Checked the stupid stuff, still no spark Dyna

Any ideas? Its a '79 KZ650 with a dyna s ignition, inherited from a guy who had no idea what was wrong with it. Just needed a carb cleaning and a battery. It ran like a champ. 4th run up the street I slowed down and shifted into first to turn around for another test run (by now the testing was over, I was just having fun). Shifted into first, let off the clutch and goosed the throttle. As soon as I did the engine bogged. Gave it more gas, just kept bogging. Squeezed the clutch in and it quit bogging down and started idleing just fine (by this time I was rolling at about 5 mph). Tried again: let off the clutch, gave it gas, and it bogged again so I squeezed the clutch again, only this time it didn't stop bogging down. I rode to a stop and the bike stalled out. Haven't been able to start it since.
I thought it was something with the clutch, (steell and a few others showed me otherwise) but it turns out I'm not getting spark on any cylinders. Checked the kill switch, clutch switch, main fuses; I've been over that whole damn wiring harness ten times, replaced a few shoddy-looking connectors, I've checked the coils, they're good and getting 12 volts at the terminals, none of the terminals are shorting against the frame, no shorts anywhere I can see. The only thing I haven't checked is the condenser because I dont know where it is or what it looks like and the shop manual doesn't say.
If thats not it I'm begining to think its in this Dyna. I'm not sure how they work, but I took the cover off and then removed the ignition plate held on by the three screws, and noticed that the points?/breakers? the little spring loaded arms were not opening when the motor is turning. I don't know if that is as it should be or not, but something tells me that matters. I'm unfamiliar with ignitions in general and with in-line fours as well. I've only worked on singles and V-twins. Any help guys, thanks
Grayson

The pickup modules on the DynaS needs to be supplied with 12V to work, did you check that? Might be a bad connection where the po tapped into the harness, esp if he used the splice connector that comes with the DynaS.

Trace back the wires coming out of the ignition cover (right side of engine), the black and the white are the trigger wires for the ignition coils, the red is the power wire for the pickup modules, this should carry 12V when the ignition is on. Find the point where the red wire connects to the harness and check that the conection is good, also check the connections for the black and white wire. Note: if you decide to make a new connection for the red wire it is imperative that it connects to switched power (= no power when either ignition key or kill switch is set to off), or you´ll fry the modules.

Check out this thread, at the bottom of the first page there´s a troubleshooting sheet for the DynaS, click on the pics to enlarge them:

kzrider.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=13457

And here´s a link to Dynatek´s installation guide for the DynaS, the 650 uses the DS2-2 version:

www.dynaonline.com/english/instruct/DS2-1_2-2.pdf


And oh yeah, the condenser was removed along with the rest of the points system, no wonder you can´t find it.

Post edited by: OnkelB, at: 2006/09/17 06:59

I'm not sure how they work, but I took the cover off and then removed the ignition plate held on by the three screws, and noticed that the points?/breakers? the little spring loaded arms were not opening when the motor is turning. I don't know if that is as it should be or not, but something tells me that matters.

If you have a Dyna Ignition in her those things (points?/breakers? the little spring loaded arms) should not be there at all.???? I'm very confused. Maybe a pic of the Dyna plate would help. I would also check to make sure the splice to the Dyna is good. It is a weak point if you use the splicer they give you. Better to wire in better conection. Especially if no spark on all cyl. If dyna is bad it's usually one leg and not both so I don't suspect dyna....yet!
To me the bogging sounds like carb problems. But no spark is a sure problem. Also check to see if the Dyna plate moved and set her out of time. Luck!

I think he is referring to the advancer.
Is this what you mean?


These often get sticky and need cleaning. Be careful not to stretch the springs more than needed to remove them. Clean it up, add a little lube on the pivot points. The arms have little black rubber cushions glued to them, don't mistake it for dirt and remove them.

Post edited by: OKC_Kent, at: 2006/09/17 12:39

Hey man, thanks for responding. Yeah I think what I was talking about (spring loaded arms) is the ignition advance, it sits behind the dyna plate. And no, the plate hasn't moved.
The splice is good. I'm getting twelve volts to the dyna, to ever place I should be, really. The battery is brand new and fully charged. The carbs are in excellent shape, I know 'cause I cleaned 'em. :^)
What gets me is it was running fine, I mean awesome, for about five minutes. And then it just bogged and died. No spark. WTF? Thanks for your time, stay safe,
Grayson

Yeah thats it. My fault. Thanks for clarifying. Be safe,
Grayson

Very weird indeed - even if the timing plate moved or the advancer is stuck you should still get spark, just not at the right time. As Gris says it´s unlikely (though not impossible) that both pickup modules went out at once. Did you check the connections from the coils to the pickup modules (the black and the white wire), they usually connect right around the rear brake light switch? Is the engine grounded properly?

Below are the testing sheets that came with my DynaS, hope they help you some:

Post edited by: OnkelB, at: 2006/09/17 17:22

Oops, 2nd try, pg1.

Post edited by: OnkelB, at: 2006/09/17 17:19

And pg 2.