No spark kz 440 ltd 80

i have not spark on my 80 440 ltd and not sure were to start first. it turns over but no spark start at testing the coil or is there a cdi box

Kawasaki list your 80 as still having points. Easy enough to tell, remove the cover and there will either be a set of points and a condenser, or there will be a black pickup. Or trace the wire from the points cover back. If it's a points system it'll have a single wire usually blue or green, if it's transistorized there will be two wires, one black one blue ending at a connector to a small black box.

So have a look around here, a couple guys have posted a good detailed write-up on checking points systems.

Best of luck.

dsnow10 wrote:

i have not spark on my 80 440 ltd and not sure were to start first. it turns over but no spark start at testing the coil or is there a cdi box

Assure "kill switch" is in RUN position.

One essential requirement for achieving spark at the plugs is that battery voltage is being received at coil when ignition switch is ON.

Perhaps there's a connector in a red/yellow wire a few inches from the coil.

Typically need to remove fuel tank for access to coil.

Disconnect the red/yellow wire at the connector.

Turn ignition switch ON.

The red/yellow wire is supposed to have battery voltage at the connector.
Measure the voltage with a voltmeter.

Re-connect the red/yellow wire at the connector.

Let us know whether or not there's voltage on the red/yellow wire that feeds the coil when the ignition switch is ON.

Good Fortune!

Thanks for the info. I tested that red/yellow wire for voltage and it is there i pulled the side cover and checked the points and they were rusted so i cleaned them up and still no spark and i tested the coil and had like 5.0 of res and i am not sure if that is good

dsnow10 wrote:

Thanks for the info. I tested that red/yellow wire for voltage and it is there i pulled the side cover and checked the points and they were rusted so i cleaned them up and still no spark and i tested the coil and had like 5.0 of res and i am not sure if that is good

5 ohm coil resistance should be okay.

Red/yellow wire feeds battery+ current to one of coil's two primary terminals.

The coil's other primary terminal connects to a wire that supposedly grounds through closed points to the engine. While so grounded, the coil is "charging." Should be conductivity between points spring and the ignition mounting plate.

When the points open, the ground is supposedly broken, at which time the coil discharges (fires) through the spark plug wires. While so un-grounded, should be NO conductivity between points spring and the ignition mounting plate.

If the wire from coil terminal to points is broken, the coil won't function, because its primary winding never get grounded through closed points.

Good Fortune!

With points closed, supposed to be connectivity between spring and mounting plate.

With points open, supposed to be NO connectivity between spring and mounting plate.

Good Fortune!

Been a long time since I worked with points, but can't you just use a couple 12v bulbs and 4 alligator clips, along with your MM to see if things are working right? Some fails aren't evident until the starter is drawing off power.

(1) One bulb, connected to coil main power wire, and grounded. It should light up with key on, and should only dim slightly with the starter drawing power from the system. If it goes out, or severely dims while cranking. Investigate from the coil wire back through the kill switch and ignition connections for a poor connection. Check for a good "coil ground" by adding a ground wire from the coil mount to a good known ground source.

(2) One bulb, connected to ground on engine, and points power wire at points or points spring forget which it was, though my brain says power wire. Anyway, It should flash off and on as the bike is cranked over if memory serves me still. If it doesn't flash or just stays on, check the points gap and ensure they're opening properly. If it doesn't light up at all, check the engine ground by adding a ground wire from the engine directly to the battery ground.

Anyone want to chime in on this, I may have lost my mind and I don't want to provide misinformation to anyone. It seems to me that's how I used to do it... Oh sooo long ago. God I love transistorized ignitions, I haven't had a points headache in years.

dsnow10 wrote:

...tested that red/yellow wire for voltage and it is there i pulled the side cover and checked the points and they were rusted so i cleaned them up and still no spark ....

Above test for continuity between points spring and mounting plate is to assure that points are basically functioning to successively allow and disallow access to ground, by opening and closing.

The wire from ignition coil primary terminal is supposed to find ground by going through the closed point contacts. Then lose its ground when the points open.

It's possible the points are so mal-adjusted, or the heel so worn down, or for whatever other reason, the points simply aren't opening, or perhaps so mal-adjusted or corroded, or whatever, that they never "close."

The light bulb, with a power source, may also be used to test opening and closing of points, instead of an ohmmeter, where the bulb is wired to ground through the points.

Regardless of method, the spring is a handy place to connect for determining whether and when ground is attained through closed points, and thereafter lost when the points open.

Good Fortune!

Above testing procedure is closely related to "static" method of timing. Which means setting ignition timing while the engine isn't running.

FSM describes both bulb and ohmmeter techniques for static timing.
The main idea being to align the F mark just as the points open.

I prefer "dynamic" timing, used to align the F mark while the engine is running.

Either method, static or dynamic, requires a functional ignition system, whether points or electronic.

Good Fortune!

so i still dont have spark i set the gap on the points and tested the wire from the points to the coil and tested the yellow/red wire and it has 12 volts retested the coil and it has about 5 or less do i just start throwing parts at it or am i missing something else. ( i am using a spark tester not the spark plug )

if the kill switch was bad would the motor still turn over i though power had to go thro that befor the starter switch and is this bike a open or closed loop switch


thanks

Coil ignitions are fairly straight forward:

The coil will have two wires, one is probably red or some combination of red (power wire) and the other is a dark color like green or blue (goes to points).

Use a voltmeter to read these two places:

1) The power lead should read about 11 - 12V when the key is on.

2) The "points" side should read 11-12V when the points are open, 0V when they are closed.

If this is good but still no spark, it's likely a bad coil but can also be a bad condenser.

As far as throwing parts at it: Z1 sells the OEM type four ohm replacement coils for $36. A set of points and condenser are probably about $15. You should also replace the spark plug caps which don't cost much.

The insulator washers are critical to assure the spring side of points is not grounded while the contacts are open.

Open points must prevent the spring side from reaching ground.

If the signal wire from coil to points stays constantly grounded regardless of whether the points are open or closed, the coil won't fire.

Good Fortune!

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