1990 KZ1000P,, NO SPARK

How many ohms are the coils you bought.  Most KZ's with electronic ignition use 2.2 ohm coils.  Check your service manual to be sure.

dont have a service manual,,the new coils and old primary is 2.4,, a difference in the secondary windings though,,new is 21,, old is 11.7,, spent the evening rechecking,,old pickup coils are 465,, the new 380,, spark plug caps are 4.5 across all four ,,checked all spark plug wires for continuity,, ran a temporary ground to the igniter,,with a LED,attempted to  see the pulsing coils,, checked the roter,, waved a screw driver to excite the pickup coils ,,currently has old parts back on,, no spark,,thanks again

ok, I have a day off.
Let's figure this thing out.

Grab your voltmeter
Set to DC V
All electrical connectors MUST REMAIN CONNECTED. Otherwise, meter readings are invalid.
Key switch set to on
Kill switch set to run

Black meter probe on battery negative post(post is the metal part of the battery)
Red meter probe on positive battery post
Note voltage

Move your black probe to the red wire terminal at the 1,4 coil.
Note voltage
Voltage should be as close to 0.0V as possible. Any higher than 0.5V then you have too much resistance on that circuit back to the battery's positive post.

Move your black probe to the other red wire terminal at coil for the 2,3 cylinder.
Note voltage.
Same thing...voltage must be very close to 0.0V

Move the black probe to the connector for the igniter.
You are going to back probe the igniter side of the connector (the red circle in the image below).
You want to back probe the yellow/red wire with your black meter probe.
Note voltage
you want close to 0.0V here
This is checking the connector terminals for looseness, corrosion, or high resistance.

Ok
move your red meter probe to negative battery post

take your black meter probe and back probe the black/yellow wire in that red circle in the image below.
note voltage
Should be 0.0V as well

Move your black probe to the black wire in the red circle
note voltage
I'm not sure what voltage should be here-Looking to compare reading with the other coil's green wire

Move your RED meter probe to the black wire terminal on the ignition coil.
Note voltage--should be 0.0V
This is checking the small segment of wire from the igniter side of the connector to the coil.

Move black probe to green wire in red circle
Move red probe to the green wire terminal on the ignition coil.
note voltage---should be 0.0V

Move red probe to negative battery post
Note voltage
not sure what voltage should be here, but looking for patterns

turn off bike






 

SORRY TO TAKE UP YOUR DAY OFF,, MUCH RESPECT,, key on,,kill switch on run,, battery voltage 11.6,,red probe on pos. blk on red coil wire1 &4= .145,,, move blk probe to red wire on coil 2&3=.167,,,,back probed yellow/red on igniter side of connector = .391,,,,moved red probe to neg, and back probed blk/yellow = .139,,, with red probe to neg.and blk probe to blk from coil = 11.08,,,,from green at connector to green coil = .226,,,,from neg. to coil green =.01

I had a comment written out and it got deleted.
I'll post something quick here and add to it later.
Connections seem fine.
I would clean and tighten the igniter connector pins for the red wire and the yellow/red wire. You have a decent voltage drop on that considering how short the run is from the coils to the connector.
Possibly charge your battery. They rest at 12.6 with everything off.
You were 11.6 but you had the bike on. Check it at rest.
The bike should still start at 11.6v.

Your black wired coil was turned off.
Your green wired coil was turned on.

as Loudhvx mentioned:
kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/601881-198...-st-project?start=48
"If the crank is not turning, the igniter should not be active."
 
Something is up with that green wire. You should be measuring the same as the black wire at 11.08v. That coil should be off not on. Trace the path of the green wire to make sure it is not pinched against the frame.

One other quick test
key on
kill switch on

black probe on negative battery post
red probe on metal part of cylinder head
should be 0.0v
This is checking your engine ground cable.

Turn off bike
 

i guess i over looked in my notes,, the green wire at the igniter connector to neg battery post = 11.09,, essentially the same as the blk wire on 1&4 coil at 11.08,,,,sorry,,,i will check neg. to cylinder head as well as all connectors today,,,, quick question,,any harm in running new temporary blk & green from the coils,,new temporary 12 volts and ground,, all to the igniter connector and manually excite the pickup coils just for confirmation ?  continuity check on those wires shows no breaks though,,,,ill probably change my forum name to,,,PAIN IN THE ASS,, i cant thank you enough

big tom wrote:

i guess i over looked in my notes,, the green wire at the igniter connector to neg battery post = 11.09,, essentially the same as the blk wire on 1&4 coil at 11.08,,,,sorry,,,i will check neg. to cylinder head as well as all connectors today,,,, quick question,,any harm in running new temporary blk & green from the coils,,new temporary 12 volts and ground,, all to the igniter connector and manually excite the pickup coils just for confirmation ?  continuity check on those wires shows no breaks though,,,,ill probably change my forum name to,,,PAIN IN THE ASS,, i cant thank you enough

No harm however if the voltage readings for the red and black/yellow are within the spec F64 gave you then there is no point installing jumpers. Try and get away from "continuity" testing as it is inaccurate and will send you down a rabbit hole (the explanation for this is in the guide) try and get used to only using voltage reading for diagnosis and only use an Ohmmeter for checking spec of disconnected components against factory spec
PS: PITA only applies to people who ask for help and then don't follow the guidance given (not applicable in this case) 
Look at the KZ1000 manual in articles (81-83 model page 117 onwards) for ignition component test procedures which includes a method to use an Ohmmeter in place of the pick-ups to trigger the igniter for test purposes. If this produces a spark then it eliminates all but the pick-ups. Regarding the pick ups are the mounting points clean? a 2 wire hall sensor relies on a ground connection through the mounting bracket
PPS: the fact that you have approx 11v at the igniter plug on the black and green wires shows the circuit down to the igniter is good (what you are measuring is the ignition live from the red after it has passed through the primary winding of the coil which as 2-3 ohms resistance so 11v is about what you would expect) this would indicate the fault lies with the igniter or pickups (the ohmmeter test in the manual will eliminate the igniter as the issue if it's ok)
When you resistance tested the coils did you check between both the primary and secondary windings to the mounting post (should read infinity, anything ese would indicate a short in the coils which would prevent them sparking)
PPPS: I know it seems like a stupid question but have you checked the locating pin for the advancer/rotor isn't broken and that the rotor is actually turning when the engine is cranked?

Yeah, there isn't any reason to run jumpers. Everything so far looks ok.
Did you get new spark plugs yet?

You are definitely not a pain in the ass. As long as you try what we are suggesting, we will continue to help.

i'm back after a lengthy family emerg.( and the crowd goes wild) ,,joking,, thanks to all that have tried to help,, i still dont have a manual,,so no actual print on the electrical ,,i think the key switch has been changed at some time and wondering,, does the 1990 kz1000p need the 100 ohm resistor for the internal security ,, if so,, should i be looking for 6 volt at the igniter,,, thanks again,,,,,PS   i found several cut wires in the fairing,,one being the tach wire that ties to the black signal wire,, the tach is no longer there,, should it be grounded?  PPS ,,i have secured all cut wires except the tach wire,,put it all back together and the current state is ,, strong fire on #4,, i think i see something every now and then on #1,, nothing on #2 & #3

Make sure that tach wire is not touching ground. Otherwise, the coil that it attaches to won't fire.
Have you changed to new spark plugs?
What is the meter reading for the cylinder head to negative battery terminal?
What wire colors were cut under the fairing?

thanks to everyone that tried to help,,, i guess i will invest in a shop manual and try to work this thang out,, thanks again

big tom wrote:

i'm back after a lengthy family emerg.( and the crowd goes wild) ,,joking,, thanks to all that have tried to help,, i still dont have a manual,,so no actual print on the electrical ,,i think the key switch has been changed at some time and wondering,, does the 1990 kz1000p need the 100 ohm resistor for the internal security ,, if so,, should i be looking for 6 volt at the igniter,,, thanks again,,,,,PS   i found several cut wires in the fairing,,one being the tach wire that ties to the black signal wire,, the tach is no longer there,, should it be grounded?  PPS ,,i have secured all cut wires except the tach wire,,put it all back together and the current state is ,, strong fire on #4,, i think i see something every now and then on #1,, nothing on #2 & #3

I don't see it on the diagrams I have. If there is a resistor there will be a thin grey wire from the ignition switch to the igniter as well as the ignition live (the grey wire is only a signal wire not a feed)