If you have 12v to the coil, you might have a bad coil. I had one go out on me and did it like you are talking, Started missing intermittently and running like ****, and then only one cylinder. I limped into a harley dealer, loosened up the tank enough to get the bolts and installed the new one.

Back to normal...

Cheers,

Zach

 

I thought cam position sensors were only on the EFI bikes. OP says he's running a carb.
Btw. If you can charge the battery up and the bike starts, I'd lean towards a bad battery or a charging system not working right. Could just be connections as well.

 

The cam position sensor, or "pick up" is in nose cone, all bikes with electronic ignitions need them to tell the ign module to sent the signal at the proper time. Crankshaft position sensors are on EFI bikes.

 

Cam. Position sensor,auto complete says can! I do have a little goo on it. This is a 95 rk no fuel injection,mikuni HSR 38mm, I take off wire to spark plug and there's no spark, between wire and plug ,tested w/multimeter no 12v to coil.am I missing something ,plenty of cranking pwr.strong headlights and air horn compressor.power does not seem to be a problem,I checked to see if cps/pickup has moved and changed timing, but marks line up!adjustable retard/advance OEM part.I'm going to see if I can borrow a used one from my friends shop.He's just too busy w/his shop to come here rite now.what and where is the voes /or is there any ignition relays?

 

Brown goo...... you found the problem. Replace the pickup. If you want to verify, run it until it fails (heat does it) then hit it with some freeze spray (radio shack) and see if it wakes back up. If so, it's bad.

 

I tested coil wrong,I had to read the manual 3 times!I I was testing both studs for +/- ,I had to test white/black wire. To positive and ground to engine ground w/multimeter ,I have 12v I'm going to pickup a coil and try to install just lifting front of tank up like Zack E did! Zack any suggestions I have to work on bike outside in the hot sun w/a custom painted tank?

 

its a good place to start. the moco still sells them.

 

Thx!will update on progress.

 

If you want to test it you can take off your nose cone cover then start your bike and heat the cam position sensor with a hair dryer or heat gun.

If you see goo bubbling or the bike shuts off you know the cam position sensor is bad.

 

Bike won't start to test plate sensor.