I've been having issues with my softail custom ever since the summer. It's hard to start, has a lot of hesitation when you roll the throttle back and bucks like crazy when i do get it going.

I'm thinking it might be the coil. How can I test this without buying a new one ?

It has new plugs and battery.

Also if it turns out to be the coil where can I get one and is there a specific one I should buy.

The weather is coming around now so hopefully I can get her up and running again

Thanks

 

Sounds more like either an ignition module or a cam sensor to me.
Coils generally either work or they don't.

 

How can I test them?

 

Look at your cam sensor and see if it's dripping goo.
About the only test I know for the ignition module is to change it out for a known good one.

Your FSM might have some tests in it I'm not sure.

 

hmmm alright

check this thread out, his symptoms are the same as mine

http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread...=487777&page=3

 

I had a 96 do that...and the 12v wires on the coil were loose...tightened the nuts and all was well...

 

You can test a coil with an ohmmeter. Connect both ends to a different side of the coil and I think it should read 2 - 3 ohms. But, there might be different coils that read higher. I'm at work so I might be off on the details. I've had loose battery cables cause misfiring. I had to replace my electronic ignition to solve my problem with sputtering and dying.

 

Coils aren't necessarily either good or bad. They can slowly go to hell. Does the spitting and sputtering ALWAYS end up killing the bike? If it does, I'm betting coil. IDK as far as your other symptoms. Like another above said, ohm it out. IDK the readings you should get for it to be good. Google it.

 

Google!!!! LOL
Yea...every thing on the internet is Fact!!!
Electronic ignition coils [yours] should measure 3 or so Ohms on a Quality Ohmmeter... Points and Dyna-S coils should measure 5 or a bit More...

 

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Lmao. I know that, but in a jam, no other resource at hand, I have Google something, check several answers and make a deduction of what may be fact. For example, if I googled it and 5 or 6 results said 3 ohms, and one said 9 ohms, I'd suspect that 3ohms is prolly pretty darn close. Try it in a jam.