Not starting after a few small maintenance jobs. I’m stumped.

[Jan_P]

Another thing I would check is actual voltage at the coil + terminal. The power to the coils run through a lot of connectors and switches, so there often will be significant resistance/ voltage drop. Do you have points or TCI (electronic) ignition?

+1 Yes to that .it can also create kickback

 

[Bruno_c]

Low battery can cause kick back with some electronic ignition systems.
Charge the battery before trying again.

 

[Mjohnm]

Another thing I would check is actual voltage at the coil + terminal. The power to the coils run through a lot of connectors and switches, so there often will be significant resistance/ voltage drop, which results in a weak spark. Even if you can see a spark when holding the plug against the head, it does not necessarily mean there will be a spark when it is installed in the engine. It is harder for the spark to jump across when there is 10 times atmospheric pressure inside the cylinder...Do you have points or TCI (electronic) ignition?

Ok. How would I check the voltage at the coil/terminal? (Trying to search for instructions on YouTube right now) Really is my first time diving into all this stuff. My stator has the TCI pickup on it -

- I also just put in a brand new battery fully charged. Brand new clutch cable and worm gear mechanism from Mikes XS

- After about 10 minutes of trying to kick this thing, the spark plugs are getting a bit oily every time.

- The compression in both cylinders is around 115 psi cold.

- It seems like it could be the timing from what everyone has said. I’ll have to order a few things to test it though and I’m actually away on a motorcycle trip for a few weeks soon so it might have to wait just a bit unfortunately.

 

[Its been a long time]

The ignition coils are under the fuel tank. Voltage can be measured there.

 

[arcticXS]

Also, voltage NEEDS to be checked when the coils are drawing a current. Exactly how to go about this on a TCI setup, I am not sure. If the TCI coils are in the 3-5 ohm range, I would have disconnected coil negative from the TCI box, and connected directly to ground while testing. Basically measuring coil supply voltage under load. Measuring voltage with no load does not give much useful info.....

 

[Grimly]

Didn’t think about the starter fluid either. Should I be spraying it into the air box and then kick it? I’d be using carb cleaner in this case unless recommended otherwise.

Not a fan of the ether starter fluid. Used carelessly, it can wreck engines.
I use a whiff of butane or propane (always got a cylinder or those around) but in extremis, can also use hairspray aerosol, as the propellant is usually butane.

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. My only ideas at this point are just continuing to fiddle with the clutch adjustment screw but it’s honestly been pretty daunting because kicking it is just ruining my leg because of the amount it’s kicking back on me now.

I've always put the ign off, choke on, kick over a couple of times to get the cylinders primed. Kick the engine over slowly until I can feel one cylinder coming up on the compression stroke, then turn ign back on, arrange the kicking leg so it knows who's boss, and kick the fecker good and proper.

 

[Melnic]

Resistive plugs?
Are you using non resistive caps to match ?

 

[jetmechmarty]

I took my bike off the lift yesterday. I kicked and kicked. It won’t start. Usually, it takes just one.

 

[Mjohnm]

The ignition coils are under the fuel tank. Voltage can be measured there.

Disconnecting the coils to test them now. These red wires go back into the wiring harness in a mess of electrical tape. Should I cut it open and disconnect those wires before I can test it then?

Thanks!

 

[arcticXS]

View attachment 262044

Disconnecting the coils to test them now. These red wires go back into the wiring harness in a mess of electrical tape. Should I cut it open and disconnect those wires before I can test it then?

Thanks!

I suggested you test the supply voltage to the coils, in order to rule out any voltage drop from the rather convoluted path that the power has, from battery to coils. This cannot be done with the coils disconnected, unless you wire in a light bulb drawing 3-4 amps between ground and coil +. The light bulb will then draw approx the same current as the coil, and any poor connection will then cause a voltage drop.

 

[Mjohnm]

I suggested you test the supply voltage to the coils, in order to rule out any voltage drop from the rather convoluted path that the power has, from battery to coils. This cannot be done with the coils disconnected, unless you wire in a light bulb drawing 3-4 amps between ground and coil +. The light bulb will then draw approx the same current as the coil, and any poor connection will then cause a voltage drop.

Ok so I should just do the usual ignition coil tests as is then? I did disconnect something from the back terminal (I think it may be the grounding wire?). Or is there a separate method for the supply voltage test?

I was getting some erratic readings jumping all over the place and I thought it might have been because of these wires still being connected.

 

[arcticXS]

Ok so I should just do the usual ignition coil tests as is then? I did disconnect something from the back terminal (I think it may be the grounding wire?). Or is there a separate method for the supply voltage test?

I was getting some erratic readings jumping all over the place and I thought it might have been because of these wires still being connected.

Like I said in my first post, I am not familiar with the details of the TCI ignition. That is dwell angle, and whether the ignition is drawing a current through the coil when just sitting with the crankshaft in, say 60 degrees BTDC, like a points ignition would, or if it needs a certain minimum rpm to start drawing a primary current.

 

[Jan_P]

I don't know the stock ignition either but a Boyer ignition draws current and can destroy the coil according to their instructions
If ignition is left on
Is Voltage measurement across battery possible now with ground wire still there

Power off reading ca 13.5 ish
Power on ? it can give info if something is grounding somewhere ( excessive current going out or bad battery )

 

[Jim]

Like I said in my first post, I am not familiar with the details of the TCI ignition. That is dwell angle, and whether the ignition is drawing a current through the coil when just sitting with the crankshaft in, say 60 degrees BTDC, like a points ignition would, or if it needs a certain minimum rpm to start drawing a primary current.