No spark to plugs from Coils...

[BobberNick]

So I have tested all of my wires, connecters, sauder jobs, grounds, fuses and wiring diagram and I still don't have current from my coil or the caps that connect to the plugs from the wires. Obviously I don't have spark. I do have current to the points and my consenser is hooked up and grounded. I have traced my current failures to my coils. I have a 77 model D motor. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have searched threads, but haven't found answers specific to my problem. I you know of any a link would be appreciated. I don't know if this is related, but I can't get my started solenoid to kick over either. I know that the started motor works, because when I send direct current to it, it will turn over the motor, but still no spark. Points open and close, Current to points, but no spark when open.
Help please

 

[hmusket]

People probably need a little more info to help out. Has the bike started before and this is something new? Have you rewired the bike to a simplified diagram, or is it original wiring? Any modifications? Battery fully charged? Kill switch has continuity? Grounded to frame, not battery box?

 

[BobberNick]

Thank you! New bike to me. I am rewiring the whole thing. It has never run for me yet. I did the Reg/rectif. Radioshack/ Chrystler mod. And I also switched it back to the original when it was a no go. I have a new fully charged battery. My ground is to the frame. I don't have a battery box yet. I hope that helps. Thanks for your help!

 

[Gordon]

You should have battery voltage at the coils, and the points make the circuit to collapse the coil to produce spark. The points are wired to the negative side of the coil, and the positive side has the battery voltage, when the key and kill switch are 'on'. To test the coils, disconnect the wiring and using an OHM meter on the RX1 scale. check the resistance from/ between both posts. It should read 1-3 ohm's. Then put one probe in the center and the other to each post, that reading should be infinity.

 

[BobberNick]

I'm using a simplified diagram while also consulting the original diagram for my model and year for clarification. I'm confident that my wiring at least to the coils is good. Maybe not though. Could my coils be bad?

 

[hmusket]

Here's a link from the tech section to get you going on troubleshooting:
http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390

 

[retiredgentleman]

There are lots of things that can prevent starting..................just have to eliminate them one by one.

Resistance check of coil primary is good to do (around 4.6 ohms I believe)Might as well check the secondary winding to............8K ohms.

Did you do a static setting of the points and gap the points? Make sure there is no oil left on the points from oily feeler gauges.

You could try to by-pass the main fuse,ignition switch and kill switch. Use a jumper wire direct from the battery + and temporarily connect it to the red/white that goes to the coils primary. With fuel and choke on, try kick starting. This checks if you have bad switches or fuses. Don't leave the jumper connected if the engine does not start, just use the jumper for a quick test to see if the engine will fire.

 

[BobberNick]

I've jumped it a few times and my points aren't firing and I have no spark to my plugs. I'm going to try the coil tests today. I have current to the points,and they open and close when turned over, but no spark as they open. I bypassed the coil one time to check if the points would spark and they did. So I feel that my problem lies from my kill switch to the coils.

 

[BobberNick]

FYI leads are hot to the coils

 

[XSLeo]

I like this diagram. It shows the basic points wiring. It also shows how to wire in the later TCI and combo reg/rec. Just swap boxes around.
Power should flow from the battery to the main switch. From the switch to the engine stop switch. From the engine stop switch to the positive side of the coils. From the negative side of the coils to the points and condensers. All through the right size fuses.
The coils should have 3.9 ohms on the primary side. that from the positive to the negative wires. The secondary should be 8000 ohms. that from the negative wire to the screw in the end where the plug wire goes.
Leo

 

[Gordon]

If the coils are operating properly, when the points 'open up', there should be battery voltage at the points set thats open. When the points close is when the coil gets 'saturated', and when the points open is when the field windings collapse and a spark is produced. Make sure that they are grounded good. Should be, but if there is ANY crap where the points face's touch, (the spot where you measure the gap) they won't ground through the crap and also no spark. You can 'clean' them with a 400 or finer grit of wet/ dry sand paper, just run a piece between them to get a shiny, clean surface on both side's. In the past ( decades ago, when points were the only way to make a coil fire), I have seen alot of brand new points not work because of oil or some other crap on the faces.

 

[Maclyn Monroe]

Installed new battery on my 1978 XS650SE point system after changing coils, spark plug wiring and new plugs. Turned engine over but no spark. I checked and I have 12 volts at one side of coil on the RW wires.. Does it matter which side of the coil to have 12 volts. It is backwards from the old coils?

 

[XSLeo]

On the points coils polarity isn't too important. As long as the current can flow through the coil when points close.
If you read this very old thread there are several things listed to check.
Most relate to the points themselves. I would start with checking the points for clean shiny contact surfaces. Get some plain white paper, something stiff like business cards are made from. Cut into 1/4 wide strips. Spray paper with electrical contact cleaner. Just damp, not soaking wet. On the set of point thast are closed, manually open them, slip the damp end of the paper in the gap, let close, pull paper out. Repeat with fresh paper till the paper come out clean. Then turn engine over so the other set of points are closed, repeat above procedure to clean that set.
If still no spark, I would check the gap and timing. The proper procedure for these things are in your repair manual.
If no manual you can find free downloads at biker.net.
Leo