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Spark dies, then mysteriously returns. ICM prob?
- Nephlyte
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- To do what is right is to know what you want.
Now, at Bastrop we ride around for a couple of hours, no problem. Then about 45 min into the way home, the engine shuts off. Lights still work, still cranks, there is still gasoline in the lines and tank. I sit on the side of the road for 10 minutes cursing the gods. Then i get on my bike to give it a futile crank and POW, it turns over and is running perfect once again.
It repeats this, with shorter intervals each time, until i make it home. The intervals seem to have little relation to how long the bike has been shut down. Except when i leave it overnight, where it seems to magically reset to the beginning of this story.
Now what the heck could this be? I can only assume that its related to the spark, since nothing else in the ignition has failed. It doesn't have anything to do with temp, because i've been having this similar problem for a while, cold or hot.
I'm grasping at straws here, but i decided to blame my ICM (i temporarily replaced it with a spare, just to find out). Perhaps coils could be to blame? Gremlins?
Anyone have some insight?
1979 KZ1000 MKII, 1075 wiseco kit installed, 10.25:1 compression, welded crank, kerker header and custom paint.
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- 9am53
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- homebrew, and some bbq
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Maybe try going through all those clips on your bike by opening them up and seeing how they look.
'84 GPz900r
'71 CB350
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- loudhvx
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1981 KZ550 D1 gpz.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
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- MFolks
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Try this:
Ohm Checking Pickup(Pulsing) Coils
The pickup coils on the Kawasaki’s with the factory supplied electronic ignition can sometimes fail or become intermittent due to heat and vibration.
1.Trace back from where the pick up coils are mounted,(under a right side CD sized cover) locate and disconnect a small 4 pin connector. Using a multi-meter set on OHMS and range of X 100 check between the BLUE and BLACK wires(#1 and #4 sparkplug wires) for between 360- 540 OHMS.
2.For #2 and #3 sparkplugs the wire colors will be YELLOW and RED, again 360-540 OHMS.
3.If the pickup coils are suspect of failing due to heat, they can be stressed using a hair dryer without the need of the engine running.
4.A replacement set of pickup coils might be obtained from a dealer who serviced the police Kawasaki’s.
5. If replacement pickup coils are not available, your next choice would be to order a Dyna “S†electronic ignition system from www.z1enterprises.com It replaces the IC igniter with a smaller module located where the mechanical ignition advancer was mounted.
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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- Bad Dad
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If your bike has the Kawasaki electronic ignition, I'd suspect one or more of the pulsing(pick up coils) may be coming intermittent.
Try this:
Ohm Checking Pickup(Pulsing) Coils
The pickup coils on the Kawasaki’s with the factory supplied electronic ignition can sometimes fail or become intermittent due to heat and vibration.
1.Trace back from where the pick up coils are mounted,(under a right side CD sized cover) locate and disconnect a small 4 pin connector. Using a multi-meter set on OHMS and range of X 100 check between the BLUE and BLACK wires(#1 and #4 sparkplug wires) for between 360- 540 OHMS.
2.For #2 and #3 sparkplugs the wire colors will be YELLOW and RED, again 360-540 OHMS.
3.If the pickup coils are suspect of failing due to heat, they can be stressed using a hair dryer without the need of the engine running.
4.A replacement set of pickup coils might be obtained from a dealer who serviced the police Kawasaki’s.
5. If replacement pickup coils are not available, your next choice would be to order a Dyna “S†electronic ignition system from www.z1enterprises.com It replaces the IC igniter with a smaller module located where the mechanical ignition advancer was mounted.
Yep, I'm going with coil failure... over heating, then shutting down til they "cool off" - good reason for an upgrade to a set of Dyna's -- Good call MFolks!
Glad you were able to "nurse'er" home, and not have to call for a buddy to bring a trailer.
76 KZ900LTD
82 GPz750R1
01 VULCAN 800A-CHOPPED
76 IRONHEAD-CHOPPED
77 RD 400 Cafe
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- Nephlyte
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Would i need to replace these pick up coils and my ignition coils? Or just one?
Does that dyna S system replace both the ignition module and the pick up coils or just the pick up coils?
How could i test my ignition coils?
Bah, i have a trip coming up. Time to go shopping.
1979 KZ1000 MKII, 1075 wiseco kit installed, 10.25:1 compression, welded crank, kerker header and custom paint.
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- MFolks
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The Dyna "S" replaces the pick up coils and the IC Igniter with everything under the cover where the PU coils were installed.
Ignition coils can be tested with either a analog or digital multimeter. To check the primary side, remove the push on wire terminations and put the meter probes on the places where the wires went.
Use the lowest setting to read the primary windings ohm rating.You'll probably read 1.8 to 2.8(sometimes 3.0) ohms in the primary windings.
To read the secondary windings, remove the sparkplug wires and put the meter leads in the two ports where the wires were.It should read between 10.4 to 15.6K(thousand) ohms.
The meter will have to have the scale changed to read the higher ohm level from the first reading.
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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- JR
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Other things to consider are fuel. You did say you had fuel in the tank and in the lines but whne this happened to me I had a kink in the fuel line which slowed the gas and the carbs ran dry. Leave for a while and carb float bowls fill up again and away we go. Other possibility is bolckage in the vent in the gas tank filler cap. If it happens again open the filler cap, give it a minute and push start button.
Good luck
1980 kz750E1, Delkevic exhaust
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- Nephlyte
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Also, its just the way it dies. When i run out of gas, i know it from a mile (or 2) away. the throttle feels funny, there's no pick up, then my high end fades out. This is more of an abrupt failure in the engine.
So, i think i'm going to bite the bullet and buy the Dyna S, plus Dyna 3 ohm coils and a new 12 volt regulator/rectifier. I have the money and i know the parts have to be fading out. I've been pushing them hard for 9 years now and someone was pushing them hard for the 22 years before that.
1979 KZ1000 MKII, 1075 wiseco kit installed, 10.25:1 compression, welded crank, kerker header and custom paint.
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- larrycavan
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- Old Man Rock
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Reach up under that fuel tank and using your built in temperature gauge (back side of finger between knuckle and finger tip) see how hot the coil is....
You should be able to rest your skin across the coil... If it's too hot where you can't then coils are breaking down to age or a partial short as mentioned in the ignition plate area...
Meaning drawing excessive current through the coils due to short...
Then there always static testing as described in the manuals... Same time, yours seems to be only during a ride (Dynamic testing)... With some voltage measurements, may provide some answers...
What's the coil & spark plug conductor conditions...
Brittle, cracked, hard rubber etc....
Do you have a solid and clean ground termination to the frame and engine case? Clean the terminals on the case side.... Emery cloth the terminal as well as the case contact point, may have a little oxidation occurring after 30 years...
Let us know what you find out for I'm sure others have and will come across this phenomenon...
OMR
1976 KZ900-A4
MTC 1075cc.
Camshafts: Kawi GPZ-1100 .375 lift
Head: P&P via Larry Cavanaugh
ZX636 suspension
MIKUNI, RS-34'S...
Kerker 4-1, 1.5" comp baffle.
Dyna-S E.I.
Earls 10 row Oil Cooler
Acewell 2802 Series Speedo/Tach
Innovate LC1 Wideband 02 AFR meter
Phoenix, Az
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- otakar
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74 Z1-A stock
76 KZ-900 Totaly stock vice MAC pipe
77 KZ-1000A stock
78 Z1-R 100%MINT 500 original Mi.
78 Z1-R Yoshi 1103 kit stage 1 cams Yoshi pipe. Etc
79 KZ-1300 (1400)
80 KZ-1300
81 Scratch built GPz1150R
82 KZ1000
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