oldfaithful
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Everything posted by oldfaithful
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Time for another update: Before swapping the pickup coils, I opted for the easier ignition coil swap. My backup ignition coils from my parts bike were found to have several cracks, so they were not used. I've purchased used COP coil sticks from a Honda CBR and installed them. The Ignitech unit works just fine with the COP coils, but I installed a section of spark plug wire between a COP and the spark plug...only to find that the miss is still present at idle. The pickup coil will be pulled from the donor bike next. -
I promised an update, so here it is. I've received the Ignitech unit and installed it. I like this product. It fired right up and seems to have no dead spots...but the miss at idle is still there. I left the TCI unit in place as a backup, in case I ever have problems with the new unit. That leaves 2 possible sources, as I figure it: the pickup coils or the ignition coils. I've got an 86 MKII that has been an occasional donor. A pickup coil swap might soon be under way. I'll also be tweaking the program in the Ignitech unit because it doesn't seem to match the Yamaha manual's timing diagram at all. Mine is setup for use with the original MAP sensor. Does anyone have an Ignitech program that better matches the advance curve in the manual? Even if it's from a different year that won't be plug-n-play, I'd appreciate the chance to see a working advance curve that looks more like the Yamaha design.
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I was changing my oil this morning and making a mess, as usual. Pouring from the bottle is ridiculous. None of my funnels are the right size and never stay in place. It dawned on my that I could make my own disposable funnel. Roll up a piece of paper into the long slender funnel required. Use and discard...no more mess. Why did it take me so long to figure this out?
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It's time for a follow-up road report. WOW! That worked much better than I'd expected. That annoying vibration at 35-40 is gone! I'll be using these again.
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That has been my train of thought lately too. However, just to eliminate other variables...I picked the cylinder that I thought might be considered the "worst" of the 4 and replaced the coil with an extra from my inventory. The coil I pulled out measured within spec at room temp (both primary & secondary resistance), and so did the replacement. The original coil looked good with no cracks or visual defects, while my extra has some cracking along the top of the plastic casing. (I tried to seal it up with RTV prior to installation.) Start her up and the miss is reduced, still there, but not as frequent. What are the odds that all 4 coils are breaking down at the same time? I'm not yet convinced that this is the culprit. I have an Ignitech unit arriving next week and will let you all know how it goes. If the ignition module doesn't do the trick, I'm thinking of upgrading to COPs next. Additional notes: All connectors have gotten treated with dielectric grease before being reconnected. Miss has been present at startup (cold) and when hot.
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Well I went ahead with the TCI "preventative maintenance". Replaced diodes and discolored resistors. I also removed & examined the ground at the coil bracket, since I was in the area and found it to be clean. Re-install and test to find...no change. The random spark miss on all cylinders is still there.
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You're correct. There are two oops at that nut. They are merely anchor points for the heat shields though and shouldnt effect the circuit. My question, though rhetorical, is have they always been that way?
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The conformal coating can be very misleading. It's not evenly distributed and it has a tan brown color. It tends to make a component look burned when it isn't.
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This is the latest update. I'd been putting this off in hopes of finding something else. Nevertheless, I removed the TCI and opened it up. You may notice that it's still in the plastic box. I used the mill to carefully remove a bit of plastic from around the bottom edges of the box and removed the bottom as a plate. (Silicone and/or epoxy will be used to reinstall it...besides it wasn't sealed to begin with.) The diodes look "fine" though we all know that can be misleading. I wish I had a schematic for this board. The only component that "looks" bad is this resistor in the center of the last pic. It appears to be overheating and looks slightly burned. Anyone seen this before? Thanks!
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Thanks @Steven G. For that test setup & instruction.
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I'm installing Dyna beads and thought I'd give a quick story on my installation of the small ceramic beads through the valve stem. I poured the beads into a small bottle with a tapered tip. Remove the valve stem core. Tape the tapered tip of the bottle onto the valve stem. Now Find a small screwdriver and insert the metal shaft into a cordless drill. Any small screwdriver will work as long as it has a knobby handle. Then run the cordless drill and let the knobby handle tap against the rim and watch the beads sift into the tire like sand through an hour glass.
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I have moved the induction light to each of the 4 spark plug wires and found a sporadic miss at idle each time. I also checked with an old school inline timing light and got the same result. There is a steady series of flashes and then a random pause, with no spark, and at the same time there is a slight change in the exhaust note. Not a backfire but more a momentary hesitation. When I rev the RPM the flashes are so fast that I can't distinguish a miss. It might still be there at higher rpm but I'm not sure. Yes the issue is there both hot and cold. I must admit that I m unfamiliar with the technique you mentioned...would you mind explaining it. Thanks
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Yes it's got an upgraded blade style fuse holder, and I just checked the connection there. Seems fine.
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I checked two coils today and found... Primary coils: 3.0 & 3.1 ohms at 90F Secondary coils: 13.3k & 13.2k ohms st 90F My manual says Primary: 2.7 +/- 10% at 68F Secondary: 13.2k +/- 20% at 68F The primaries are at the high end of the range but probably still fine, if I did this correctly. Thanks for the suggestion.
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FYI, Now I've tried another vacuum/boost sensor and no change.
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Now for today's update. I installed new NGK standard plugs and the spark miss is still there. I also tried a different timing light but the miss was still there. I then ran the bike at night and saw no sparks from the plug wires to the frame nor did I get zapped when I ran my hand along the wires. Next will be to swap out the boost sensor with an extra I have on hand.
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That's a shame about ole dingy, thanks for letting me know. So who is the resident Ignitech expert around here now? I haven't baked the TCI yet. I'll have to give that a try. Thanks. Yup, just checked the pickup coils and the connector...all is well in there.
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I found the connector to the pickup coils and it looked fine. It got cleaned & resistance checked anyway. Pickup Coil resistance: 117 ohm 117 ohm 117 ohm 120 ohm Pickup Coil Spec (from manual): 110 +/- 17 ohms I'll keep looking...
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Thanks, I'll give it a test.
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So has anyone purchased the Ignitech units lately? I'm going to buy one today because I haven't found a replacement TCI. dingy do you have an ignition program that is any better than the program that will be provided by Ignitech? Thanks!
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Thanks Steve, You're right, the miss may be throughout the rpm range but there is no hesitation or backfire...nor do I see a substantial change in the spark when increasing the rpm. But the flash is so fast I don't think I could distinguish a missed spark every couple seconds. Maybe my eyes are just old. I used an induction timing light and moved the clamp from plug wire to plug wire, shining the light on various surfaces to make sure I'm not fooled by a reflection. A common firing component was my first guess too. I haven't examined the pickup coil yet, but I just rechecked the manual & schematic and found there are 4 separate pickup coils with a common ground. I'll try to find the connectors and examine the ground. Thanks for making me research that common ground!!!
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Good suggestion for most rough idle issues, but would that cause the spark to miss when watching with a timing light? on all 4 cylinders? I suppose anything's possible, thanks.
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Well today I pulled the kickstand switch and checked it. 0.7 & 0.7 ohms when closed ~30M & ~30M ohms when open I cleaned the switch, sprayed with contact/switch cleaner and rechecked. 0.7 & 0.7 ohms when closed ~30M & infinite ohms when open I don't think that's the source of the problem, besides there is the stand relay between the switch and the TCI. I doubt that there would be enough current drain at 30M ohms to cycle the relay. I could be wrong though. Any thoughts on the stand switch??? So I also pulled the TCI unit. Removed the cover and it looked clean inside, but I haven't yet de-soldered the spade connectors from the board so that I can look at the component side. I'm going to wait to do that until I've exhausted every other option. I couldn't locate a replacement in the event that I damage something, so I've put it back for now. Is anyone still buying the Ignitech units for these bikes. I found several old threads about group buys, but nothing recent. If I've got to get a replacement, that sounds like a good option to me. I sent Ignitech an email and we'll see what they say tomorrow. Btw, every connector I've pulled has been clean and in good shape. Nonetheless, they've been brushed & cleaned. Any other suggestions? Thanks!
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My VIN is JYA41R00 7 EA000321. I believe I'm the second owner, if I recall my discussions with the previous owner correctly. It's a red '84 std model with no extras.
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I recently went on a road trip with the family, they in the minivan and me on the Venture. The termination of the trip was in Labrador, which I wouldn't recommend for a Venture. The roads were nothing but potholes and the climate was just fog and rain, when it's not snowing. Now if I ever get a crossover bike that might be a different story. Newfoundland was much better, though still a chilly climate. We drove/rode the Viking Trail highway through the Gros Mourne park. Saw whales and a moose. That was definitely a ride worthy of a good tale. The ferry on and off the island was really interesting, though a tad pricey. BTW, the bike loved the cool weather!
