1980 XS650 Special Ignition Pickuo

[iHaveNoClueWhatImDoing]

Hey y’all. First XS650 project and I’m almost done, just have a small problem. The wiring diagram has this part and I can’t seem to find one anywhere. Anybody have a link for one or an aftermarket version? It’s labeled on the wiring diagram as ignition pickup. I have the electrical ignition, not points

 

[Jim]

First, welcome to the forum!!
The TCI pickup is unobtanium. No aftermarkets out there. Your best bet is Ebay and/or run a wanted ad in our classies. Being rarer than hens teeth, they're quiet spendy when you find 'em.
Out of curiosity, how did you determine it's bad? Although they do fail on occasion, the TCI igniter box is much more failure prone.


Spent a fair amount of time at Cannon AFB in the 70's and 80's. Is Kelly's Bar still a rockin' place? The Boot hill Saloon?

 

[iHaveNoClueWhatImDoing]

First, welcome to the forum!!
The TCI pickup is unobtanium. No aftermarkets out there. Your best bet is Ebay and/or run a wanted ad in our classies. Being rarer than hens teeth, they're quiet spendy when you find 'em.
Out of curiosity, how did you determine it's bad? Although they do fail on occasion, the TCI igniter box is much more failure prone.


Spent a fair amount of time at Cannon AFB in the 70's and 80's. Is Kelly's Bar still a rockin' place? The Boot hill Saloon?

Thanks for your help Jim. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to determine it was bad because it was just missing from the project bike I purchased. If I am unable to find one, is the simplest solution to just replace it all with a modern system?

Unfortunately Kelly’s is not too great of a place. Ended up on the banned business list for us recently. And the other place has closed down.

 

[Jim]

Since Pamco closed his doors, options are limited. There's good systems out there... like Vape, but they are spendy. There's inexpensive knockoffs of Pamco, but they're crap that'll either drive you mad getting 'em to work... or leave you stranded somewheres...

Do you have the TCI box? They're up there in cost now too, although there's workarounds for that. If you don't have a functional box, you're startin' from scratch anyway.

You out at Cannon?

 

[bosco659]

Since Pamco closed his doors, options are limited. There's good systems out there... like Vape, but they are spendy. There's inexpensive knockoffs of Pamco, but they're crap that'll either drive you mad getting 'em to work... or leave you stranded somewheres...

Do you have the TCI box? They're up there in cost now too, although there's workarounds for that. If you don't have a functional box, you're startin' from scratch anyway.

You out at Cannon?

Jim are the Pamco units repairable or are there some proprietary bits in there?

 

[Jim]

Dunno Vic, I've never messed with one. I'm sure someone here has though.

 

[iHaveNoClueWhatImDoing]

Since Pamco closed his doors, options are limited. There's good systems out there... like Vape, but they are spendy. There's inexpensive knockoffs of Pamco, but they're crap that'll either drive you mad getting 'em to work... or leave you stranded somewheres...

Do you have the TCI box? They're up there in cost now too, although there's workarounds for that. If you don't have a functional box, you're startin' from scratch anyway.

You out at Cannon?

I have the igniter unit, just not the ignition pick up. I have a new stator, coil, plugs, and igniter box. Just missing the pick up unfortunately so if I could find one and be done that would be ideal. Really don’t want to swap in a new system if I can avoid it.

I am at cannon currently!

 

[Jim]

I'd try running a wanted ad here in the forum then.

https://www.xs650.com/forums/classifieds.4/

 

[Jim]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1659333981...yzW2/KrNbCSB4rSq338aUlNvM=|tkp:Bk9SR8C-yqPdYw

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3117395109...9hHTxbnd9wfVyZh1TQRzfj1g==|tkp:Bk9SR9C-yqPdYw

 

[iHaveNoClueWhatImDoing]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1659333981...yzW2/KrNbCSB4rSq338aUlNvM=|tkp:Bk9SR8C-yqPdYw

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3117395109...9hHTxbnd9wfVyZh1TQRzfj1g==|tkp:Bk9SR9C-yqPdYw

Just ordered the new one you posted. You weren’t joking, these things are way more expensive than I would have thought.

Thanks for all your help on this! I looked for one for hours and couldn’t find one

 

[Jim]

So... tell us what you're building? We love pics here.

 

[iHaveNoClueWhatImDoing]

I got this junk xs650 special for $100 and I did a full rebuild on it. I went for a cafe racer look in black and gold. These pics are about a month old now but after the wiring is done I’ll upload the completed pics!

 

[Jim]

Cool project. It looks like the alternator stator on there is an older pre-TCI model. Which makes me wonder if the rotor isn't also a pre-TCI unit. Both can be modified and brought up to TCI standards, but as they stand, they won't work. You have a drill press?

Also, the pleated K&N style air filters have known issues tuning those CV carbs. Pod filters are the filters of choice. I don't know off the top of my head which pods you need, but I bet @5twins has 'em memorized.

Lookin' forward to more reports and pics.

 

[JJames]

Nice changes to the bike. Looks like it's coming together. Have you considered buying another whole xs for the parts you need? Seem to be a fair number of them here in the states. It might be cheaper than some of the other alternatives.

 

[iHaveNoClueWhatImDoing]

Cool project. It looks like the alternator stator on there is an older pre-TCI model. Which makes me wonder if the rotor isn't also a pre-TCI unit. Both can be modified and brought up to TCI standards, but as they stand, they won't work. You have a drill press?

Also, the pleated K&N style air filters have known issues tuning those CV carbs. Pod filters are the filters of choice. I don't know off the top of my head which pods you need, but I bet @5twins has 'em memorized.

Lookin' forward to more reports and pics.

Funny story. It was actually sold to me as a 79 but after replacing the stator and many other parts I began to realize it was actually an 80. Luckily most of the parts are the same but the main difference is the ignition system. It’s def an 80, so the only thing I have to change now is integrating the ignition pick up.

I have heard that for the K&N and I’ve also heard reviews that they work fine. So since they’re so cheap to swap I picked the one I liked the look of more and if they suck ill just swap them.