Electrical Confusion.

[Grimmith]

SOOO guys here I am again with complications. I had my 77 xs650 running fine. So, I took off the tank, rear fender, and side panels and painted them.....didn't touch the bike once in that process. I put everything back together and the timing is off this time, misfires and what not. I shut it off, check the timing and assuming it's all fine since it was before, each point at .014 in. Then I get no spark on right plug, but have it on the left and at one point the backfire actually pushed the left part of my carbs out. I adjusted and then got spark on the right and not the left.........frustration at this point. ( I don't have a meter through all of this, stolen....) So I got new wires and covers for my plugs. and still no turn over or spark on the left side.... I'm thinking I won't no jack until I get a meter and check it out. But still for all of you 650 vets.. why would all this happen if it ran completely fine at 1200 rpm and then after paint job and re-assembly it just doesn't work? can it be possible the back fire messed up something in the carbs? Faulty battery or alternator?

I'm young and new still to this bike or bikes in general. But I'm fairly intellectual and understand how it works, adjustment and renovation, etc. I have a bike show I wanted to my bike to and was so anxious and close to riding. I got my license through the Abate course on the 1st this month and still haven't been able to ride...

 

[hogtyed]

Did you purchase new plugs with the wires?

 

[yamageddon]

I would check if a wire got disconnected or shorted under the tank at the reassembly.

 

[Grimmith]

Did you purchase new plugs with the wires?

No I didn't, the gap for each plug is .025" Plus they are only 10 months old so i though they would be fine haha.

 

[Grimmith]

I would check if a wire got disconnected or shorted under the tank at the reassembly.

That was my first thought when putting the tank on, and I believe was the issue before. Yeah I think I'll recheck that again. I'm also getting a semi week spark. Maybe coil going out, it was used but still worked. As I said, won't know till I get a meter.

 

[hogtyed]

Plugs are cheap. I've made the mistake of thinking my new plugs on the 650 weren't the problem. Sound advice....start with the easiest and cheapest fix first.

 

[5twins]

If you used a feeler gauge to check the points gaps and didn't thoroughly clean the feeler gauge blade 1st before sticking it into the points, you may have oil fouled the contact faces. Doesn't take much oil and it will cause the points to misfire or not fire at all.

 

[Grimmith]

If you used a feeler gauge to check the points gaps and didn't thoroughly clean the feeler gauge blade 1st before sticking it into the points, you may have oil fouled the contact faces. Doesn't take much oil and it will cause the points to misfire or not fire at all.

Thanks for that, I'll have to remember to check them for oil tomorrow. But also I found out that apparently one of my coils decided to crap out, finally obtained a meter and tested everything. point, led to coil, led to other coil, countless tests and boom here i am ................easy fix , just annoying and more wait time for riding .