Ignition coils question

[Coach]

I have a bike that is missing on the two back coils. I had Don test out the TCI and he felt it had a problem and he wasn't able to get the part for it. I got another TCI box from a junk yard in TX and installed it and I still have the same problem. I went to check out the pick up coils and the ingnition coils, but how to do I know which is PRIMARY and which is SECONDARY. The OHM's are different depending on it they are secondary or primary.

 

Can anyone help me? I am getting very frustrated here!!!!

This is a 1987 Yamaha Venture Royale

[Neil86]

Primary and secondary refer to the ignition coils only.....they have two windings....a primary and a secondary.

The primary is the low voltage winding in the coil.....measure the resistance from the two wires on the connector.

The secondary is the high voltage winding...measure from the spark plug wire pin on the coil to the orange wire on the connector.

 

I would be surpised if two ignition coils failed at the same time....a pickup coil short or failure would seem more likely Coach.....but test everything.

Edited August 3, 2008 by Neil86

[GeorgeS]

I have a bike that is missing on the two back coils. I had Don test out the TCI and he felt it had a problem and he wasn't able to get the part for it. I got another TCI box from a junk yard in TX and installed it and I still have the same problem. I went to check out the pick up coils and the ingnition coils, but how to do I know which is PRIMARY and which is SECONDARY. The OHM's are different depending on it they are secondary or primary.

 

Can anyone help me? I am getting very frustrated here!!!!

This is a 1987 Yamaha Venture Royale

 

Items to check :

 

1. The Primary windings, ( disconect the 2 wire plug, read across the pins ) The Resistance should Read 3.8 OHM, + or - a couple of ohms, Use the Lowest Scale on you Ohm meter.

 

2. The pick up coils. See the Service Manual, Its avialable for download on this website if you do not have one. Or Look up the Testing proceedure for takeing Resistance readings " Thru " the Pickup Coils. You can take the readings From one of the two Plugs that goes to the TCI.

I believe its in chapter 7 in the service manual.

 

Also, you might just have moisture Inside the TCI, many of us have fixed this problem by putting the TCI into an Oven, at about 105 to 110 deg. F. for about 2 hours to dry out the moisture.

 

Also, check to Make sure you are getting 12 Volts " TO " the primary windings. ( on all 4 coils )

 

The Ground, is Switched in the Black box, this is the signal that fires each plug.

 

Also, Carefully Follow, the Cable, " From " the 6 pin plug of the TCI, all the way inch by inch to the point where it Enters the Left Side Forward Enging cover. Its possible the cable might be damaged. (( Not high probability, however its possible )) Check closley Under, the left side Rear Transmission Case cover. There are several cables running below this cover, they are held into position by a Metal, Clamp affair. If all else fails, check here for possible wireing damage.

 

Also, this cable run ( ie. TCI, to the pickup coils ) might have a pull apart connector. ( I'm not sure on the 2nd gens, 1st gens do have this ) If you have this Inline 5 wire plug, find it. Clean it, Use Ohm Meter on it, make sure all 5 pull apart pins are makeing Good Contact, And the Resistance reading thru the plug is Zero Ohms, ( THRU ) the Plug on all 5 wires. Any High Resistance connection thru this plug will screw up the Ignition fireing.

 

---- But as I said, I'm not sure if the 2nd gens have this plug.

 

 

On the 1st Gens, this plug has been a Notorious Source Of IGNNITION PROBLEMS !!!!!

 

-----Also, Use CRC 2-26 Electrical Contact Cleaner, on any and ALL Pull Apart plugs involved in the Ignition System.

-----Use it on your RUN-STOP switch !!!

 

-----Check you Ignition Fuse, Clean the fuse holder contacts, make sure its makeing good contact.

 

----- Take a Resistance Reading " Thru " your Ignition Switch, ( The Key Switch ) itself. Read thru the main On- Off contacts. checking for Any Resistance Above ZERO ohms, ( ie. a dead short )

WHY-- ??? These Ignition Switches are Notorious for developing High Resistance connection Across the On- Off Contacts.

Fix ??? -- You can remove the Switch, and dissassemble it, and Clean up the contacts, and apply, Dialectric Greese, This seems to fix them.

 

--------- Check the 2nd gen Maint. Library here. Sombody posted an article as to how to Dissassemble the Switch, and repair it. If you can't find the article, make a posting, and Ask, Sombody will get you the Web Link !!!!!

 

 

OK, I have gone overboard here, but just trying to cover all the bases' as to what --- Might --- be your problem.

Sorry to be so long winded !! ----

 

Good luck!! Let me know what you find, will do my best to help if I can.

 

You will need a good Digital Volt/Ohm meter, if you don't have one, spend about $50 for a decent quality meter. It a great tool to have, !!!!!!!!

[Coach]

George,

 

This is what I came up with.

 

TCI - Red/White = 11.6

 

Ignition coils #1 primary 3.1 Secondary 13.59

#2 3.1 13.49

#3 3.0 13.49

#4 3.1 13.75

 

Pickup coils - gray p/u coil 116.9

w/g p/u 120.6

orange p/u 118.6

w/r p/u 123.2

 

 

8 pin connector

r/w + 12V 6.8 12 Volts

Gray Ignition Wire #2 9.0 12 volts

Orange Ignition Wire #1 9.0 12 volts

Yellow Ignition wire #3 9.0 12 volts

White Ignition Wire #4 9.0 12 volts

 

Battery reads 12.4 volts

 

I think all of these are in range maybe...

 

I really need to get this thing running for my son. We are planning on taking it to Daytona for him to ride. I will have my 2nd gen, but this 1st gen is just giving fits!

 

If you or anybody else have some ideas please let me know.

 

Thanks

Ron

[Gearhead]

Did you check for spark on those two cylinders so you KNOW it has no spark? If not, maybe the spark is OK but the carbs are gunked.

 

If it's definitely electrical, I'd suspect the TCI of moisture or bad connections. It happens all the time. It's location under the battery means that anytime the batt oozes a little acid, it ends up on the TCI connector.

 

Jeremy

[Squeeze]

There's one of the Pickup Coils bad.

 

We're talking about an '87 here, two Pickup Coils mounted inside the Stator Cover on front left of the Motor.

 

The 5-Wire Connector should be on the left Side, were the Side Cover meets the Fairing. Check the Wires for Resistance.