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Maxim-X & Dyna coils

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by KA1J, Jul 11, 2019.

  1. KA1J

    KA1J Member

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    Hi all, been a while since I've posted anything so nice to be back!

    I have Dyna Coils in all 3 of my Maxims but I'm having an old experience come back and wonder if the hotter spark from the Dyna's might be a problem in the Maxim-X. The air cooled Maxims have a fair amount of air space around the plug but the X has narrow tubes for the plugs in the watercooled head. Even though I've replaced the caps with new ones, I keep getting arcing to the head. It's a hassle with colortuning & arcing from the extension shaft to the head and I'm finding at higher RPM, the engine breaks down when in operation. I'm thinking the arcing is happening at higher RPM. I did have a similar problem 3-4 years ago but it resolved when I used new caps & wires. I don't recall the plug # I'm using but they're the Iridium NGK & are resistor. I'm using the larger diameter solid copper plug wire.

    I have the original coils but hate to put them back in to try in that it was a bugger getting the DynaCoils to fit properly. I'd hate to replace the stock ones and find I still have the problem. As this is not an issue with the air heads, just the X with those extra narrow spark plug tubes, has anyone with the X also had this problem and found a good way to deal with it?

    Thanks,

    Gary
    S.E. Connecticut
     
  2. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Well-Known Member

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    Are you not using a stranded wire? That may be the issue. And have you got new NGK straight plug caps? This combo I recently installed on a 750x and no issues. The straight NGK caps will work with the red watertight boots from the original caps.
     
  3. KA1J

    KA1J Member

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    It is stranded wire, I don't recall the brand, Acell? It has a yellow jacket, It's copper & not resistive wire. Yes, the new plugs are all straight & I transferred the red boots at the same time.

    I was surprised to see the arcing when using the colortune, it was jumping from the metal screw on the extension, the one that attaches to the plug. That means there was less resistance for the spark to jump from the plug tip to the wall, than to cross the electrode gap in the combustion chamber.

    All that was when I had the problem a few years back. As it seems to be the exact same symptoms again, the breakdown at higher RPMs, it's likely arcing is the problem again. I didn't have the issue till I used the Dyna coils. But if others are successfully using the Dynas and nobody is having the arcing problem, then I have to figure out why.
     
  4. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    There are two versions of the colortune, older and newer (very technical I know). The older ones have the center lead exposed and are prone to arcing. I fixed mine by cutting an old spark plug lead, removing the core, and sliding it over the center electrode which solved my arcing problem.

    If you are getting arcing when using plugs, I would suspect the caps but looks like you've already changed those. Can you run it in the dark and see where it is originating?
     
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  5. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    the caps and wires aren't doing their job, they did for 3 or 4 years, now they don't, change them.
    the coils are the same as they were in the past but the caps and wires degraded. the dyna coils don't make all that much more voltage than stock
     
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  6. KA1J

    KA1J Member

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    Well... Hanging my head in shame...

    What I found was I must have done a poor job of inserting the plug wires a few years ago. The large diameter of the Acell wire made insertion into the Dynacoil difficult and I failed to seat it all the way on one wire, the terminal had a layer of corrosion on it even though it has maybe 20 hours on it since it was installed. Another wire was cracked under the boot at the Dynacoil and making a poor connection.

    I folded in half, a length of 12 gauge copper wire and at the folded end I inserted a strip of 1500 grit wet paper & attached it to a drill. I wetted it, inserted it in the dynacoil's plug sockets & cleaned out any corrosion. Blew the sockets with compressed air, squirted deoxit in once they were dried out & put in new wires (Unused ones left over from when I first put in the dynacoils). I used silicone dielectric to keep moisture out & then took it out for a test

    100% perfect now, pulls really strong to the red line, returned home & did a colortune & sync. It's running like a top, steady & pulls like a new X.

    Polock had it right with the wires being bad. The bike ran fine at lower RPMs and since I rarely push it to the limit, I had no idea there was a long term problem.

    Thanks to everyone who replied, I appreciate it.
     
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  7. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    Glad you got it sorted and that you responded on the issue. Your “shameful” moment will help someone down the road when they search and find this thread. So many threads go unanswered with a resolution when they solve their issue.
     
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  8. KA1J

    KA1J Member

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    Yeah it's important for people to give the answers to a problem, it makes this a learning center when we do.

    I've been using no ethanol gasoline (removing the alcohol from 93 octane 10% ETOH gas) & I just measured my MPG after correcting the problem & doing the tune-up, I'm getting 42 MPG now, up 6 MPG from before.

    The Maxim-X has always been a gas hog but it's so worth it.

    Some may not know about how to do that so I just made this post in the DIY page:
    https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/removing-alcohol-from-gasoline.124954/
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2019
  9. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Well-Known Member

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    The “X” maybe a gas hog but that fat rear tire, long front end, narrow tank made it a formidable drag bike even today. With nearly 100 ponies on tap you could blow away many a bike 20 years newer.
     
  10. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    16% increase is impressive, was it all from the gas
     
  11. KA1J

    KA1J Member

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    Yes it is. I don't think it was all from the gas, the plug wiring wasn't seated properly with Cyl 1 and that has to be a factor. But, the bike is definitely running stronger with the change in gas. Cold start, no choke and with the very slightest turn of the ignition, it's idling right steady. There's a steep hill I travel daily and I can feel a better pull in 4th when not speeding & keeping up with the traffic, that is improved with the gas change.
     

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