Gone from my post of low speed miss to " no spark". Thought my issue was fuel but after eliminating that , there's no spark to the rear plug. Has anyone gone down this road? I'm thinking coil, but I'm not sure about checking it without some specialized tester. Not knowledgeable enough how the whole IC igniter system works . any suggestions,
ok never been there so I would have to guess too. Perhaps Troll would be able to give you a hint, in my thoughts coil or plug wires?
Since the 800 has only one plug per cylinder, it's pretty easy to check things out. Sometimes with dual coil waste spark systems, you run into difficulties testing when one plug of a pair is shorted out. Here's a diagram of the parts involved. There are 2 separate single wire coils, each with it's own plug wire. My first move would be to check at the connection to the rear coil with a test light while the engine is running. It will run quite a while on the fuel in the carb. One side of the coil will have constant voltage, and the other side will pulse on and off. If you have access to a DVOM, then measure the resistance of the coil that works and compare it to the one that doesn't. The igniter system has two independent controllers in it, it's probably pretty unlikely that half of it would stop working...I would bet on a few things: 1, a bad/cracked spark plug, 2, a bad/cracked insulator on the wire (happens all the time) and 3, a bad plug wire. The coils are pretty robust. I would try connecting the front coil to the rear plug, and igniter just to see what happens. The coils are the same part, so substituting one for the other will hael narrow it down
Thanks Troll, plugs are good, put new set in and tried two old ones on the wire while grounding them out on the side of the engine while it was running on one cylinder. The constant and pulsing voltage tip is what I was looking for , will follow your guidelines. Theres no arcing or snapping sound while its running but I'll follow the KISS ( keep it simple stupid) rule before getting to carried away . I looked at the coils to switch them ,they appeared the same, but on e bay guys listed them as front and rear coils ? but that's the next plan. ( right after I invent a tool to easily remove the spark plugs and wires without disassembling half the bike!!)
Oh I am so glad that I am not the only one who finds changing the plugs a real pain in the rear......lol.........
seat off
dash off (disconnect speedo, undo wiring harness)
tank off,
time for a nap for older people because half the day is gone.....lol......
really glad they do not have to be changed often.......
The only difference between them is the direction they face. Electrically, they are both the same. An ign. coil does not need to be mounted to work...all they need is for a complete circuit internally to signal them. CHECK HARNESS CONNECTIONS. The two harnesses that connect the coils to the igniter unit....check for continuity, corrosion...loose terminals. Nothing lasts for ever, and your bike is now, what 10 years old? older?
Quote from: CDNRatMan on August 30, 2014, 01:22:22 AM
Oh I am so glad that I am not the only one who finds changing the plugs a real pain in the rear......lol.........
seat off
dash off (disconnect speedo, undo wiring harness)
tank off,
time for a nap for older people because half the day is gone.....lol......
really glad they do not have to be changed often.......
Actually, while there isn't anything I've found to help the rear plug, the front one I've found is pretty easy to get to. If you use a tall socket (one that will fit in the hole and reach the spark plug) with a socket u-joint attached and then one extension before the ratchet. If you find the right combination (I used a 3/8" socket) then you can get to the plug without removing anything. Then I use one of the flexible grabbers to pick up the plug once it was completely unscrewed. You can reverse the process for putting it back in.
I've got the plugs out without removing the seat and tank. dropped in a spark plug socket in the hole, short 3/8 extension so it sticks up about 1" above the head and used vice grips to turn it out. Remove the extension, and use a magnet reaching tool to lift out the socket and plug. Now the rear plug wire is a pain . I removed it once and spent an hour trying to get the plastic coil nut through the brackets and frame.
Think I may have solved it. The two connecters at the rear coil both have test light voltage with the key on, both pulse rapidly when its running. Ohm test on the plug wire showed 6.75 so that seemed ok. On reinstalling it I pushed the plug wire into the coil as far as I could , fired it up and the grounded plug against the engine started arcing. Put it back together and up and down the driveway seems good. A couple pops from the exhaust but that may be from the fuel going in the rear cylinder . Perhaps somehow the plug wire pulled far enough back from the coil to break the connection. Next ride will confirm it. Thanks Troll for the suggestions. Great to pass on knowledge that we learn in life.
I am here to serve... it's what I did for my whole working career...electronics and electrical systems are my favorites...(go figure)
Quote from: Troll on August 30, 2014, 13:38:42 PM
I am here to serve... it's what I did for my whole working career...electronics and electrical systems are my favorites...(go figure)
You're clearly a very sick and twisted man! It's no wonder you fit in so well around here! ;D
Quote from: pcarrell on August 30, 2014, 14:30:23 PM
You're clearly a very sick and twisted man! It's no wonder you fit in so well around here! ;D
What he said!!! ;D All smart remarks aside, it is a good thing you ARE here with all your knowledge; I expect you have saved the whole lot of us, collectively, a fair bit of money. Chief should set you up with your own page.....called "THE GO-TO GUY"..... lol
Yeah...no. I prefer to pick my battles...preferably from afar. If I think I can help, I stick my nose in, otherwise I just lurk......
My hopes for the coil wire issue for my miss were dashed on yesterdays ride. Choked it as usual for about 2 miles and started easing off the choke and the miss started under load (shifting). Will rev ok in neutral but starting out in gear is where it misses. Has to be fuel/ carb. Running lean and by pulling the choke out richens it up.
;) I do know that this Drifter of mine is the coldest starting bike I have ever owned. Now the coldest mornings need full choke and about 2 blocks ad we are fine. But 2 miles wow.....yours is a really cold hearted one.
as for the rest of the issues not sure ned to go home and look in my books.
I think you and Troll have already solved your problem..The coil seems to be working and the weak point in the circuit is the HT lead.. it connects to the coil and the spark plug cap by pressure, if it starts to arc it burns the fine wires that make up the core of the HT lead, the cure is to either replace the lead with a new one or strip back 1/4" of the old one..you can buy the right sized washer to feed the core through and then spread the single wires of the core around to prevent it from moving away from the coil..the other end you just cut back 1/4" and screw the sparkplug cap firmly into it.
John.