TC, fuhgeddabout the fuse; you're absolutely right, if it's blown you'll have no power anywhere.
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Re-torqued head, bike won't fire.
- Thread starter TeeCat
- Start date
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- Tags
- electrical
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
griz, received and noted, thank you. I am really hoping (and suspecting) that the Bonehead Index is a factor here... 
Will proceed with your other recommendations at my earliest opportunity.
Will proceed with your other recommendations at my earliest opportunity.
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
TeeCat,
Here is a more complete procedure to check the coil and the PAMCO:
Testing the coil:
1. Using the lowest scale on the meter, measure the resistance between the primary terminals with the wires removed. Should read from 2.5 to 4.5 Ohms.
2. Using the highest scale on the meter, measure between one of the primary terminals and the center core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance. (open)
3. Measure between one of the primary terminals and one of the plug wire terminals. Should be infinite resistance. (open circuit)
4. Measure between one of the plug wire terminals and the core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance (open circuit)
5. Measure from one plug terminal to the other. Should be 15,000 to 20,000 Ohms
Testing the PAMCO
1. Use a voltmeter and check for battery voltage on each of the red/white wires with the key and kill switch are turned on.
2. The dual output coil has to have both spark plug wires connected to a spark plug at all times.
3. To test for spark, connect one of the spark plug wires to a spark plug that is grounded to the engine.
To test for spark without having to turn the engine over, do this procedure:
1. Remove the PAMCO rotor.
2. Remove the locating pin in the advance rod.
3. Reinstall the rotor, but without the pin.
4. Replace the nut holding the rotor on loosely. This will allow you to spin the rotor to produce a spark without having to turn the engine over.
5. Connect one of the spark plug wires to a spark plug that is grounded to the engine, but not installed in the engine.
6. Make sure that the other spark plug wire is connected to a spark plug in the engine.
7. Turn on the ignition switch and the kill switch.
8. Spin the rotor while looking at the gap in the spark plug for a spark.
9. Turn off the kill switch and the ignition switch.
Here is a more complete procedure to check the coil and the PAMCO:
Testing the coil:
1. Using the lowest scale on the meter, measure the resistance between the primary terminals with the wires removed. Should read from 2.5 to 4.5 Ohms.
2. Using the highest scale on the meter, measure between one of the primary terminals and the center core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance. (open)
3. Measure between one of the primary terminals and one of the plug wire terminals. Should be infinite resistance. (open circuit)
4. Measure between one of the plug wire terminals and the core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance (open circuit)
5. Measure from one plug terminal to the other. Should be 15,000 to 20,000 Ohms
Testing the PAMCO
1. Use a voltmeter and check for battery voltage on each of the red/white wires with the key and kill switch are turned on.
2. The dual output coil has to have both spark plug wires connected to a spark plug at all times.
3. To test for spark, connect one of the spark plug wires to a spark plug that is grounded to the engine.
To test for spark without having to turn the engine over, do this procedure:
1. Remove the PAMCO rotor.
2. Remove the locating pin in the advance rod.
3. Reinstall the rotor, but without the pin.
4. Replace the nut holding the rotor on loosely. This will allow you to spin the rotor to produce a spark without having to turn the engine over.
5. Connect one of the spark plug wires to a spark plug that is grounded to the engine, but not installed in the engine.
6. Make sure that the other spark plug wire is connected to a spark plug in the engine.
7. Turn on the ignition switch and the kill switch.
8. Spin the rotor while looking at the gap in the spark plug for a spark.
9. Turn off the kill switch and the ignition switch.
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Hi, Pete... thank you. Printed this out to take out once I get time. This was an "acute refusal to cooperate" so I'm still hoping for "operator error", but at least I'll have good information to go on, especially since it covers the ignition switch. Thank you again.
TC
so I'm still hoping for "operator error", but at least I'll have good information to go on, especially since it covers the ignition switch. Thank you again.TC
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
Are you holding your tongue right? LOL
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Bill, I tried it all kinds of ways. Left. Right. Center. Curled around lip while left, right, center. No joy.
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Well, while waiting for news on a relative's surgery, I went out with the few minutes I had, and confirmed "no spark" by taking my test plug "a la RG", grounding it to the main ground, hooking each spark plug wire to it one at a time, and using the starter for convenience. No sign of spark on either side.
I still have to run Pete's tests when I get less preoccupied, but I pulled the top mounts off again and checked all connections and wires in the area for evidence of issues. Nothing jumps out, so I'll have to proceed with testing tomorrow or this weekend.
TC
I still have to run Pete's tests when I get less preoccupied, but I pulled the top mounts off again and checked all connections and wires in the area for evidence of issues. Nothing jumps out, so I'll have to proceed with testing tomorrow or this weekend.
TC
CDNTX650
XS650 Guru
DAMN POINTS EH?
hahaha sorry i had too.
good luck.
hahaha sorry i had too.
good luck.
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
CDNTX650
XS650 Guru
haha, hence the whole reason for my post. And in no way do i have anything against petes fine workmanship.
littlebill31
Smells of Raw Fuel
Oh me neither. His product has kept my hair where it belongs.
I'm sure, and hoping, it's just something silly.
I hate seeing someone frustrated in this way.
"It worked before, now........ugh!" Happens too much to me.
I'm sure, and hoping, it's just something silly.
I hate seeing someone frustrated in this way.
"It worked before, now........ugh!" Happens too much to me.
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Got that right... and I don't even have enough hair to get a good grip on!
Bit preoccupied with mom-in-law med stuff at the mo, so I can't work on the bike, but I keep wondering if I might have unknowingly killed/shorted something (like the coil) with a ratchet or something while I was working. Never occurred to me to disconnect the battery, etc... This didn't just "happen" while I slept or watched tv. I might have effed something up. Ah, well... won't know til the weekend...
Bill... appreciate your empathy!
TC
TC, unless you had the key switch on there was no power to the kill switch, and with no power to the kill switch, there was no power to the coil. You could have jumped the damn thing straight to ground without doing any harm. Stop worrying and just "work the steps."
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Right... nothing was on while I was working on it. That's good to know. I'll investigate the what this weekend, and then worry about the why and how.
TC
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Well, the first thing I'll be doing tomorrow before I can sort this is getting a new multimeter. Mine has disappeared into thin air since the last time I used it. Figures...
The good news is that the kill switch rolls the electric starter over in the "RUN" position, so I can hopefully rule out the kill switch.
The good news is that the kill switch rolls the electric starter over in the "RUN" position, so I can hopefully rule out the kill switch.
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Guys, I have a meter and was trying to test the coil, but I don;t think I'm using the meter properly. The instructions are in "Chinglish" and not really very helpful.
My meter (Gardner Bender GDT3190) goes from 200 to 2000k on the resistance scale. Using Pete's procedure, I am getting the following:
Testing the coil:
1. Using the lowest scale on the meter, measure the resistance between the primary terminals with the wires removed. Should read from 2.5 to 4.5 Ohms. 2.8 after three tests
2. Using the highest scale on the meter, measure between one of the primary terminals and the center core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance. (open) 1
3. Measure between one of the primary terminals and one of the plug wire terminals. Should be infinite resistance. (open circuit) 1
4. Measure between one of the plug wire terminals and the core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance (open circuit) 1
5. Measure from one plug terminal to the other. Should be 15,000 to 20,000 Ohms 12.38 using 20k scale
I'm not sure I'm using the meter properly. I am using the resistance scale, but the readings I'm getting don't seem to be what I'd expect, good coil or bad, especially in the "infinity" realm. How should a digital meter display infinity? I thought it was supposed to be 0 on a digital meter. So does the 1 mean my coil is toast? Based on the last step, I may have a bad coil? (12.38).
Also:
Testing the PAMCO
What scale should I use for this test, and how/where should the probes be placed for a proper reading?
Sorry for the questions and thanks. I'm almost hoping for a definitively bad coil so I can pursue a clear alternative.
TC
My meter (Gardner Bender GDT3190) goes from 200 to 2000k on the resistance scale. Using Pete's procedure, I am getting the following:
Testing the coil:
1. Using the lowest scale on the meter, measure the resistance between the primary terminals with the wires removed. Should read from 2.5 to 4.5 Ohms. 2.8 after three tests
2. Using the highest scale on the meter, measure between one of the primary terminals and the center core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance. (open) 1
3. Measure between one of the primary terminals and one of the plug wire terminals. Should be infinite resistance. (open circuit) 1
4. Measure between one of the plug wire terminals and the core of the coil. Should be infinite resistance (open circuit) 1
5. Measure from one plug terminal to the other. Should be 15,000 to 20,000 Ohms 12.38 using 20k scale
I'm not sure I'm using the meter properly. I am using the resistance scale, but the readings I'm getting don't seem to be what I'd expect, good coil or bad, especially in the "infinity" realm. How should a digital meter display infinity? I thought it was supposed to be 0 on a digital meter. So does the 1 mean my coil is toast? Based on the last step, I may have a bad coil? (12.38).
Also:
Testing the PAMCO
What scale should I use for this test, and how/where should the probes be placed for a proper reading?
Sorry for the questions and thanks. I'm almost hoping for a definitively bad coil so I can pursue a clear alternative.
TC
Last edited:
I have confused infinity (I) for a one (1).
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Hmm... maybe it is an I. But depending on what I read, digital meters can display infinity as a 1 or a 0, so that's a bit confusing! Really hoping for a bad coil and to learn how to use the meter on Step 1 of checking the PAMCO.
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Okay, I have 11.63 volts at the red connection from the PAMCO to the coil with the kill switch and key on (light on with key). PAMCO's okay, correct? Think 'm looking at a bad coil with that last 12.38 reading?
TC
TC
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
1. When you measure the coil secondary resistance, be sure and not touch the test probes with your fingers because the meter will read the resistance between your fingers.
2. Also, secondaries of coils vary considerably. The reading of 12.38 may be OK for your particular coil.
3. I would measure a 15,000 Ohm resistor from Radio Shack just to get a sanity check on your new meter.
4. Besides, the work you did would not have caused the coil to short out.
