Coil Confusion

Let me start by appologizing for my ignorance. I am new to cycles and was given an 1982 xj 650 maxim, I have read a lot of posts an one cought my attention, it stated something to the effect that cylinders 1 and 4 are on the same coil and by process of elimination, cylinders 2 and 3 are on the same coil. Now on my xj the left coil feeds the left 2 cylinders and the right coil feeds the right 2 cylinders. Are these coils installed correctly, the bike has run, and been driven once since I started working on it, but has since been stuborn when it comes to starting. Also the caps on the ends of the wires seem to be shaped correctly ( the inner 2 cylinder caps are longer for reach purposes I think).

 

Wow!! A real plexer! The coils should not be set up as you have described them but if they are working, why mess with it? I'd be curious to know how it got to be that way. My opinion is get the book or the XJCD and read up on the coils, the diagrams are there. Of course once you mess with them, you may wish you hadn't (but you really should get them wired correctly). Caps can be swapped from coil line to coil line with little if any difficulty so dont' worry about that. I'm wondering if the internal wiring is dorked with. Pictures please!

 

I agree with robert, I have never seen a coil go to #1 and #2 cylinders and the other go to #3 and #4 cylinders. I don't see how the bike can even run like that! unless the timing is WAY off and then I am not sure if you can get it to fire like that! Unless, it was only firing on two cylinders. Which I guess could be accomplished with that setup...

I would agree that you need to get that sorted out. One coil should go to #1 and #4 cylinders and one coil should go to #2 and #3 cylinders. Once you get them on the correct cylinders, then look at timing and fuel delivery.

 

Thank you for your input, out of curiosity, how do I know which coil feeds 1 and 4 and so on?

 

Please to provide VIN or model type for your bike (ie. H, J, K etc). It would help me figure out which schematic to look at to tell you the correct wires to identify.

 

Here's a pic I found in the haynes manual.

 

You guys rock!!!!!!!! I will get out there today (as soon as the hang over goes away). Will keep you up to date.

 

a hangover seems to plague the true bikers often. Before switching the position of the plugs, check to make sure the coils are hooked up to the right wire, red goes to one and orange the other? i think. ensure the signal from the ignitor is heading into it's proper coil. there's a bunch of diagrams avaliable somewhere on here.

 

Thanks, will do.

 

Ok, ignition problems solved. Apparently I didn't look close enough when tracing out the coil wires, they are feeding the correct cylinders, a new set of plugs and she ran like a top...........untill my boss (of all people) took it for a spin, it seems that when she gets warmed up she misses and hesitates untill it gets wound up, any ideas? I'm glad this bike was given to me, by the time shes road worthy I'll have spent a down payment on a new bike