No Spark
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 200
Likes: 39
From: Assonet MA
No Spark
I have no spark either plug.
I have moved the coil to an engine mount bracket but I can't see anything wrong there. Only 2 wires so hard to get that wrong. I show 12 volts at the coil. Showing 5.3 ohms across the coil.
Where do I go next?
Whats my check list?
Bucaman
I have moved the coil to an engine mount bracket but I can't see anything wrong there. Only 2 wires so hard to get that wrong. I show 12 volts at the coil. Showing 5.3 ohms across the coil.
Where do I go next?
Whats my check list?
Bucaman
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Likes: 18
From: '71 XLCH / '74 XLH
Well, I can't offer you a checklist..... but here's a few starter things I'd check if I had the same problem on my '71 XLCH.
Hope that helps you in your situation.
- is the coil properly grounded ? I imagine it is, but since you've moved it, I'd verify you have a good connection to ground..... maybe there's a rubber mount in your new setup that's preventing a good ground ? - under edit - I stand corrected. 09dynaman pointed out that I was mistaken in this area...... the coil does not need to be grounded. My mistake. Seems the only grounding needed is done via the points and the spark plugs.
- verify there is no short in the wire running from your points to your coil. Disconnect the wire at the points and the coil & test if there is any leakage at all to ground. If there is any leakage to ground on this wire, you'll get no spark. You'll need to trace the wire back to the leakage & correct it. In my case, the wire was pinched between the oil tank & the frame. Over time, the wire became a little chaffed.... and I'd get spark / no spark on an intermittent basis. Drove me nuts 'til I found it.
Hope that helps you in your situation.
Last edited by The Doctor71; Oct 13, 2012 at 12:38 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
I would suggest you look at the points and make sure they are opening and have a gap of .018. That is the best place to start.
Your coil sounds like all is well with it. One thing to check there though is to make sure both plug wires are fully inserted into the coil. Most likely they are.
That is why I think you better check the points gap.
pg
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 200
Likes: 39
From: Assonet MA
Bucaman......
I would suggest you look at the points and make sure they are opening and have a gap of .018. That is the best place to start.
Your coil sounds like all is well with it. One thing to check there though is to make sure both plug wires are fully inserted into the coil. Most likely they are.
That is why I think you better check the points gap.
pg
Points are opening...no spark either. I will take a closer look at them today. They have not been touched since I parked her back in November. Plug wires appear to be OK.
Will get back to it today.
Just checking to see if i was forgetting something obvious.
I would suggest you look at the points and make sure they are opening and have a gap of .018. That is the best place to start.
Your coil sounds like all is well with it. One thing to check there though is to make sure both plug wires are fully inserted into the coil. Most likely they are.
That is why I think you better check the points gap.
pg
Points are opening...no spark either. I will take a closer look at them today. They have not been touched since I parked her back in November. Plug wires appear to be OK.
Will get back to it today.
Just checking to see if i was forgetting something obvious.
Novice
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Disconect the wires to the low voltage side & put an ohm meter to it. I dont know what the spec would be & different coils will read different. Maybe someone can tell you but you've probabally found the problem in the points.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
Primary Resistance of 4.7 to 5.7 ohms.
Secondary Resistance of 16K to 20K ohms.
This is the only test you can do on a coil and for what it's worth, I have almost never seen a coil go bad. It is always something else causing the problem in my experience.
pg
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 200
Likes: 39
From: Assonet MA
Swapped out the condenser and she fired. Go figure...Started fine when I parked her in the fall.
Now I need to time her and dial in the carb.
PG I gave up on the Mikuni. Put the S&S back on. Its been the least problematic of the 2.
Now I need to time her and dial in the carb.
PG I gave up on the Mikuni. Put the S&S back on. Its been the least problematic of the 2.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
Whatever it takes to make the old iron run best is what you need to use.
I am not surprised about the condenser. I thought it may be in the points but was fairly sure it was not the coil. As I said before, I think I can say I have never seen a coil fail before. It's always something else.
Of course when the bike was running well and then you put it up for a while and moved the coil to another location I can see how the coil (or hook up of same) would lead one to think the problem was with that.
pg