TOPIC:

swest wrote: Usually the points will start sparking indicating the condensers are going bad.
Steve

I hadn't noticed any problems. Bike was running fine when I parked it. I hadn't visually observed the points in a while, so I don't know if I'd know whether they were sparking.

New points and condenser seems like the logical next step. I'll keep you posted.

You could turn it over and watch the points. Sometimes a little grit or oil will foul them.
Steve

The points aren't sparking now. But I definitely have seen them spark in the past. At the time i thought that was normal. I'm rereading my manual now and see that's a sign of a failing condenser.

Thanks for putting me on the right track.

I think this chump is no longer stumped, but I'll have to wait for the parts before I can be sure.

If they were sparking, they may have been going bad. What bothers me is, there should be fire works now. Do you have 12V there now?
Steve

Ok, got my condenser. New points are still a couple days away according to USPS. I've got spark again, but I'm back to being stumped.

Spark plugs are sparking but so are my points.



You can see it tries to start (the tank was off and there was barely any gas in the carb bowls). Then you can see the points sparking.

I put the tank back on and filled the float bowls. It's still sparking at the points and still not starting.

Is sparking like this normal? It used to do this, but from what I read here and in the manual this kind of sparking is a sign of a failing condenser. Replaced the condenser, spark (at the plug and the points) came back.

Coils may have a short in them.
Steve

Coil primary and secondary windings have passed the tests in the manual. The only test I couldn't figure out was the one that said you connect to the coil core. Can't figure out what that means.

Pull the plug wire from the coil in question and put a screw driver into the boot.
Turn the engine over by hand until that coil's points are closed.
Use a small blade screwdriver at those same points to push them open and closed.
Turn the ignition on and hold the screwdriver which is stuffed in the plug boot, by its handle so you could see an arc from the screwdriver to engine/frame ground when you open and close those points.
If it fires a nice spark I think your coil is ok.
A good healthy battery and coil should be able to throw 1/4" to 3/8" long spark.

missionkz wrote: Pull the plug wire from the coil in question and put a screw driver into the boot.
Turn the engine over by hand until that coil's points are closed.
Use a small blade screwdriver at those same points to push them open and closed.
Turn the ignition on and hold the screwdriver which is stuffed in the plug boot, by its handle so you could see an arc from the screwdriver to engine/frame ground when you open and close those points.
If it fires a nice spark I think your coil is ok.
A good healthy battery and coil should be able to throw 1/4" to 3/8" long spark.

This seems like basically the same test missionkz suggested. I ran his version and got a spark when I lifted the ground. Plugs seem to be sparking, but so are the points.

So I shouldn't see any sparking between the points?

Have you checked timing?

Can't really check timing until I can get it running.

You can do it by making the points open when they just come to the F mark. It's rough but will work.
Steve