75 Z1-B no spark to the plugs

Ok, i think my buddy has to be the luckiest bastard in the world. He scored a 1975 z1b with a wiesco 1075 kit, 29 smoothies, 4 into 1 vance & Hines sidewinder. Problem is the guy he bought it from lost intrest in it when he couldnt get it to fire over. Strangley enough the points plate was off of it. So we started working on it, put the points plate on it, i thought i installed it right, and i thought i gapped the points right, but im not sure now. We put the battery in from my z1, and it fired over nice and strong but it would fire up. I pulled the plugs, and im not getting spark to any of the plugs. Could i have installed the points plates and points wrong? Then we thought the coils were bad, so i swapped them for the green dyna's on mine and same thing happend no spark. Any thoughts?

First off... sweet find.. He is a lucky bastard.... :laugh:

Coming off the ignition switch you only have a few areas where the problem can truly lie...

1) Is the +12Vdc getting through the switch to the coils/ignition plate?`

If no, trace it back, fuse, bad conductor, broken termination, regulator/charging system etc....

2)Does the starter button rotate the motor?
Assumption is yes but maybe you kicked started it so had to ask...

If yes then the emergency power stop switch most likely not the culprit...

3) +12Vdc present on the coil primaries?

4) If # 3 holds true... Is the engine grounded otherwise sparkies no worky!

This should get you started...

OMR

My kill switch broke on the inside one time and was not noticeable from the outside, the switch seemed to work. It took some trouble shooting to get it figured out. I never use the kill switch anymore unless an emergency because of this. The parts are old and are a mix of metal and brittle plastic. Trace the wires like OMR suggested and that should get on the right track.

Would also assure neither condenser wire is grounded.

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Good Luck!

Ya the lectric start works, and the right handlebar switch is new from jeff @ Z1. Ok, i went out to fool with it for a bit more, and here is what i found. The coils arent getting any power. The Battery cables are nasty looking, maby my problem lies there. I will have anothe lok tommorow after i get off work.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh... This should be a no brainer then.....

If the starter is receiving the +Vdc (you need to measure to confirm if +12Vdc) to turn the starter motor then this informs you the off switch is operational...

Again... Measure this voltage for it just may not be ideal value....

Then one other little in line connector between these two points... See RED BOX!

You can perform a continuity measurements between the RED conductor on the emergency or starter switch to either one of the RED coil feeds and this would confirm if you have a open conductor line....

You're almost there.... I think you'll be surprised tomorrow and inform us this old girl kicked over....

OMR

I know this sounds domb, but since the points plat was off and in a box, i have sneeking suspision that the guy screwed witht he points and the plate to no end. How should it look when its mounted?

I just got off the phone with my buddy, he said he was going throught the boxes of parts he got for the bike, he found a brand new in the box dyna-s ignition. So i will through that in tommorow and hope for the best.

Well you should see +12Vdc (charged battery of course) on the primaries regardless of the ignition plate.

Same +12Vdc on the starter and stop switch conductor that feeds the primaries...

As for the EI setup.... no doubt.... Once static & timed in via timing light don;t have to mess with it again. And for those that wish to advance or retard the timing, simple rotate the plate a little... pretty damn straight forward...

Keep us posted....

OMR

Well after i tried convincing my friend to ditch the point's set up and hook up the dyna but he was dead set on keeping them. I cleaned the battery cables up, im now getting power to the points and coils, but not from the coils to the plugs. I ordered dynatec copper core wires from jeff at z1, hopefully they will be here monday. Im hoping that will get this beast to fire over. He thought there were dyna plug wires in a pacage that was marked that but it was empty. I have the battery charging now on the battery tender, so i will drop it in monday and hope for the best. I was also looking, were the 2 primary wires (green & black) screw into the top and bottom of the front of the coil are corroted up pretty badly, so tommorow, i will take the coils out and clean those up good. Any ideas on what to use on the inside of the plug towers were the plug wire fit's into? It is nasty looking. Thank's Guy's

A Dremel tool at low speed with one of their small steel brushes should be able to clean the crud from the coil towers/ports.

Than's MFolks i will have a go at it tommorow ith the dremel