help! no start, no spark

[putty]

Okay here's the list new coil, wires, caps, plugs, have bypassed handle bar start button and have spliced one in under seat.Power to solenoid, starter turns if you jump across solenoid, with kick no spark,  it was running fine then started to miss and finally no go, starter was working when i got it home.


any ideas this is driving off the deep end.

[grizld1]

Time to invest in a good multimeter and start tracing wires. Look for voltage at the coil primaries and work your way back through the kill switch to the red battery lead to the key switch. You may not find the problem in that system but it's the easiest and most obvious place to start; troubleshooting is a process of elimination.

[putty]

have been just no luck finding it yet hate electrical work.

BTW thanks grizld i'll keep checkin' 

[putty]

okay feel free to call me dumb is the ignitor unit the correct name for the tci  I am truly a wiring idiot lol

[putty]

okay hate tracing wires question is would the pamco ignition solve my problem and will coil #17-6803 high output replacement coil from xs650.com ( canadian mikes xs) work if i bought the other parts seperate.

[grizld1]

Putty, what I suggested to you is a place to start. Sure, a Pamco ignition would solve your problem--if and only if the igniter box, pickup unit, or ignition magnet (all part of the TCI system) or their connections happened to be the cause of your grief. But it's also possible that power isn't getting to the ignition due to power delivery problems--corroded or dirty connectors or problems with power delivery to or from the kill switch. A bad coil is also possible--have you checked yours with an ohmmeter? It may be new but that doesn't mean it's good. If I'm not mistaken your H model has a sidestand relay that kills the ignition if the bike is put in gear with the stand down; that could be another source of grief.

You have a choice--learn your ignition system and troubleshoot it to find the problem and then do the needful, or throw money at parts and take the chance that you'll wind up no better off because a poor contact was causing the trouble all along. The manual for you machine with all the specs you need is available free at www.biker.net .

[putty]

okay with key on tested every red/white wire (seems to be the common for the ignition) and all i get for voltage is .08 not sure if this is good or bad battery reads 11.78 volts. also does not have a kickstand switch.

[grizld1]

That, Putty, is very bad; you should have no more than 1/2V difference between battery voltage and voltage at the ignition coil. Now find out exactly where the voltage drop occurs. First check the red wire into the key switch; then the brown wire that carries power from the key switch into the kill switch when the key switch is on; then the R/W wire out of the kill switch. If all is good there, look around and see if you have a switch on your side stand.

Replacing your ignition would have taken you nowhere--whatever system you use, it has to get juice! BTW, you need to put that battery on a decent charger--something that delivers a max of 2 amps.

[putty]

here i'm back and with egg on my face and awaiting idiot of the year award. the only thing i did not check was the fuse box guess what sandpaper and a clean on the clips and were going.  :"> 

well the silver lining is because the fuse looks good it must also make a good contact, off to buy some in line blade fuses.

Thanks Grizld1 you r an inspiration and kept me going in the right direction my hats off to u.

[grizld1]

Glad things worked out for you but don't be too impressed; this is very basic stuff. Now that you've seen for yourself what kind of grief 30-plus years of corrosion can cause, get a set of needle files from Radio Shack, some 320 grit paper, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and a tube of dielectric grease, and do the needful on all the connectors in your wiring harness. It looks like a big job, but if you plan the work and schedule one area at a time it won't be too painful.

[putty]

gotcha! could not find any mini blades but found a substitute i can make work will post pics of repair. when i get it done.

[putty]

These are the most important steps the others are disassembly and instillation.

step 1 remove tabs from fuse holder (I used a dremel)
step 2 solder the wires to the new block purchased from local auto parts store (quick connects could be used but the top would have to be left off)
step 3 install new block in holder (the wires will hold it in place or you could an adhesive)

I have more pics if anyone is interested.

Attachments: