80 KZ1300 No power to coils, need some help

Hey guys I'm new here as you can see, this looked like the place to ask so here I am. I bought a non running 1980 KZ1300 with 39k miles about a month ago for 150 bucks from an estate, the first day I stripped off all the fairings and luggage stuff then a few days later pulled the carbs and thoroughly cleaned them then put them back on. I found the coils were cracked so I bought some good used 3ohm Goldwing Gl500 coils to replace them with. I finally got around to pulling the old coils off, pulled the valve cover while I was at it and checked the cam idler gear (It looked pretty good so it may have been replaced by the PO), then I installed the new coils and wired them up without the ballast resistor. Today I went to start it and at first had power going to both sides of the coils and I saw spark for a second but now I get nothing, no keyed power and no power coming from the CI Ignition box. Also the start button stopped working but that happened the day I got it so ive just been jumping the solenoid to crank it since then, the button itself is good though. I don't have a manual yet but I plan on getting one but for now I just want to get it started, does anyone have any advice on where to start troubleshooting? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Tony

I'd imagine the ignition coils power goes through the run/stop switch on the right handlebar. Some of the older bikes, are suffering crumbled solder connections, so open up the "Pod" and then trace back to where voltage is. You'll probably need a 25 watt soldering iron, rosin flux, and rubbing alcohol to clean the soldered joints.

Roadhazardguy wrote: Hey guys I'm new here as you can see, this looked like the place to ask so here I am. I bought a non running 1980 KZ1300 with 39k miles about a month ago for 150 bucks from an estate, the first day I stripped off all the fairings and luggage stuff then a few days later pulled the carbs and thoroughly cleaned them then put them back on. I found the coils were cracked so I bought some good used 3ohm Goldwing Gl500 coils to replace them with. I finally got around to pulling the old coils off, pulled the valve cover while I was at it and checked the cam idler gear (It looked pretty good so it may have been replaced by the PO), then I installed the new coils and wired them up without the ballast resistor. Today I went to start it and at first had power going to both sides of the coils and I saw spark for a second but now I get nothing, no keyed power and no power coming from the CI Ignition box. Also the start button stopped working but that happened the day I got it so ive just been jumping the solenoid to crank it since then, the button itself is good though. I don't have a manual yet but I plan on getting one but for now I just want to get it started, does anyone have any advice on where to start troubleshooting? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Tony

Hello, Tony, and WELCOME to KZr!

If not already done, would check for blown fuse.

See KZr's FILEBASE for 1980 KZ1300 wiring diagrams.



Good Fortune!

OK I'll open it back up and check the top side of the switch, I pulled it apart to check the starter button but didn't look at that. That raises another question though, if there is a bad connection in there would it kill everything or just my switched power to the coils? Thanks for the help!

Thanks Patton! I did visually check the fuses but I'll go back and check them with the ohm meter to be sure. I also pulled and checked the seat switch and it "looks" but I haven't really tested it to be sure. To be honest I'd like to just do away with it and just use it as a latch.

Alright guys good news, it lives! I opened the switch and the solder joints are good so I tested it and its good so I went down to the first connector by the steering stem but I got nothing. So I went ahead and jumpered between the two wires at the plug and I got spark, then sprayed a little gas in the carbs and it fired right off! So somewhere in-between the switch and the plug in about a 2' stretch of wire it has a break. I'm pretty stoked though because now I know it does run and it sounded pretty healthy for the second of gas I sprayed in it. After work I'll get the tank back on it and see how it really runs. Thanks for the help guys! I'll keep y'all posted.

Troubleshooting lack of spark, is pretty easy; just look where the voltage is, and isn't. In your case, flexing of the wires may have broken the conductor inside the insulation. This can also be the cause of an intermittent operation.

Yep the kill switch would usually be one of the first things I would check but I didn't really think about it this time, I guess I was just thinking the worst that the CI box might be out. Anyway I fixed that and also fixed the starter button. It was a dirty connector down below the battery. Im going to put the switched coil wire on a relay too, I ran a wire straight from the battery and that gave it a visibly brighter spark.

www.kzrider.com/filebase/doc_download/47...recommended-solution
Also that if you have a voltage drop on your R/R voltage sense wire, it will overcharge ruining your battery.

OK so you don't think I should do the relay mod and I should just make sure all of my connections are good then call it good right?

Btw has anyone else used these GL1500 coils on these bikes? I think they were also used on cbr's too.

I've read that some owners are using the ignition pack coils from Buicks, as they are similar in size, but produce a higher voltage(I think).