PAMCO to one of the coil terminals.

3. Connect the black wire from the PAMCO to the bikes frame.

4. Connect the negative terminal from the battery to the bikes frame with just a clip so you can use this as your on off ignition switch.

i followed these directions, wired as pictured in my diagram below, kicked and kicked but no signs of life. is there something obvious i am doing wrong?

notes:

1. the battery was not fully charged, somewhere around 8V. i cannot get it to fully charge after sitting for a season. the battery was nearly brand new from Mikes before sitting for a few months.

2. carbs; sat for about 9 months indoors, but ran perfect before that. i know this could be my issue, but i got zero signs of life from kicking setup as shown so i would just like to rule out any other possibilities before ripping into the carbs.

any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated, i am not sure where to go from here.

 

[rickieh]

faulty plugs?

 

[MiniDanzig]

brand new iridium plugs from Mikes XS Ultimate Pamco kit. so i doubt it but i guess it is possible?

 

[kelso]

I am pretty new to this but read Pete's post (#28) on this thread
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15048&page=2
It looks to me like on my stock bike the two red/white wires were power and one fed the red wire on the pamco while the other went to the coil terminal. Green went to other coil terminal. Seems like you are missing a connection. I am sure that Pete will chime in soon.

 

[HooliganCycles]

What year is your bike?

 

[HooliganCycles]

The red wire from the pamco and the red white wire from your bikes wire harness that was connected to your original coil both hook to the same terminal of your new coil, then the green wire to the other terminal, black to frame ground

 

[kelso]

One other thing...you do have the points setup with the advance rod right? Dual coil?

 

[kelso]

The red wire from the pamco and the red white wire from your bikes wire harness that was connected to your original coil both hook to the same terminal of your new coil, then the green wire to the other terminal, black to frame ground

He doesn't have the old wiring harness, he's just trying to wire up straight from a battery with nothing else I think.

 

[MiniDanzig]

thanks for all the responses guys. my bike is an 81. i do not have the stock wiring harness at all. this is just what you see in the diagram.

kelso: thanks, yeah i am sure i am missing something. didn't seem like there was any difference than this hooked up vs just kicking the engine over itself. the engine ran strong a few months ago before the the overhaul began so i am hoping i can get her ripping and fine tune as things arise.

 

[HooliganCycles]

Regardless, the coil doesnt have battery voltage this way

 

[kelso]

Regardless, the coil doesnt have battery voltage this way

Right, that's my point. There should be 2 wires plus the ground hooked up to your coil. Right now you only have one.

 

[HooliganCycles]

Oh my bad, i thought we were telling him different things, i would think you could run another wire from battery voltage to the other terminal on the coil, but dont hold me to that

 

[kelso]

That was my thought according to what he told me in the other post. I agree with Hooligan though, talk to someone who knows for sure. It is pretty easy to fry a Pamco.

 

[ippytattoo]

On the connections in your diagram you need to have a wire from the positive side of the battery to one of the terminals on the coil, red from pamco to positive on the battery, green from pamco to the second terminal of the coil, black from pamco to the frame ground, the coil core must be grounded and a ground wire from the negqtive side of the battery to the frame. all you are missing is the positive wire to the coil. I would suggest putting in a simple toggle switch as a kill switch as follows: single hot wire from the battery to the toggle switch (should have 2 screw terminals) then connect the 2 hot wires to the pamco and coil the the other terminal on the toggle.

 

[MiniDanzig]

thanks for all the help guys, so it looks like the main thing i was missing was Positive from the battery to the coil. the coil doesn't have pos or neg markings, does it matter? i'm pretty sure pete said somewhere that it didn't on these coils.

 

[MiniDanzig]

ok so hooked that coil terminal to the battery positive and VROOOM fired up first kick hah! thanks for the help guys.

now on to Hugh's PMA install, buttoning up the wiring and we're on the road!

and in case it helps anyone else trying to isolate and test their pamco ignition here is the correct diagram:

 

[kelso]

Glad to hear MD, feels good to hear her run doesn't it

 

[da evil one]

Are you sure that ground coming off the right side of the coil in your diagram is necessary?

 

[da evil one]

I didnt do that and never heard of it is why I ask. It looks like you are saying it needs to come off the mounting bracket.

 

[da evil one]

Easy enough to do but I just didnt do it and Im not ready to test fire yet.