Welcome, Guest
Username: Password: Remember me
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2

TOPIC:

point spark 22 Aug 2014 06:05 #644766

  • 82KZ305Belt
  • 82KZ305Belt's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 475
  • Thank you received: 35
I was getting no spark to my left plug wire and decided to replace my points, condenser and left coil and wires, with an eye toward replacing the right coil shortly. I gapped the points and now I'm getting pretty noticeable arcing on the left points, but good spark to the left plug. I haven't started the bike yet but I'm wondering if I should be concerned about this. I thought strong sparks at the points meant bad condenser but my condenser is brand new. I'm not using the stock left coil but it has the similar specs that the twins gurus recommend and other people have used the same coil successfully. Its an old points-style XS650 coil

I'm an electrical dummy so please dumb down your answer accordingly.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 06:11 #644767

  • 650ed
  • 650ed's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 15344
  • Thank you received: 2828
You may want to try installing the old condenser to see if that changes the arcing. However, it seems like if it was the condensor both sets of points would arc. Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 06:53 #644774

  • 82KZ305Belt
  • 82KZ305Belt's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 475
  • Thank you received: 35
A little more background might be helpful. Before I did any work, the right points sparked too but it was a small spark, and the right plug was working fine while the left points and left plug did not spark at all. First I replaced the coil, and that's when the left points started sparking. At first I didn't get spark to the left plug but later when I tried it again, I did. This was with the old condenser. Then I changed out both sets of points and gapped them and changed the condensor because the points were badly pitted and I figured a new condenser wouldn't hurt. But everything remained essentially the same. Small sparks on the right points and good spark to the right plug, larger sparks jumping out on the left points and good spark to the left plug.

I could put the old coil back in and see if that changes anything, but is there any reason to believe that would cause the sparks?

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Last edit: by 82KZ305Belt.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 07:06 #644777

  • 650ed
  • 650ed's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 15344
  • Thank you received: 2828
It's possible if the coil is not the correct one for the bike. Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
The following user(s) said Thank You: 82KZ305Belt

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 07:34 #644780

  • 82KZ305Belt
  • 82KZ305Belt's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 475
  • Thank you received: 35
My research on the twins forum indicates this coil should work as well as OEM. As I understand it, all the bike needs is any points style coil with 2 leads and 3-5 ohm resistance, specs which this fits. Other people have used it too, although they don't mention if they looked at whether their points were sparking after installing it.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 07:49 #644783

  • 650ed
  • 650ed's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 15344
  • Thank you received: 2828
Can you try swapping the left and right coils to see if the sparking moves to the other set of points? Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 08:18 #644785

  • 82KZ305Belt
  • 82KZ305Belt's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 475
  • Thank you received: 35
I think I found the problem. The male connectors on the new coil were ever so slightly smaller than connectors on the old coil. I pinched down the female receiver and now they fit more snugly, and last time I checked there were only tiny white sparks on both points. No more blue shooting stars. I'll try it again once the battery charges and if it stays like that I think I'm good to go.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 08:45 #644787

  • MFolks
  • MFolks's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 6650
  • Thank you received: 540
I'd also ohm check the sparkplug caps, new should have 5000 ohms, but heat, age & vibration will affect spark operation. When installing new caps, cut about 1/4" off the end of the sparkplug wire, for a good connection.

For increased electrical reliability, do this:

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner and figure on spending a good day going from the front of the bike to the back. It’s a plastic safe cleaner/preservative. www.deoxit.com is their website.

On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.

Do one set of electrical connectors at a time to avoid mixing up what connects to where. Usually disconnecting, spraying with De-Oxit and reconnecting is about all you'll need.

However, when encountering the green crud of corrosion, a brass wire brush may be needed on the pins you can reach.
Some 400-600 grit wet and dry sandpaper strips rolled into a tube should reach the male and female pins in the more difficult to clean connectors.

Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.

Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.

Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.

If moisture is added, the resulting corrosion lowers the voltage/current being carried causing dim lights, slow engine cranking, slow turn signal response and lower input voltage to the ignition coils resulting in weak spark.

The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start.

Usually a spritz or two with actuation of the switch is about all needed for these switches unless corrosion is detected and then careful disassembly is required.

The ignition switch may or may be not sealed to allow spraying the internal contacts. I urge caution if attempting to open this up as springs, and ball bearings may fly out never to be seen again!

If your bike has the older style glass tubed fuses, I suggest replacing them as vibration can cause internal failure. AGX is the type used, and most auto parts stores can get them for you.

Clean the fuse holder clips, looking for signs of overheating(discolored insulation, signs of melting).
I use metal polish on a cotton swab, followed by spraying another clean swab with the De-Oxit and then rubbing the inside of the fuse clip.

All battery cables must be clean and tight for maximum current transfer. Check the cables going from the Negative(-) battery terminal/post to the engine mounting bolt

Also the one going from the Positive(+) terminal to the starter solenoid and from there to the starter motor.

If any battery cable feels ”Crunchy” when flexed, replace it as possible corrosion is inside the insulation.

Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.

The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.

The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.

Some brake light switches can be sprayed on the actuating rod, with the spray running down inside to the electrical contacts, others may be sealed requiring replacement if the switch is intermittent in operation.

Some people put the Di-Electric Grease on cleaned terminations/connectors, I don’t, as I’ve read/heard it can cause problems when it gets hot, actually insulating the connections, so the choice is yours to use or not.

I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........


“I spent a weekend going through every electrical connection and switch on the bike with a little scotchbrite pad and DeOxit - what a difference! Everything was brighter, gauge backlights, indicator lights, turn signals, I was getting a nicer spark, it fired up quicker, etc. Well worth my time. WELL worth it! “
From a forum member at www.kzrider.com


Re: Cleaning the many and various Motorcycle electrics.
I used the De-oxit D-5 spray on all the electrical connections of my 78 Kz1000 that had sat for twenty years .

When I parked the bike in 92 I was starting to have troubles with some of the electrical system, but after pulling everything apart and giving it a spray , reconnecting the connectors and working them back and forth a few times, then gave them another shot of spray to wash them off before the final reconnection.

Everything still works perfectly and has for over 7000 miles this year.

I am extremely happy with the results , a lot of the connectors were green when I started and after the cleaning they looked new ( shiny gold )

I found the Deoxit D-series, D-5 spray in a 4 oz can at a big electronics store called Frys in Illinois, don't get the small cans at Radio Shack , they are different and meant for computer type stuff.

store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.188/.f


Great stuff
The scroll ball on my apple mouse decided not to work after two years of service. Used all kinds of cleaners to free it up. Nothing worked. Then remembered my can of DeoxIT. Sprayed a small amount on it, scrolled it a few times and all kinds of crud came off of it. It works perfectly now. Thanks DeoxIT !!!!
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
The following user(s) said Thank You: 82KZ305Belt

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 12:02 #644803

  • bountyhunter
  • bountyhunter's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 7246
  • Thank you received: 337

82KZ305Belt wrote: My research on the twins forum indicates this coil should work as well as OEM. As I understand it, all the bike needs is any points style coil with 2 leads and 3-5 ohm resistance, specs which this fits. Other people have used it too, although they don't mention if they looked at whether their points were sparking after installing it.

Except for this part:

Its an old points-style XS650 coil


Old coils are completely unreliable.

Either swap coils to test or just replace the old one. This coil will work very well:

www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?i...zuki&item=EM24-72451
1979 KZ-750 Twin
The following user(s) said Thank You: 82KZ305Belt

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 22 Aug 2014 12:15 #644804

  • 82KZ305Belt
  • 82KZ305Belt's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 475
  • Thank you received: 35
The coil is brand new; I meant it is an old style.

However that's a nice looking coil that might fit better than this one so I may consider that when upgrading the other side. The specs are the same though.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 23 Aug 2014 08:28 #644878

  • 82KZ305Belt
  • 82KZ305Belt's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 475
  • Thank you received: 35
I had the bike running and was setting the timing, but the timing plate was sticky, it slipped and lunged and it died. Now I can't even get it started. :( I rechecked the gap. have tried moving the plate back to where I think it was and still won't catch. On the bright side I still have spark at both plugs now. :(

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

point spark 23 Aug 2014 11:46 #644900

  • Motor Head
  • Motor Head's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • FIX UP YOUR BIKE RIGHT AND CHEAP
  • Posts: 5138
  • Thank you received: 391
Just do a Static timing first to get it back in the ball park. Get the "F" mark lined up. Look at your points, see if they are open or shut. You want to turn your points plate so that when the motor rotates they just open at the "F" mark. You can see the spark at the points, or spark at a plug when they open. That should get the base timing close enough for it to run.
1982 KZ1000LTD K2 Vance & Hines 4-1 ACCEL COILS Added Vetter fairing & Bags. FOX Racing rear Shocks, Braced Swing-arm, Fork Brace, Progressive Fork Springs RT Gold Emulators, APE Valve Springs, 1166 Big Bore kit, RS34's, GPZ cams.
1980 KZ550LTD C1 Stock SOLD Miss it
1979 MAZDA RX7 in the works, 13B...

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2
Powered by Kunena Forum