Pamco With Stock Coils

[fenianmoto]

Howdy! Can anyone advise me on connecting a Pamco to an 80 XS with stock coils? There's just the two wires, orange & red / white.
I have the 17-6803 coils from Mike's installed right now, & I'm getting weak to non existent spark. So I may throw the stockers back on for a few days, until I can get another set of coils.
Thanks!

 

[retiredgentleman]

Yes, you can use the stock 80 coil with a Pamco.

 

[fenianmoto]

Thanks, but after doing Pete's test of my new coils, aswell as the old ones, voltage where I need it, etc., & the Pamco itself, turns out I got a bad Pamco

Confirmed this with the last test of spinning the rotor with the pin removed. No spark at all!

And I just got the !@#$& thing in the mail from Pete last Monday.
Guess I'll PM him & send it back for replacement.

 

[fenianmoto]

Just PM'd Pete

 

[fenianmoto]

Howdy! Anyone know if Pamco Pete's on vacation or outta' town?
I've PM'd him & e-mailed him through his site the last several days, haven't got a response.
Just wondering

 

[pamcopete]

fenianmoto,

Just taking a little time off, like every other day or so. You started off by saying that you had a weak spark. Perhaps you have a bad kill switch. Use this procedure to test the PAMCO. You might also want to try running a test wire directly from the battery to the coil and PAMCO red wire to eliminate the ign and kill switch.

Testing the coil:

1. 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.
2. 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)
3. Measure between one of the primary terminals and one of the plug wire terminals. Should be infinite resistance. (open circuit)
4. Measure between one of the plug wire terminals and the core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance (open circuit)
5. Measure from one plug terminal to the other. Should be 15,000 to 20,000 Ohms

Testing the PAMCO

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.
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.

 

[fenianmoto]

Hi Pete. No worries, we all need a breather sometimes. I had one myself at the AHRMA races in Michigan this past weekend!
I found the test procedure below on the forum. I went through it slowly step by step last Friday morning.
My coils tested fine, & I re-connected the TCI & pickup coil, & the bike fired up.
I've got good voltage at the kill switch & red / white wire, & the switch is working, it's killing the power when I switch it on & off.
I tested the Pamco after everything else tested ok in the circuit.
With a plug firmly grounded on the case, I didn't get spark, so I pulled off the pin a spun the rotor by hand with everything switched on. Still no spark.
How should I proceed? I've ridden a friends bike with your system installed, & I'm really stoked to get it working on this bike

Thanks!

 

[pamcopete]

fenianmoto,

OK. PM me for warranty details, or if you still have the address, send it back. I would like to say that all PAMCO's are tested before shipment so be sure to double check everything again when you get the replacement.

 

[fenianmoto]

Thanks Pete, I do still have the address, so I'll get it out today. I'll test & double check everything when I get the new one. Thanks!

 

[fenianmoto]

I also wondered about another way that you had suggested about wiring the coils to the battery positive with an inline fuse. Is there an advantage to this other than a potentially hotter spark. Is the diagram here correct? I altered the wiring diagram I saw on your site for a comparison.

 

[fenianmoto]

Sent you a PM, thanks!

 

[fenianmoto]

Sent you a PM, thanks!

Pete, responded to your PM. I mailed the unit back Monday overnight