save my eyes please ignitor coil

HI, I bought a sweet 81 650 about 3 hours ago (8k miles) and it only has one thing wrong, missing spark on the right coil. The person said the ignitor was bad as the shop told him, sounds like as many older overseas bikes are, the wiring was it's only problem, well hell, my 2005 VTX 1800 has electrical problems I had to fix!!! But anyway, can somebody save me a ton of reading (cause I see there are about 50,000 posts on electrical problems to review. I'm good with the technical talk so you don't have to baby me through it. I'd like to be able to check the system from the pickup coil through to the spark plug, I don't want to through that ignitor box on and damage something else. I will be inspecting the WH closley, as I see some funny spots already, did they use tape inside the wrapped harness from the factory?? I see places through the stock harness that has colored electrical tape pieces on it??
THANKS RIDERS!! SSWEET!!

 

Hi and welcome to XJBikes.

Swap the coils over if the left one then has no spark and the right does the coil is bad, if nothing changes then look further.

Check the coils with a multi meter, tell us the ohms (primary and secondary).
Check the plug caps.

If it's not a dud coil it might be a bad wire.

 

Colored electrical tape wasn't put there at the Factory.

Probariee hadded by sun-run nod fron-ha yamahasaan.

 

First best step to take upon purchase of a bike, get the manual. One of the two best investments you will ever make on that thing. The second being a rider safety course. Oh yeah, good riding gear never hurt either. BTW, I have the wiring schematics to your machine, you could always give us a post and we can walk you through it. I cannot photograph the book so you'll have to come up with your own or have someone else here hook you up.
Rick, my stock harness has some colored tape on a few of the branches, noteably on the alternator branch. White tape as I recall. I also recall a bit of blue tape on another location but it ecapes me. I'll pull a harness out tomorrow and look it over very carefully. There may be some truth to this rumor.

 

Re: save my eyes please ignitor coil SPECS ARE:

THANKS FOR RESPONDING!! THIS IS A SUPER SITE> I'll send a few bucks when all is done.
I agree I have factory manuals for all 6 of my bikes, just wanted to start working on it over the long weekend, no manual yet then.
From the net I have checked the pickup coils ohms, both GOOD, the left coil ohms on secondary is 11.7k the primary is right in spec, the coil on the right side is brand new, but shorted out, both primary and secondary, but listen to this. the person I bought the bike from said a shop looked at it, said the ignitor box was bad and caused the new coil they put on to fry out. The box looked ok inside, but looks like something might have gotten hot and made a substance in it melt and flow around, or they put a glob of runny gook on the board at the factory, but looks more like a bad thing than stock. My question is I wonder if an ignitor box can ruin a coil. Either way I''m going to start with replacing the box and then get a new coil. Can I check the leads into the ignitor box for correct power? there are several leads going in?? As long as that is right, the pickup coils are showing right on by the meter, it should solve the problem. Then I'll go through and really check all the connections, etc. Somebody has replaced the ignition fuse slot holder spot with a new one, and the signals one as well. But that's it.
I also noticed the ground eye that is coming out of the wiring harness by the coil was not put back on when they replaced the coil though. Hack mechanics, cracks me up. WHat do ya think? Next I'm making that YICS tool, and syncing. It only has 8k miles, it should really run good!

 

WELCOME FELLOW SE MICHIGAN XJer!!!

I don't see how a failed ignitor could ruin a coil.

After you get your YICS tool made send it to me. You won't be needing it as your 81 is not a YICS engine. (Maybe I'll even trade you a coil for it).

 

that's funny, I guess I'm getting ahead of myself, It does say YICS on the valve cover, although I havn't noticed any special induction looking system? Anyway that's later.

 

Why don't you:

Hook up the coil to ground.
Swap the coil leads on the wiring harness and see if the Box is OK.
Maybe somebody swapped an engine in there that's YICS?

Is there a cylindrical passage running across the back of the head just below the intake manifolds ... blocked-off at both ends by a 12mm Bolt ?

 

it was made 9-81 the manual says 81 though, and it does have a tube pipe looking thing below the carbs, with the 12 MM bolt on the end. YICS I take it. Like I said I haven't even gotten into that yet.
The coil tests open on the primary and the secondary though. Any data on what to check for inputs into the Ignitor box?

 

Look at this link, shows a good close up of what to look at for a YICS engine. (3rd picture in link)

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3007.html

 

You might try this link
http://www.jetav8r.com/Vision/TCIRebuil ... build.html
While it is for a Vision, the system is pretty much the same.

 

Check here for TCI repair and what goes wrong with the unit. Sounds if it is the TCI might be one of the transistors could be bad.
Repairing TCI
To test replace with known good unit.

 

I'm hitting it hard! It is a YICS, I think either somebody bought an 81 owners manual cause the frame says 81, but I'm pretty sure its an 82 model built in 9-81. I have a honda like that 82 on frame but definetely an 83. So I appreciate the great info on the box, mine is wasted though. I pretty much trashed it taking it apart. I'm not bothered by getting another, Are there any numbers on what the wires going into are supposed to be?

 

I want the carcass! I'll cover postage.

 

What do you do with the TCI Remains, Robert ... ?

Are you developing a "Franken-Box" with a modified power curve?

 

I'm trying to build an electrical system checker so I can plug in unknown units to varify operation. Built one for my VW's years ago. Gave it to the nice fellows at the junk yard in San Jose, been kicking myself ever since. I figured if I can build a standing system so I needn't worry about frying my bike, it would come in right handy. Heck, I might just look at putting an EPROM in there with a serial port. Open source code and maybe some tweeks.

 

You guys are over the top with this Box! Hey I have one last question, I'm waiting for my clymer, no stealerships here carry it, dorks...there are 2 TWO plugs that both fit into that box, (THE POWER SMALLER ONE) the people that where working on it, didn't know anything, they might have plugged the wrong one into it, they both fit, EXACTLY the same, one is longer than the other though, but when I got it, the short one was plugged into it, the longer one was just hanging there, I don't see anything else for it to go to. :?: :?: Please help me with this last question, then I'm done, I swear.

 

oh give me your address I'll send you this one in an envelop b y the way
privymaster@yahoo.com

 

On my XJ750 CDI there are two different size plugs. One is a 4 pin connector and the other is a 6 pin connector.

The wiring diagram for the XJ650 basically shows the same thing. The side from the pickup coils is the 6 pin connector but only 4 pins are being used. The 4 pin connector is the side receiving the power and connections to the coils.

If someone hooked them up wrong ( can't see how ) then I'm sure it would blow the CDI.

 

Plug it in and give it a shot.

Unplugging the Box was the Poor-man's anti-theft trick.

Give it a roll.
Try firing that bad-boy up.