coils or ignitor? Im not sure now.

[Sparky]

Ive been doing the tests from basscliff's website on the 1980 gs1000g

I tested the ohms on both coils. The primary side both show about 4 ohms which is fine according to the site. The secondary side shows nothing from one coil and acceptable ohms on the other coil. So I have one bad coil..... correct?

Now the ignitor test I used the method of placing a meter on ohms setting and touching the test leads to the plug going into the ignitor (green and blue wire from signal generator) Its supposed to spark from one coil when touched with the leads and from the other when the leads are removed. I got nothing at all. I tried with and without ignition on as I wasnt sure if that mattered. Since I got no spark does that mean the ignitor is shot too?


Its weird because I had spark from both coils yesterday then they just stopped sparking so I dont know. Also the starter button stopped working. Fuses are good. Starter button taken apart and cleaned, continuity test checks out for the starter button. Any suggestions on what to check?

[drejal]

as far as the starter button not working.....have you checked the kill switch?

Couldn't a faulty kill switch have an effect on the igniter as well?

[SqDancerLynn1]

Did you take the plug cap off and measure it ?? If the plug caps are good ? yes probably a bad coil. I don't think it sparks when you remove the meter, So test Both ign pickups

[Mekanix]

Plug caps would cause one problem with measuring secondary coil resistance. Some caps can be cleaned.
The other with not starting sounds like the run switch is bad or not getting power.

So next check

power at the run switch. if no, check at the key switch (orange wire usually)

if you have power at the run switch at the orange wire, than turn it on and check the orange/white wire, if that's good check power at the coils with the switch on, then at the ignitor.

[Sparky]

Thanks guys!

for the ignitor test it says The moment the test leads are connected, the electrode of spark plug of #4 fires. The moment the test leads are disconnected, the electrode of spark plug of #3 fires.

do all the plug caps just pull off? you are talking about the boot that goes over the plug correct?

ill check that and all voltage tomorrow

also, i checked continuity from ground to the yellow/green wire at the solenoid and it completes the circuit when the starter button is depressed.

but i disconnected the solenoid from the harness and it was showing continuity from that wire to ground, when i unbolted the solenoid from battery box it seemed to work normally then but ill check with power tomorrow.

[hikermikem]

The plug caps screw off the wires - remove them all & snip the wire back a bit to expose clean copper, then screw them back on.

While the caps are off, check the resistance in the caps, I forgot what they should read, but check them all & compare to each other.

After all is back together, check the spark by grounding each plug against the head (lay it on top) & turn the motor over - should see a nice blue spark...

[Sparky]

Thanks so much for the tip with the plug wires/boots. IT WORKED! I pulled off the boots and trimmed back the wire to get away from the corosion, measured both coils and they are good, put the boots back on and measured and still good. Then I redid the ignitor test and got spark! Im charging a battery right now in order to test. Still cant figure out the starter switch though.... maybee bad solenoid? how do I test that? I get 12v or close to that when I push the starter button so Im not sure whats up.

[TheCafeKid]

Thanks guys!

for the ignitor test it says The moment the test leads are connected, the electrode of spark plug of #4 fires. The moment the test leads are disconnected, the electrode of spark plug of #3 fires.

do all the plug caps just pull off? you are talking about the boot that goes over the plug correct?

ill check that and all voltage tomorrow

also, i checked continuity from ground to the yellow/green wire at the solenoid and it completes the circuit when the starter button is depressed.

but i disconnected the solenoid from the harness and it was showing continuity from that wire to ground, when i unbolted the solenoid from battery box it seemed to work normally then but ill check with power tomorrow.

You need to check the killswitch itself, NOT the starter button. If youre not getting power to the ignitor or coils, and your starter button ISNT working, odds are your killswitch is NOT working, either from corrosion, or a faulty switch or bad connection. The killswitch not working would have this effect on ALL of the components youre having problems with.

[Sparky]

everything seems to be good now. I took the kill switch and starter button back apart and checked everything, went through the whole circut and cleaned all the connections, then put everything back together and everything functions as it should. Thanks for all the tips. Now Im just waiting on the battery to charge.

[hikermikem]

Good work - let us know if it all works out...

[Sparky]

Oh will do, for sure. This rain is killing me though as Im having to do all this in the cramped building rather than outside.

[Sparky]

Thanks for the help guys, she fired right up and sounds pretty good. Now I just gotta find the parts I need to put the filter system back to stock.