82 xj650 no spark

So.....I got this seca. To be fair....my dad got it. Damn nice shape for an 82.


Started checking it out, no spark. Ok.
Ignitor is missing. Ordered one on eBay. Tried the one from my virago, no love.
Wait ....I have another one of these bikes, couple years older I think, completely basket case. All in pieces. Tried the ignitor from that. No love.
Went through, send to have power every place it should. signal generators check close enough to spec. Continuity of good from coils to ignitor. Power to coils. Caps check close enough. Primary checks close enough. Secondary....no bueno. Tried other coils, no love. Secondaries are fine. I'm a dolt sometimes.
No pulse from coils at all. Something's not right. 2 bad ignitors?
Nah.
Ok so ground side. Black wire. 89 ohms to ground? That ain't right.
Started looking at continuity between all the black wires.....all seemed ok. Except to ground on the bike's chassis/battery.
Do for grins and giggles, I replaced the diode pack thing behind the headlight.

SPARK!!!!!

What the -+&_# is that thing? Rectifier of some sort?

 

Won't let me post a pic

 

That is the diode block. It completes several circuits and is very much necessary.
The TCI is quite different from an Virago TCI, and the TCI is (somewhat) model specific.
I suggest that you do some research about your machine; links in my signaure.

 

I know it's a diode block, just not sure why it's there.
I didn't think the vtwin ignitor would really work, but I had it. lol. Same plugs.
Seems like once I get the carbs redone, should run well.
I have a 96 xj600 as well, so I have an idea what to expect.

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding. Your question made me think otherwise.

More info here:The Ultimate Relay, Switch, Sensor, and Diodes Guide

 

Hopefully me posting that will help someone else out at some point. Google picked up a couple other spark threads on here. Including one guy that got fed up and was going to sell his bike because of it.

 

The side stand relay (ignition cutoff) must engage and open a set of normally closed contacts to enable the TCI. This occurs with either the bike in neutral OR the side stand up. The neutral path requires a functioning diode block (one of three diodes in the 550 block), the side stand switch wires directly to the side stand relay and does not involve the diode block. So, it is likely safe to assume that you were checking spark in neutral with the bike on the side stand or on the center stand with the side stand down, and that if the side stand had been pulled up the bike would have started if the side stand switch was functioning.

The other two diodes in the diode block; one is for the headlight relay control and the other is (along with a resistor) for the oil light control.

Temporarily removing the side stand relay as well as evaluating function with different switch positions for the neutral, clutch, and side stand switch are standard protocols recommended throughout threads on this site.

 

tci for seca 650 is a non yics style. the connector to pickup is wired different that a yics 650 tci .

you have the gray and orange wires plus 2 blacks and a black/white wire that goes to the sidestand relay which is controlled by the diode block.

 

I remember checking for a relay clicking with the kick stand, but I don't think I tried checking for spark with it up.
No click btw.
As soon as I swapped the diode I heard it click.
And yes, nuetral, on the kickstand. Was jumping it off a truck battery to keep voltage at the ignitor, or tci unit if you prefer, above 10.5 cranking. Usually stayed above 11.
It cranked good, so I'd guessed the relay was ok.

 

The 96 xj600

 

I checked my connector on the Tci and even though the wiring diagram shows 2 black wires to the tci there is only one. does your seca only have 1 black wire?
I do understand that it is a shared wire on other models with only 1 to the tci .
Would you check and confirm that for me ?
I am not at that point of even trying to start the bike but would like to eliminate this as a possible future problem. could be someone (PO) swapped the pickups.

 

Mine has one black wire, and one black/white tracer wire in the 6 pin ignitor connector.