Hot Coil?

[Guest]

One of my coils is hot to the touch (after some unsuccessful starting attempts) and the other is cool. Which one is normal and what could be the cause?

[Adler]

More info,

It seems one of the coils actually gets hot when I leave the key on, no starting attempts necessary. Do you guys think this could be the cause of my bike not starting?

[tom203]

Try exchanging coil positions and see if "hot" coil moves.

[Adler]

Great idea! Ill try that and report back.

[Adler]

AHA!!! The other coil now gets hot! I suppose that means my coils arent defective (thats relieving), how do I zero in on the electrical fault? maybe bad points?

[bobiii84]

I was actually thinking you could check the wires next since it seems to me the problem is after the coil. I have a year newer bike than you do and I've been looking through it and reading online. I would trade out your spark plug wires next in the same fashion you changed out coils. My thought is that if one of those wires is faulty, it could be leaving the coil to deal with all that energy/heat that can't get by. This is just a guess and I'm no master mechanic but it would be a simple enough test. I know you've been on here all day so I figure it's worth a shot Good luck!

Oh, and I would also run through ALL of your electrical connections, especially the ones to/from the coils. When I got my bike it need a LOT of work in that department :/

[koolaid_kid]

The 79 has points. The 80 is electronic. If the points are closed, the coil will get hot. Not an issue with electronic ignition. Just a thought.

[tom203]

Yes, closed points would cause coil to heat up, but I made a leap of faith and assumed it would happen in random crank positions. Put bike in gear and bump it so the other set of points is now closed. Does other coil now heat up as hot? If not, maybe a wire is grounding out on its way to the coil.

[Adler]

I think you guys are right, closed point was heating the coil.

On a strange note, I poured a tad of gas into each of the cylinders and tried to make it start.... And at first it didnt, but then VROOOM!... engine kicks in, and now its starting on its own no problem.

At first when it started only pipes 1 and 4 were getting hot, but after a few runs pipes 2 and 3 are now also getting hot... strange, Im sure this isnt the last of my issues...