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    another no spark problem

    looking for some help. I admit to having little or no electrical knowledge but after sitting for two weeks in the garage, my GS suddenly has no spark at the plugs.
    It was running fine while on a trip to Arkansas last month, then I get it home to replace tires and do some other work and I go to start it and nothing.

    I finally replaced a 12 year old AGM battery and the only thing I have done is checked the valve clearances, cleaned and re-gapped the plugs and also clean and re-gap
    the points.

    I am not getting spark at the plugs. I have good voltage going into the primary side of the coils and the resistance between the +/- is 4.7 ohms. Now for the kicker,
    the resistance between pairs of plug caps is only 21.4K between #1 and 4 and between 2-3 it is 21.7k ohms. I have read that this should be in the 30-40k ohm range.
    So does that mean the caps need replacing? and would this be the reason for no spark?
    Larry

    '79 GS 1000E
    '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
    '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
    '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
    '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

    #2
    the values you measure are correct, see snippet from the service manual.

    coils.jpg

    Are you using one spark plug to test for sparks on all leads ?
    That one may be bad.
    Ask me how i know
    Last edited by Rijko; 05-13-2017, 10:14 AM.
    Rijk

    Top 10 Newbie Mistakes thread

    CV Carb rebuild tutorial
    VM Carb rebuild tutorial
    Bikecliff's website
    The Stator Papers

    "The thing about freedom - it's never free"

    Comment


      #3
      No, I thought about that possibility so I used a different (new) plug to test.
      Larry

      '79 GS 1000E
      '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
      '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
      '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
      '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

      Comment


        #4
        Is there a method for checking the voltage at the end of the plug wire? Is it just going to be 12+ volts or will it be a different number?
        Larry

        '79 GS 1000E
        '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
        '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
        '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
        '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

        Comment


          #5
          that's high voltage, like being tazered, and it's something you do not forget.
          Ask me how i know

          Spark is created when the closed circuit of power supplied to the coils,
          and coils being connected to ground, is broken by the contact points.

          You have 12v on the coils, now you also need to have the circuit broken.
          Since you worked on the points, i would check there.
          Points assembled/mounted correctly, points do open, wires connected properly ?
          Rijk

          Top 10 Newbie Mistakes thread

          CV Carb rebuild tutorial
          VM Carb rebuild tutorial
          Bikecliff's website
          The Stator Papers

          "The thing about freedom - it's never free"

          Comment


            #6
            i do not recommend this but it shows you a very crude way of testing.


            Last edited by Rijko; 05-13-2017, 01:38 PM.
            Rijk

            Top 10 Newbie Mistakes thread

            CV Carb rebuild tutorial
            VM Carb rebuild tutorial
            Bikecliff's website
            The Stator Papers

            "The thing about freedom - it's never free"

            Comment


              #7
              [QUOTE=Rijko;2396238]that's high voltage, like being tazered, and it's something you do not forget.
              Ask me how i know

              Spark is created when the closed circuit of power supplied to the coils,
              and coils being connected to ground, is broken by the contact points.

              You have 12v on the coils, now you also need to have the circuit broken.
              Since you worked on the points, i would check there.
              Points assembled/mounted correctly, points do open, wires connected properly ?[/
              QUOTE]

              I only opened the points as they were installed and slid some emory cloth between the two surfaces. Did not dismount or disconnect any wires. Also, with a test light and ignition on, rotating the crankshaft causes the light to go on when points open and go off when they close.

              Thanks for your suggestions
              Larry

              '79 GS 1000E
              '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
              '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
              '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
              '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

              Comment


                #8
                Well, if your points are working and you're not getting a spark, either

                a wire came off between the points and coils
                your condensors are dead

                If you pull a plug and set it to check spark, does it spark if you open the point set for that coil?
                1978 GS 1000 (since new)
                1979 GS 1000 (The Fridge, superbike replica project)
                1978 GS 1000 (parts)
                1981 GS 850 (anyone want a project?)
                1981 GPZ 550 (backroad screamer)
                1970 450 Mk IIID (THUMP!)
                2007 DRz 400S
                1999 ATK 490ES
                1994 DR 350SES

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Big T View Post
                  Well, if your points are working and you're not getting a spark, either

                  a wire came off between the points and coils
                  your condensors are dead

                  If you pull a plug and set it to check spark, does it spark if you open the point set for that coil?
                  You mean manually open the point set for that coil? Have not tried that. I have just removed a plug and with the plug into the cap, have grounded the plug to the engine. Then hit the starter button and watch for spark at the plug-----nothing happens.
                  Larry

                  '79 GS 1000E
                  '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
                  '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
                  '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
                  '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

                  Comment

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