Quote from: KerryResistance values for ignition coils:
Primary windings = 3.0 to 6.0 ohms
Secondary windings = 18,000 to 30,000 ohms

And for good measure, the pulse generator coils in the wiring diagram should register 250 to 420 ohms.

It should work just fine with what you need to find out, test it on the ohm setting and see what readings you get.

Ahhh, so you have an ANALOG meter (as opposed to digital).  That's OK - it will work.

When you measure resistance with an analog meter, you usually have to "zero it out" first.  Pick your resistance range (say, x1K), touch the 2 meter leads to each other, and adjust a knob or a wheel until the needle rests on 0.  On my meter, 0 IS all the way to the right, which is the opposite of the voltage and amperage measurements.

Once the needle is zero'd, touch the leads to the test points.  Reading the needle position can be confusing, but just look for a "continuum line" that makes sense.  On my analog meter the line for Ohms is green, and all of the ranges use the same line.  You may need to multiply your result by some factor of 10 to get the actual result.

For example, on the x1K range you can probably read the value directly.  1k = 1,000 ohms, 200 = 200 ohms, etc.  If you switch to a x10K range (don't forget to re-zero the needle), then multiply the reading by 10.

Make sense?

Also make sure the primary leads are disconnected from the coil before testing it.

BTW, I couldn't get the link to the picture of your multimeter to work.  I had to go the long way around:

* Go to

http://www.awsperry.com/
* Click on the Sperry logo
* Click on the "Products" position of the selector dial
* Click the "Analog multimeters" link
* Click the "SP-5A" link[/list:u]I may have to take back what I said about reading the value directly.  It looks like your meter only has 2 resistance scales: one that goes from 0 to 1,000,000 ohms, and one that goes from 0 to 5,000 ohms.  You'll have to adjust my decription accordingly.

Looks like I'll have to preform a retest.
This time with the ohmmeter zeroed out, and also with the coil disconnected. I'm also going to have to wait until tomorrow when it's bright enough outside.

Thanks guys.

Timothy

I tried doing the test blindly. I got results on the primary by using the 200 mark, and I used 200k for the secondary test.
The test results check out okay too.

On the left side for primary I got 4.8
On the right side for primary I got 4.7

Left side secondary was 25.6
Right side secondary was 25.5

I figured that I needed to add two decimals so it was 25,600 and 25,500

If I preformed the test correctly, then the coils check out okay. So that just means that the problem is somewhere else on the bike. What other tests should I perform, and how?

Thanks,

Timothy

I'm not sure what's going on. I drove the bike around my neighborhood, and it's still up to the same old tricks. The bike IS getting power to the left side. I've checked to see if the plug is sparking, and I can feel the electric current in my hand when I hold the wire and touch a metal part of the bike. But when I plug or un plug it the bike sounds the same and the RPMs stay the same. Unless it's at high RPMs like 4k. If the bike is at a constant 1.5 and i unplug the left side nothing happens. But when I do this to the right side, the bike will shut off. ONLY AT LOW RPMs
If I unplug the left side at high rpms they will drop, but eventually regain to about to around 3500. The right side won't. It will stay low. 1000-1300 rpm or so.

I'm stumped. I have no idea what causing this. And I've checked the coils. They both seem the same.
Any words of advice?

Thanks,
Timothy

Sorry Timothy, I didn't even get up until 10:15 Mountain today!

That's great news about your coils.  Next is to check the signal generator(s) and the related wiring.  I could type it all out again, but if you wouldn't mind...could you refer back to my second post in this thread?  The one where I supplied  a wiring diagram and a couple of links to older threads?

I think both threads tell you what you need to know, but the second one has pictures of the connectors I'm talking about.  In my case, one of the connectors was corroded, which is almost certainly NOT the problem on your bike.

The general idea is to check for continuity to (and through) the connectors, and for the right resistance values for each of the signal generators.  If you get acceptable resistance figures up at the very first (3-wire) connector, you're done.  If not, you have to move down the wires one connector at a time.  If you suspect a break in one of the wires or connectors, set your ohmmeter to the lowest range and touch your test leads to either end of the part.  You should get a reading of zero, or darn close.

Let me know if you need clarification on anything.

So you're saying I should start from the left coil and just follow the wires back to the source? Or start from the signal generators? If so, where are they located? And which setting should I use for the ohmmeter? There are a lot to choose from.

Thanks

Timothy

Okay I found a black box underneath my seat. There were four wires that went to it. Green/white Green/yellow then Black/white Solid brown. I tested them with the 200k on the omega setting.
I got a signal back on each wire except the green/yellow one. I don't know what this means, or where to go from here

Choose the lowest ohmmeter setting that is greater than the expected resistance value.



From my post in the first thread:

Quote from: Kerry2) Fairly close to the battery, on the negative terminal side, is a 3-wire connector. Pop it open and perform a continuity test (or resistance check) on the connector half that is NOT attached to the wiring harness. You should have a resistance value of 240-420 ohms between the center wire and each of the outer wires. (These wires go to the signal generator coils, which are behind the right side engine cover with the ignition advancer.)

Since you're expecting between 240 and 420 ohms, set the ohmmeter to the 2000 range.  If you get values close to the expected ones, you'll be able to read them directly.  Like, say, "354".  If there is an open circuit you'll get some kind of "too high to display" indication on the meter, because the resistance will be INFINITY, which is definitely higher than 2000.


From my post in the second thread:

Quote from: KerryFigure out which half of the connector is NOT attached to the wiring harness. The wires exiting from this half eventually go to the signal generator coils (after passing through the corroded, black 4-wire connector to the lower left of center in the photo).

With the correct half of the 3-wire connector in hand, take a look at the 3 attached wires. The black one (in the center, I think) is common to both signal generator coil circuits. The other wires belong to one circuit or the other.

Job 1 is to measure the resistance between the black wire and one of the other ones. If you get infinite resistance (like I did) there is an open circuit somewhere along the line. If you get NO resistance, something is shorted out. If I remember right, the correct reading is somewhere between 280 and 420 ohms. (See your manual.)

After finding that I had TWO open circuits, I checked each length of wire to make sure that each wire and connection was good. I couldn't get that blasted black connector apart, so I had to touch one test probe to the (barely reachable) crimper where each wire enters the connector. I touched the other probe to the other end of the wire in the 3-position connector I've been talking about. (You're looking for NO resistance between the two ends of each wire segment.)

In my case, all 3 wires checked out fine. Next I wanted to make sure I didn't have a problem in the black connector. Since I couldn't get the black connector apart, I touched the two probes to the crimpers on the "input" and "output" sides of the box. And what do you know - I had NO continuity (infinite resitance) on the black wire (the common one, remember?)

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

Once I find the wire how do I go about removing it, and replacing it?

I'm not getting a reading on a black and yellow wire.

Thanks,

Timothy

Black-and-yellow?  Just curious why you're checking that one.  It has nothing to do with the signal generator coils, but it apparently DOES have something to do with the ignition system in general.

Still, if the wire is broken it should definitely be replaced.

Just to be sure, are you saying that you get an INFINITY resistance reading between the two ends of the black-and-yellow wire?  If that's not right, what do you mean by "I'm not getting a reading" on that wire?

Did you begin with the 3-wire connector that's marked "Start Here" in my diagram?  Your first step is to open that connector and measure the resistance (on the half of the connector NOT hooked to the wiring harness) between:
1) The Black wire and the Brown wire, and
2) The Black wire and the Green/white wire.

These are the readings that should be between 240 and 420.  If either one is INFINITY, start checking the wire segments and connectors along that wire pair as they descend down the left side of the bike and across to the signal generator area.

==================================

Before replacing (or cutting) ANYTHING, make SURE you know which part is bad.

If you check a single length of wire (with no connectors in between or on either end) and you get an infinity resistance reading, then cut the wire in half and test each half.  Leave the good half (zero resistance half) alone, and keep snipping a bit off of the bad half until you get zero resistance between its ends.  Hopefully you have enough wire left that you can strip the dangling ends and attach a "quick connector" to each one.  Now take a short length of good wire, attach matching "quick connectors", and insert the new length of wire into the circuit.

If your original measurement included connectors, you'll need to check for continuity (zero resistance) through each of the connectors as well as each of the wire segments.  If you find a bad connector, and can't fix the problem by cleaning it somehow, then you have two choices:

1) Cut the wires where they enter and exit the bad connection point.  Introduce "quick connectors" and a new length of wire to bypass the original connector.

2) Replace the original connector entirely by cutting EVERY wire that enters and exits it, and introduce a whole set of "quick connectors".  If you're lucky, you will have enough wire that you won't need extra wire segments - just a pair of "quick connectors" for each existing wire.

I actually went both routes.  Bypassing a corroded connection (in my 4-wire connector) for my black wire got the bike running.  Later on I cut out the whole 4-wire connector and replaced it with individual "quick connector" pairs.  They are the pink thingies in the photo below:


EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

Okay for the three wire connector, mines clear, well I tested them all and got very high results. I had the ohmmeter set on 2000, and i got around 18000ohm.
And I tested the small black connector and I got 370, 700, and then two wires didn't test.
My wire are a mess too. I think the last guy that owned the bike did his own work, but he didn't really take quite as much time and care in the bike. He crashed it a few times too.

Why am I getting such high readings?

We need to be clear: how did you get an 18,000 ohm reading on a 2000 ohm range setting?  BTW, if you really ARE getting 18,000 ohms that's an open circuit (infinite resistance) for our purposes.  Oh, and if you're touching the test leads to 2 wires that aren't connected to anything on their other ends, this is what you should get.

Perhaps it would be beneficial to use a checklist for your resistance readings.  It would sure help ME a lot!  (Set the meter to 2000, and tell me if you take a reading at a different setting.)


3-wire connector
MAKE SURE you're taking the reading on the half of the connector that's attached to the wires that go DOWN to the 4-wire connector, and not back UP to the wiring harness!

Between Black/blue & Brown: _____ ohms (Should be 240-420)
Between Black/blue & Green/White: _____ ohms (Should be 240-420)


    *** If you got the expected values for both wire pairs,
          STOP HERE -- the test result is NEGATIVE.
    *** (No problem with the wires or connections.)  Otherwise, keep going....


Wires between the 3-wire connector and the 4-wire connector
Touch your test leads to the little metal crimpers where the wires attach to the connectors.

Black/blue wire: _____ ohms  (Should be near 0)
Brown wire: _____ohms (Should be near 0)
Green/white wire: _____ ohms (Should be near 0)



Between input and output points on (snapped together) 4-wire connector
Touch your test leads to the little metal crimpers where the wires attach to the connector.

Black/blue wire: _____ ohms (Should be near 0)
Brown wire: _____ohms (Should be near 0)
Green/white wire: _____ ohms (Should be near 0)



Between different wires on the (popped apart) 4-wire connector
MAKE SURE you're taking the reading on the half of the connector that's attached to the wires that go DOWN to the signal generator coils, and not back UP to the 3-wire connector!

Between Black/blue & Brown: _____ ohms (Should be 240-420)
Between Black/blue & Green/White: _____ ohms (Should be 240-420)

Outstanding writeup Kerry. I take my hat off to you.