Voltage drop at Kill Switch?

[Guest]

Okay guys, I hope this isn't a stupid question...

I have an 82 650, and it's getting massive voltage drops, when I flip the Kill Switch to "Run". Like over 1 volt drops within 2 or 3 seconds. I've been running resistance checks All Over this damn bike, ...and the drop is pointing to the Ignitor.

I've already replaced the Stator and Rectifier in this bike....I stupidly "assumed" they were okay!
I wonder if those components also hurt the Ignitor or Signal Generator?
Maybe a piece of solder broke loose in the Ignitor box?(I know that happened to a member here)

To top it all off....this bike HAD firing problems last summer...like it intermittently ran on 1 coil at random and had weak spark, even After I coil-modded it.


Just wonder what you guys think?

[tom203]

So the voltage drops 1 volt when ignition system is powered up, but it doesn't trip 10 amp ignition fuse?
Unplug spade connectors from both ignition coils, flip "run" switch on (to just power ignitor), same effect? Have you check ohms on coils?
Check ignitor connectors/wiring under seat, maybe it got abraded, but that should have blown ignition fuse.
Mine seems to drop noticeably (I run an onboard voltmeter) with key switched on- I'd say at least .7 volts. I have not done the coil mod, as bike starts and runs well.

[tkent02]

Where are you measuring this voltage? What does it read?

[1_v8_merc]

Thanks tom, I should have disconnected the coils, just to be sure.

I wonder if the old charging system damaged the ignitor.

[tom203]

....

I wonder if the old charging system damaged the ignitor.

Yes,possible, but those intermittent running problems last summer sound more like wiring or connections.
I meant to ask... are you a frequent kill switch user ? this is a likely weak area- I don't use mine at all.

[Redman]

Usaly "voltage drop" is a reference to a differernce in voltage from one point to another point where the voltage should be the same. Suxh as voltage drop between, say, the battery positive and the ignition swtich that should both be pretty much the same.

Please be more specific as to what you mean by 'voltage drop'.

You say "voltage drop at kill switch".

Do you mean the battery voltage drops when turn on the 'kill switch'?
On our GSes the kill swtich is in the igntiion circuit only. It only effects the ignition circuit (and starter button solenoid circuit).


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[Steve]

If you simply move the switch to the RUN position, I would expect a voltage drop at the battery, simply because now you are enabling current to flow through the coils and ignitor. The ignitor itself will not draw much, but the coils certainly do. Try pulling the power plugs on the coils and trying your little test again.

Now, if you are measuring your voltage on both sides of the "kill" switch and finding a voltage drop there, you have problems in the switch. There should be virtually NO drop across the contacts inside the switch.

Please provide more details about where you are taking your measurements, under what conditions you are taking these measurements and what your actual readings are.

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