New Coil?

So i have the right amount of volts read at my points, and no spark at all from my plugs. I replaced the old plugs and still have the same problem. I'm guessing i need a new ignition coil. Also I recently adjusted my valve gap's and then this happened. I was wondering if these could be related or just a unlucky occurrence.

If you adjusted your valves did you remove the coils when you removed the valve cover? Maybe you unhooked wires by mistake?
How about a little more history on the bike?

Please take a minute to go to your forum profile and add a signature, with your bike and location. Then we all know what you have and where you are. Maybe someone here lives around the block from you and could help?

Post edited by: OKC_Kent, at: 2007/07/17 13:30

So my bike is the KZ 400 A2 Deluxe. It never had starting problems starting the bike until my gas cock rubber deteriorated last winter and i had to replace it. There has been a little bit of knocking ever since i bought it 1 year ago. I finally found a website with the correct valve clearances to set (I'm still trying to locate a mechanics book for this bike the last 3 I've tried to order have been the wrong one). The knocking went away after i adjusted the valves which were a little bit loose. Rode it 3 miles it stalled out once on the way to the store (stopping at a traffic light). Then it started stalling every time i stopped at a traffic light when returning from the store. Became very hard to start the last time but it did, got it home. Haven't gotten a spark out of the spark plugs since.

Shouldn't have to take off the coil to adjust valves. The valves are adjusted through little port holes.

However the wiring for the coil is up there and under the tank. Look for loose connectors first, then pinched or nicked wires. It's possible something happened during the tank removeal/install.

But after 30 years, it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace the coil anyway. 25-year old coils got me stranded once, and it sucks pushing. Did it rain recently? Mine failed after a rainstorm, both of the coils within 50 miles of each other. (You only have one, obviously).

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/07/17 13:59

Ya to adjust valve clearances you pull off the cover to the distributer cap and put a 17mm socket on the nut at the end of the cam shaft there. Then there are plugs for each valve you put the feeler gauge in. I did not mess with the coil at all. I have power going into the coil. and coming out of the coil to the distributer points. But when the points gap is open power is supposed to send power to the spark plugs and it does not. Ill just try to find a replacement coil from my local jap bike shop in town hoping that will fix it.

Look at the thread on "Emgo coils". Those should work for you. They are new to the market and seem to be a cheap alternative. However, there is not a lot of reliability info out there yet. If you get them and they work well, let us know.

loudhvx wrote:

...But after 30 years, it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace the coil anyway. 25-year old coils got me stranded once, and it sucks pushing...

Yep, that's my school of thought. I have a new motto, should I buy any more 30 year-old bikes: New coil, wires, and coil/relay mod are mandatory. *Then*, and only then do I begin troubleshooting everything else...