Replace electric ignition coil?

Sdadyo

Sdadyo

XS650 Enthusiast
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I am the new guy to the forum. I recently aquired a 78' xz650. It suddenly wouldn't start. It had previously turned right over with 1-3 kicks so I was surprised.

The coil was getting juice but it stopped there.

Do these bikes have common issues with the coil when converted to electric ignition?

Should I replace the coil?

Or are we way off in our diagnostic?

Thanks for any advice you could give to this XS rookie.

Sdadyo
 
Does your bike have points or has it been converted? Not sparking is not necessarily the coils. If the coils are not being triggered to discharge by the ignition system they will not fire. If the battery does not have sufficient voltage the ignition will not fire. Start with the simple things first, does your kill switch have continuity when turned on? What is the condition of your battery?
 
Ok Ok
Are we talking electronic ignition
Please give info of which .brand.
Please first check the fuses
Then check battery voltage .. if to low it can mean problems
Then take out the spark plugs and leave them lying on the cylinder head or so and Kick look after spark on both sides
 
It is converted to electronic ignition.

The battery is good. The engine kill switch is good.

I don't see any markings on the coil for brand but I can post a pic.(I can't seem to post an original pic here so I used one from Mikes XS)

For the life of me, I can't find any fuses on this bike? Where should they be?
 

Attachments

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Jan_P said:
Ok Ok
Are we talking electronic ignition
Please give info of which .brand.
Please first check the fuses
Then check battery voltage .. if to low it can mean problems
Then take out the spark plugs and leave them lying on the cylinder head or so and Kick look after spark on both sides
Click to expand...
There is no spark to the plugs. We tried that.
 
RustiePyles said:
Does your bike have points or has it been converted? Not sparking is not necessarily the coils. If the coils are not being triggered to discharge by the ignition system they will not fire. If the battery does not have sufficient voltage the ignition will not fire. Start with the simple things first, does your kill switch have continuity when turned on? What is the condition of your battery?
Click to expand...
The bike is converted to electric.
The battery is good.
Kill switch is good as far as I can tell.
 
RustiePyles said:
Does your bike have points or has it been converted? Not sparking is not necessarily the coils. If the coils are not being triggered to discharge by the ignition system they will not fire. If the battery does not have sufficient voltage the ignition will not fire. Start with the simple things first, does your kill switch have continuity when turned on? What is the condition of your battery?
Click to expand...
It is converted.
Battery is good.
Kill switch is good (as far as I can tell)
 
Jan_P said:
Ok Ok
Are we talking electronic ignition
Please give info of which .brand.
Please first check the fuses
Then check battery voltage .. if to low it can mean problems
Then take out the spark plugs and leave them lying on the cylinder head or so and Kick look after spark on both sides
Click to expand...
Electric yes.
see pic for coil.
Battery good.
no spark to plugs when kicked and grounded.
 

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    si-165-2-si-75-high-output-dual-side-coil-6.jpg
    19.4 KB · Views: 123
Hi again
How have you tested that

The coil was getting juice but it stopped there.

Do you have a voltmeter ?? or a test lamp ??
The fuses usually is under the saddle in a small square box a bit smaller than a pack of cigarettes
if stock -- Need to find those as a first. Check
Does everything else electric work horn brake lights lights and are not dim ?
Pictures would help.
 
Jan_P said:
Hi again
How have you tested that

The coil was getting juice but it stopped there.

Do you have a voltmeter ?? or a test lamp ??
The fuses usually is under the saddle in a small square box a bit smaller than a pack of cigarettes
if stock -- Need to find those as a first. Check
Does everything else electric work horn brake lights lights and are not dim ?
Pictures would help.
Click to expand...
Yes, I used an analog voltmeter.
Lights, horn work strong.
Ill look along the harness for the fuses again when I get home. (I should be working right now )
I am already hooked on this bike!
 
If the pic in your avatar is the bike then looking at the frame, it appears to be a Standard model. If so then it would have come from the factory with only one fuse, a main 20 amp one located under the right side cover .....

9PRlOPt.jpg


But, if that fuse was bad or blown, the bike would be totally dead electrically. You'd have nothing when you turned the key on, no lights, no horn, nothing.
 
If you have a Pamco electronic ignition and you left the ignition on for a few minutes, you may have fried the coil. I was also warned that if you check for spark with the plug laying on the cyclinder head, if there isn’t a good ground, you can damage the ignition system too (not sure what part is damaged). Not saying this has happened but just a heads up to be careful. If you remove the points cover and post a pic it will be easier for someone to ID the ignition system.
 
Last edited:
bosco659 said:
If you have a Pamco electronic ignition and you left the ignition on for a few minutes, you may have fried the coil. I was also warned that if you check for spark with the plug laying on the cyclinder head, if there isn’t a good ground, you can damage the ignition system too (not sure what part is damaged)
Click to expand...
This is great! I hope I only fried the coil and not the whole ignition. The coil is easy to replace. Ive never done an electric ignition.
 
bosco659 said:
If you have a Pamco electronic ignition and you left the ignition on for a few minutes, you may have fried the coil. I was also warned that if you check for spark with the plug laying on the cyclinder head, if there isn’t a good ground, you can damage the ignition system too (not sure what part is damaged)
Click to expand...
I hope I didn't jack up the ignition. I can't wait to get home and check for the fuse (which is probably good since the lights work etc). I went ahead and ordered a replacement coil. if that doesn't work, at least I will have eliminated the coil from the equation. Thanks for your advice
 
5twins said:
If the pic in your avatar is the bike then looking at the frame, it appears to be a Standard model. If so then it would have come from the factory with only one fuse, a main 20 amp one located under the right side cover .....

9PRlOPt.jpg


But, if that fuse was bad or blown, the bike would be totally dead electrically. You'd have nothing when you turned the key on, no lights, no horn, nothing.
Click to expand...
I will locate the fuse with this awesome photo! and you are right, its probably not the fuse since the lights, horn etc all work.
 
Check the primary(small wire) connection at the coil, is there battery voltage at that spot? If so, unplug the opposite small wire(the one that used to go to the points) and briefly touch it to ground, if you see sparks at the plug leads that means the coil works.
 

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