Ignition help

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badwench

Active member
Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
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Location
Abilene Texas
1980 GL1100, Interstate

Have no spark to # 3 & 4. Have 12V to coil, all new plug wires. I even bought a new neon coil and tried that with no luck. I went back checked everthing again. Basicaly I am not getting a signal to the coil for # 3 & 4. The electrical schematic shows a control unit as well as two spark units. I have located the spark units I think. both showes signs of overheating, had tar like that had ran out the back. Just need to find out how I check them out, so could someone point me to a step by step C/O procedure as well as any other suggestions.
Thanks for any help
 
first try switching spark units ...i think what you found is them ...if when switched ..sould plug right in other side ...the spark moves to other clylinders its the spark unit is bad if not move on to something else ...that first order of job ...let us know what happen
 
Looks to me as if the ignitor ( spark amplifier ) has overheated and died on you. This happened to me a few years ago while touring Scotland and left me limping on 2 cylinders till I got to the nearest town. Lack of airflow over the unit seemed to be the main cause. To prevent this happening again I fitted a pair of fans from a computer ( they use the 12v rails from the PSU ) immediately above them and have had no trouble since. Not sure if it is the modification or replacement which affected the fix but would like to think the fans help.
I used the amplifiers from a late model CX500 ( T1 system ) that I had and because the wires are a shorter length than those fitted standard I just located them 90 degrees from vertical - they are still on the Wing to this day.

Just a thought - hope it helps.
 
Tks everyone. Ok, the spark units are good. Either unit will make 1 & 2 spark. However, neither will make 3 & 4 spark.
Where to next? :head bang: I don't see any broken wires but the bike is an 80.
Thanks again
 
What are you calling the spark units? ....the pick-ups or the ignitors?
Swap the pick-ups to see if they're good.
Swap the ignitors to see if they're good.
If both of those are good, then swap coils.
All wiring is good?
Start from the point cover (what are we calling that?...) and work towards the sparkplugs.
 
my next move would be switch coil wires ....to test them ...cant remember at the moment the wire colors on 1100 but there probably blue wire and yellow wire they both may have a stripe if there switched at the coil ...and problem gose to other side then it the coil most likely...if dosent change post back
 
Joe I have already eliminated the coil. Cm, I'm say both ignitors work on the 1& 2 harness which means I'm not receving a signal for the other ones.. So where are the pickups located and how to I swith out. I'm sure once I find it I will be able to see how--just not sure where it is located.
Tks
 
oh boy sheesh ...the darn picups are on the rear of the motorat the crankshaft level ...go over the wiring one mor time all you can see thats involved ...before going after the rear ignition ...its a pain ...time to look at wiring harnest in gallery to find all wire invlved maybe ...the picups rarely go bad so im causous here

id still make both those coils fire that one side for sure sometimes coil testing any other way can be wrong
 
Joe one of things I did to check coil was to exchange the signal wire from the coil for # 1 & 2 to the one for 3&4--the coil fired which tells me I'm not getting a signal, pluse or whatever you want to call it the 3&4 coil. Just looking at wher I think it is it appears I have to remove rear tire, fender and who know what else!
About ready to just part out!
Again, tks
 
its not that bad oldwrench off the back of thr ignitiom is wires together from reaar ignition you sould be able to plug in there with 12voly test light and get a signat form the picups there some how im guessing it would test just like dyna ...if the bike ran good or okay before with no lower end noise id stay with it and fix it
 
To get to the pickups on the 1100 you need to remove the rear wheel, fender,inner fender,rear master (to get the fuel tank out) and the fuel tank. Just went through that on my 80 1100 last summer. I have a spare set on the plate if it turns out you need them.
 
Stick with it badwench, using process of elimination you'll find the problem.

If you swap the coil primary lead then 3-4 have spark, the problem is before the coils.
If still no spark then the problem is coil, wire, plug cap related.
 
A bad connection at that 4 pin plug is worth mentioning again.
Mine looked fine when I moved the wires and one broke off.

Check for continuity on each pair going to the pickups.
There should be continuity.

We're just trying to rule out everything else because as Joe said, it's rare for the pickups to go bad.
 
The plug by the way is easy access behind the battery side cover. Small 4 pin connector to the left of the battery.
 
Yeah, on the back of your left cylinder head is where the housing for the pick-ups are. I'm with Joe, I don't know that factory pick-ups would go bad if everything else is factory. The eBay link I put up top is still good and that gives a pic of what they look like. Dan suggested cleaning the 4-pin connector pictured as well. Good advice. So many times it is just a dirty wire issue with these old bikes that simply moving a harness section around can make a difference. The good of swapping parts around is that usually necessitates unplugging and plugging back in portions of the circuit. That in itself can show a fault somewhere.

It's usually something as simple as a maintenance cleaning when it comes to this electrical stuff.
 
Uhh. 80 ignition housing for the pickups is under the front section of the fuel tank. Follow the vacuum line to the advancer.
 
I disconnected the plug that goes to the pick up. I used an Ohmmeter to check and from what I've read they are both ok. :clapping: Now I'm going to use a wiring schematic and work by way back towards the ignitors and then on to the coils. I'll be sure to clean the conector pins also on everything.

Needs to warm up some, but I'll get back on it soon. Will post what I find.

Again, thanks all and Happy New Year. :thanks:
 

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