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Post by mattb on Jan 3, 2008 7:20:48 GMT -5
The bike has never failed me, and then out of no-where she won't start. Worked on it for two days before going on holiday and it just would not produce spark (prodding about in the dark really!), well almost not (here's the point), and am trying to get a theoretical sense of what could be wrong before I return to it. On the evening of day one, when I had a go at it after dark, I did get a weak spark a couple of times, but mostly not. Couldn't see any the second day but this was out in the bright hot sun. I was advised that if it did produce a spark, then the problem is probably not the coil but elsewhere. What does it suggest to others?
As a secondary question, I know nothing about electrics. I have a working XS400 sitting there. How do I go about determining if it's safe to swap this or that part from the XS ignition system just long enough to see if I can get the SR going and so specify the problem?
Thanks,
Matt
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Post by StewRoss on Jan 4, 2008 1:56:00 GMT -5
Have you tried a new plug for a start? SR  |
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Post by mattb on Jan 4, 2008 2:15:16 GMT -5
Thanks - yeh, put in a new plug, one grade hotter, and nothing (this was after getting those sparks on the old plug). Gaps are all good. Running slightly rich but no fouling. Tried to remove and test the cap, but couldn't work out if it was a screw job or not (didn't want to break it otherwise), at any rate I'd say it was almost new (the cap and HT lead) when I bought the bike six months ago. The bike tends to stall easily at idle, hopefully that's related....
I've searched the wires, things seem ok, though I'm just poking about really. Where does the system earth?
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Post by sjef on Jan 4, 2008 11:17:28 GMT -5
Hallo Matt
forget the xs400 route
have you checked the ignition coil?year of make >93shouldread 0,8-1,2ohm primair
and 9,6-14,4ohm secundair
best regards sjef
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Post by mattb on Jan 4, 2008 22:21:46 GMT -5
Thanks, I'll measure the coil tomorrow (or try to, sounds like it's straight-forward to do). I just got an email from the previous owner which included:
"Starting was always a problem for me,(the lead to the plug cap is a sealed unit) [...] I coundnt find a second hand coil, a new one was about 90 bucks, so an auto electrian worked his magic and fixed a lead and plug cap into the old coil..worked fine after that...I guess, but Im no expert you need [sic] a new coil." That at least explains why I couldn't make heads nor tails of notion of removing the lead and the cap.
Matt
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Post by caferacercarl on Jan 5, 2008 2:13:41 GMT -5
I woul contact small coil rewinds in Geelong and my money is on the low speed exciter circuit in the stator, once rewound its bullet proof. regards ,Carl, caferacer NSW.
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Post by mattb on Jan 8, 2008 18:19:31 GMT -5
Just an update: the bike was as described for two days before I went away. Came back a week later, and it started first kick! It's getting a bit finicky though - will either start easily first kick (most times), or only after a number of hard kicks (my poor back  ). Also, toward the end of one half hour ride, it started to surge badly both while riding and while idling, though otherwise it's behaved itself. Am still to work out, when I get a chance this week, how to use the multimeter and do the tests, and now that I can get around on it will probably take it to an auto-electrician and get a professional test (once I've learnt and done the tests myself) - maybe I'll see about riding it down to that place in Geelong for this...would be nice to have the whole system professionally check over, and given some advice about what renovations I should make. Given the modification to a HT and cap as one unit with the coil, I guess I'll have to test it as one unit. Should I expect a similar reading to the normal test? |
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