Hey all, I'm soldiering through a rebuild and have hit a really frustrating road block. Finally have the engine all together but am no longer getting any spark. This could have been an issue before I tore everything apart, but it's definitely one now. I've replaced the ignition coils, although that could still be a problem, and have new plugs. Battery and starter motor both seem good. Any thoughts or help would be much appreciated, I really want to get riding!
Assuming you do have power, starter motor goes and lights come on...
1. Both wires to coils on? One wire is +12 so is there +12 at one terminal?
2. Ignition unit plugged in?
3. Timing pickup plugged in?
4. Timing rotor in place?
5. Small ground wire from battery connected? (That's ground for the electrical system! Big one mainly for starter motor and sparkies)
Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by +12?
+12 refers to the voltage. You'll probably see anywhere between 12 and 14.4 volts in a 12v system depending on the state of your battery's charge or the voltage being produced by your regulator/rectifier.
To check wiring, you need a volt meter and the wiring diagram.
Thanks, I'm not familiar with the short hand but I do have a voltage meter and the diagram. The mechanical stuff I can wrap my head around, the electrical stuff probably isn't any more complicated but I just don't really know what I'm doing. The horn and lights all work, the starter motor will crank but won't catch. Hooked up to a external jump starter it will crank faster and occasionally backfire with starter fluid, but not seeing spark when I take the plugs out, and it's not catching. I haven't had a chance to go through adidasguy's checklist yet, but I'm pretty sure I reconnected everything when I put the motor back in. I'll have a chance to look it over soon.
Backfire means you are getting spark.
Check that the plug wires are screwed in to the coil and cap. They can twist loose. There is the trick of trimming 1/4" off the ends of the wires then screwing them back on.
Be sure all connections to the coils and ignition unit are good. Pull them and push them back a couple times will wipe them clean. Contact cleaner or a little baby oil on them helps prevent corrosion.
Be sure caps are fully pressed on the plugs. How are you looking for spark? Pug dangling in the air or with body of plug touching the frame? It has to touch the frame for proper grounding or you won't get any spark.
Are the plugs wet or dry? Wet = very rich, maybe too rich to fire. Try starting without the choke. (I found that less choke makes my bikes start better). Dry = maybe too lean.
Thanks for the help. Got the bike fired and running. Freaking psyched!!
Unfortunately now I have a clutch issue, the clutch isn't disengaging. One thing after another. Any thoughts?
Do basic clutch adjustment. Its in the WIKI.
First, simple adjustment at the clutch lever.
So, if starting in neutral. What happens once running and clutch in then go into first? If there is a slight lurch then OK, probably sticky clutch plates. That is not that uncommon. Once bike warms up a little it is OK.
But if it never goes out of gear with clutch pulled in, then adjust clutch as per the WIKI first checking clutch lever free play.