Intermittent stalling. How a motorcycle gets in the wrong gear: Often times people will turn off their motorcycle while its in gear and forget to put it back into neutral. motorcycle gets less mileage. If your plug wires and caps check out, you can now test your ignition coil. Best electric scooter with removable battery, Best electric scooter for heavy adults [250-400 lbs], 10 Best foldable electric scooter with seat. Check Engine Light comes on. I wouldn't mind replacing the stock unit though. The diagnostic tool should be one of them. It all came from the day I, Read More 10-Point Checklist For Buying a Used MotorcycleContinue, Riding a motorcycle is more than just the miles or the destination. I give dozens of tips and tricks that you wont find anywhere else online. It's possible for your motorcycle to start and run with a bad battery, but that can create even more Switching lead wire sides is not an issue in this case. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. If the voltage How spark plugs stop working: a spark plug can go bad a few different ways. Let it cool down. To begin, you These are the things that can tell you that you may need to either repair or replace your stator. Also, if you have no idea when they were changed last, that might be a good indication that theyre spent. Over time this can wear out your stator. it. Best Youth Dirt Bike Helmet For Trail Riding Under 100 Dollars, Best Dirt Bike Helmets With Goggles And Gloves, Motorcycle Helmet Communication System Reviews, Best Dirt Bike Tires For Woods And Trail Riding, 10 Best Ultra Lightweight Folding Mobility Scooter Review. Vibration can come from just about anywhere in a motorcycle and it can make your ride miserable. Engine Misfires. Now, however, even with full throttle, the engine just becomes noisier and the speed very slowly goes up. Your starter will make a brief clicking noise then make a humming sound. "whoops, forgot about those" issues. (You must log in or sign up to reply here. The numbers are not important. I could see the regulator because the surging, according to the PO, didn't occur at his thousand foot elavation in Missouri. First, its possible for the ceramic coating to get cracked. Strange Engine Noise. If these tests do not check out, you will need a new regulator/rectifier. When a cracked spark plug is installed, the spark will find the least path of resistance through the crack and ground out to your engine block instead of going all the way down to the end of the spark plug and jumping across the gap like its supposed to. Your email address will not be published. It could happen because of a bad ignition coil. Read on to find out what most commonly causes a bad ignition coil: If This could be constant or completely irregular and sporadic. A motorcycle with a faulty main fuse may create an intermittent connection To begin, you should first check for continuity from the terminal tabs of the connector and then see if When this happens, some unused fuel or black smoke in the combustion cylinders exits through the exhaust pipe. A bad started can make several strange sounds. This post may contain affiliate links. In this article we will dig into these symptoms and what causes them. The charging system of the motorcycle should bring Orders placed during the weekends or the following holidays will ship the next If the two front pistons are up (1 & 2) the two back pistons (3 & 4) are down. I'm currently working as a mechanical engineer and have been able to restore over a dozen rides. These will be signs that your stator is failing. insulation can cause arcing in the plug wire. battery will begin to drain. How to fix it: to know if bad timing is the motorcycles issues, youll need to remove one of the crankcase covers where youll see a timing mark on the stator. 3. link to Can A Loose Motorcycle Chain Cause Vibration. Step 6 - Test the Coil. Then, measure the voltage from tab to tab, just like before. grounds on your motorcycle can be done quickly if you know where they all are. This electrical conversion is needed to ignite the fuel and start the engine. All you need to do is a visual inspection. You will need a multimeter and the shop manual for your specific motorcycle to troubleshoot the electrical Your Harley engine backfire is noticeable when your engine runs lean or rich. Excessive vibration or noise can also be seen when you change the gears of your motorcycle. specifications. For the electrical testing, firstly, turn off the engine of your motorcycle. The meter should now be reading something. Call Us Mon-Fri: 7am - 8pm, Sat & Sun: 8am - 5pm CST: 1-800-969-7501, Pickup Store Hours are Mon-Fri: 9am - 8pm, Sat: 9am - 5pm & Sun: 12pm - 5pm CST. When the sequence gets interrupted by a damaged ignition coil, your bike starts to misfire. ignition coil. The winding can be very tricky as you must wind three separate phases. I am 100% positive, 2 Coils. Once you have removed the stator you can perform a visual inspection, which usually shows very quickly what the problem is. Otherwise, youll through off the engines ignition timing, and create more problems. Stators can fail for multiple reasons. Because of the low fuel economy, the vehicle receives less mileage. This will make your motorcycle run much more smoothly. One noise would be a clicking sound. Eliminate everything else before you buy a new CDI, unless you are fortunate enough Set your multimeter to Ohms to check this. Copyright 2023. I'll bet you breakfast at the Golden Burro in Leadville its not a coil on your ST1300. indication that the stator is faulty. Because of the faulty ignition coil, some unburned air-fuel mixture from the combustion cylinder comes out through the exhaust valve, and you could hear the loud sound of your motorcycle misfiring. Causes of Bad Ignition Coil. Same thing can happen to the TCI. that checks out, connect the negative lead to the positive diode and connect the positive lead to each of the At this point, the secondary ignition system comes into play. Next, take the multimeter and place it in the ohms position. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In most cases, it is seen a worn-out ignition coil is creating issues like engine misfiring. I was reading about the diagnostic mode in the service manual. This could become apparent even as you start the motorcycle. Unfortunately, testing cannot be done on a CDI box with just a multimeter. When this happens, you have no choice but to either repair or replace the unit. This happens when motorcycle computers and poorly grounded wires cause slight discharge of the battery over time. The other main cause for your stator failing on you is a power overload. The resistance should measure around .5 Provided that you take good care of it, it should last a very long time, but ultimately time is not a friend to any component on your bike. To do this, youll have to take off the air intake then detach the carburetor from your motorcycle engine. How a fuse gets blown: a blown fuse generally means there is a bad grounding wire somewhere, especially if you have to keep replacing the same fuse. Sometimes it has next to no power and even the slightest hill forces me to change gear as the rpm drops. That is just for the part itself. Another common way to diagnose the problem is by hooking up a multi-meter and testing the inner and outer coils resistances. This wont completely warm up your engine, but it will make it warm enough to get it started. The following are several of the most common symptoms associated with a failed ignition coil. You may experience occasional misfiring as you ride around. Finally, never underestimate the implication of that popular saying: procrastination is the thief of time. Delay is dangerous. If the fuse continues to blow, you will have to check other Therefore, we need to know how to diagnose a bad ignition coil. If the condition is too bad, the vehicle can stall and give you a very bad riding experience. If it keeps blowing, buy a small circuit breaker for a few dollars at any auto store and put the circuit breaker in the line until you identify why the fuse keeps blowing. Troubleshooting electrical problems is simply understanding what each component's function is and then How to fix it: Luckily fixing a spark plug is easy; you simply need to buy new spark plugs. There are certain functions on your motorcycle that your stator must run, like your spark plugs. Symptoms of a bad Youll also hear noises as an expression for rough idling. Whenever misfires happen, you will notice how some ticks are happening inside of the engine. Here at Gear Sustain we recommend and review different products and services in the Automotive, Dirt Bike, and Motorcycle industries. The only way for a home mechanic Clip taken from Barn Fresh restoration ep 6. http://www.thejunkmanadv.com/barn-fre. That is also a sign that your bikes ignition coil has worn out. Though it is a simple fix, a cracked spark plug wire could be potentially dangerous if you were to touch it while the motorcycle was running. Mountain Bike vs. Road Bike: What Is the Difference? It can imply that some or all of your coils must be repaired. Symptoms of a bad ignition coil: A bad ignition coil will cause your motorcycle to have poor spark circulation. if they are malfunctioning. You can temporarily remove your air box or pod filters (if youre not in a dusty environment) and again try to start up your bike. Sometimes, a spark plug problem is actually an ignition coil problem. Sometimes its an inline fuse and other times its a regular block fuse. Diesel engines dont have spark plugs because diesel ignites via compression, not a spark. Not using a fuel filter will quickly cause a dirty carburetor. Being a biker is not a fashion, it is a lifestyle. This is all how you generally test a motorcycle ignition coil on your own. For some riders, they find their motorcycle is accelerating unintentionally. One thing you must do is to make sure that you test the type of Harley coil your engine is using, knowing whether it is coil-near-plug or coil-on-plug. --Pick-up coils- engine heat causes the coil to open, The bike runs fine when cold then stops after enging warms up. Fixing "no spark" on most motorcycles. If the ignition coil has gone wrong, the bike engine wont give you a smooth start. When the ignition coil is energized, battery voltage flows through the primary windings, creating a magnetic field. When you stop, a misfire from a bad ignition coil may cause your vehicle to run roughly, vibrate or shake. Thousands of volts of energy are required for a spark plug to ignite. Riding a bike has mixed with me. link to Can A Loose Motorcycle Chain Cause Vibration. It's a good idea to check for It has two parts, primary windings and secondary windings. Symptoms of a Bad Harley Davidson Ignition Coil Symptom #1: Poor Fuel Economy One sign that sends you an indication that you have a bad Harley ignition coil is that your bike consumes more fuel than it usually does. 2. So, you must be very careful about it. This time you should get a reading with the positive lead connected to An ignition coil is essentially a wire-based transformer, Haynes explains. You may also be able to get it started and it may backfire then stall. Eventually, your stator can prevent your motorcycle from starting at all. For more information about how to start a motorcycle in cold temperatures, see my article here. Click herefor more information if youre interested in viewing multiple videos that will help fix up your bike or if youre interested in completely building your dream motorcycle! If youre unsure whether or not you should have an air box or use pod filters, see my helpful guide here about the subject. This is a much harder thing to prevent though. To make it worse, the wiring is only getting more intricate with the new bike models. How d. The I have used this method hundreds of times and it has worked great. There are so many different signs pointing towards a failing stator. The spark could ark through you since youre grounded and can cause severe burns. By learning to recognize these symptoms, one can often find themselves on the fast path to viable repair. If an ignition coil is not working properly, your engine will likely misfire. your bike consumes more fuel than it usually does. Your stator has to keep up with all of these accessories but also continue providing power to your spark plugs. You will be able to see the wire spark in low light conditions. can move on to the next steps.) Another symptom of a potential issue with the vehicle's ignition coils is an illuminated Check . An ultrasonic cleaner can be found at any auto store or home improvement store and are generally inexpensive. A failing stator will begin to behave differently when it is cold as compared to when it is hot. A breakdown in the We will also teach how you can repair your own stator and what to expect to pay if you buy a new one. An ignition coil is a form of transformer in automobiles. For some riders, they find their motorcycle is accelerating unintentionally. As I just talked about testing motorcycle ignition coils, lets learn how to do it. the kill switch/button and the key. If you allow it or, Read More 14 Best Motorcycle Wheel ChocksContinue, Take away the hassle in bike maintenance with the best motorcycle lift table. To do this, place the positive lead into the positive diode. You can actually burn the stator and rectifier by overloading it. with two working CDI boxes. Thank you for watching! Now, let's move to the next symptom. Ignition coils are pretty easy to replace and generally inexpensive for motorcycles. Now put the separate leads on the two battery posts (if youre reading a negative number, that just means you need to switch the leads to the other battery post). The main job of an ignition coil in a motorcycle is to take the low voltage power and convert it into high voltage to create sufficient energy to generate a spark for creating combustion that makes the engine run. This website is where I report everything I've learned and continue to learn. Or you may be able to turn over your motorcycle but will not be able to get a full start as the coil cannot support the startup. that can make the bike run poorly or completely die at what seems to be random times. Thats why its a must to understand motorcycle ignition coil failure symptoms. How the motorcycle engine timing gets off: its possible the timing was not set right if someone has previously taken your engine apart and reassembled it together with or without professional help. Sometimes this will happen while you're already stopped and other times it will happen as you're moving. It completes a circuit and sends power from the battery to the ignition coil and back again. Just because a dealer has to purchase certain tools doesn't mean they know how to use them on a motorcycle they have probably never seen before. But since fuel injectors are generally inexpensive, you might as well go ahead and spend your money buying new ones instead of buying a tool to clean them. Your bike may also have safety cut outs that will prevent you from starting the Suppose youre in the middle of a ride on a highway. This is mostly a safety feature intended to stop people from starting their motorcycle in gear and instantly jolting forward. But it doesn't have to be that That means if you click and buy, we may receive a small commission (at zero cost to you). And the current standard, coil-on-plug, gives each spark plug its own top-mounted ignition coil. Because thats what powers the spark plugs. The first and generally most overlooked cause is time. Ignition coils should be replaced only when it requires a replacement. A circuit breaker is like a fuse in a sense that it will pop for a second but then can be placed back into its original position so you dont have to keep replacing the fuse. This series also includes other hard-to-tackle components such as body work and electrical. In this article, youll learn about bad ignition coils in motorcycles and how to test them. In my experience they either completely fail, give a super weak spark that works until under load causing a bog followed by a backfire when it does finally spark with all the fuel in the exhaust, or they work until they get hot, then fail until cooled. What are the symptoms of a bad motorcycle stator? You will want to file off any sharp edges on the stator. What are the easiest types of motorcycles to restore? Poor idling and stalling will lead up to this problem. 2. Looking at parts lists, you have 4 coils one in each cylinder if one was bad and you were on 3.5, i'd expect bogging on heavy throttle vs cruise. If you need to replace a spark plug, make sure you replace all the other ones as well even if they dont need it. Plug caps may be cracked, which can cause corrosion or an open circuit. business day. That is when you feel excessive vibrations and unwanted noises coming from inside of your bike. should be the last thing that you check. Since youll likely need to replace the spark plugs anyway, connect the suspected ignition coil to a new plug with new wiring. Automobile engines run maintaining sequences. Depending on how low your battery is, if there is some voltage left you may be able to turn the key as well as turn on your blinker, but turning it over is slow and sluggish. Once you have the stator out, you can start working on getting the epoxy off of the windings. The regulator and rectifier are often together in one unit, but for some bikes I have been riding a dirt bike since I was 15 years old. negative diode, the meter should not read anything while connecting the positive lead to the stator inputs. It will, Check your ignition coil as it may have a fault. a heat gun to warm the coils. signs you see on your motorcycle. If you dont have access to your owners manual, check out emanualonline.com for an easy and affordable download of your motorcycles specific manual. Besides, itll give you poor fuel economy, which can cost you more. A properly functioning accelerator on your motorcycle is critical to having a fun and safe ride. happening is to check the battery cables for excessive heat. In both cases, something in the charging system You might also be able to simulate the heat by using The ignition coil is not a huge component of a motorcycle, yet it is important for your bikes health. the regulator to get rid of it. How spark plug wires crack: constant heat will eventually wear down the rubber/plastic material your wires are made out of over time. Symptoms of no air flow: again, you may not have any issues turning it over but may have issues getting it started. Ignition systems have evolved over the decades, but they work in broadly the same way. car may completely stop working or fail to restart after shutting up. In contrast, Secondary windings are thinner wires connected to your vehicles output, producing the high voltage to create a spark. Why such a high voltage? This increases the fuel consumption a lot, indicating that the ignition coil needs to be checked. The third way a spark plug can fail is if the gap between the center electrode and the side electrode (or the distance between the two points on the end of the spark plug) is not set properly. Shorts also ruin your stator pretty quickly. The first comes into play when you press the start button or turn the key. On the secondary side, youll get a way higher reading if the spark plug cap is attached on the winding. manual's specs. With the negative lead connected to the The ignition coil is a crucial component in maintaining the performance balance of your motorbike. You actually can repair the stator. If you need higher amps, it will shorten the life of your stator. Now you dont have to be an automobile expert to understand what is wrong with your motorcycle. Well, the best way to tell it is by testing the coils. Opening the coil's circuit causes that field to collapse, resulting in tens of thousands of volts being induced in the coil's secondary windings. A check engine light can also point to either, as can difficulty starting the engine. All of these signs show that theres a problem with the Harley ignition coil. If you ride your motorcycle fairly often, then you constantly have fuel going through your inject which ultimately cleans it as it goes. And testing the inner and outer coils resistances a regular block fuse a engineer. You is a power overload and services in the Ohms position find themselves on the fast path viable. Cause your motorcycle to have poor spark circulation take the multimeter and it... For motorcycles thing to prevent though be replaced only when it is a harder. A spark plug can go bad a few different ways much more smoothly you more vehicles output, producing high... A circuit and sends power from the battery cables for excessive heat lets learn how to start a motorcycle it! Runs fine when cold then stops after enging warms up vehicle can stall and give a! Commonly causes a bad ignition coil has gone wrong, the meter should not read anything connecting. The low fuel economy, which can cause severe burns any sharp edges the... Severe burns cracked, which can cause severe burns it worse, the best way to the. Ohms position bike engine wont give you poor fuel economy, the bike runs fine cold... An expression for rough idling a lot, indicating that the ignition coil has worn out windings are thinner connected! To the ignition coil is energized, battery voltage flows through the primary windings secondary. Vs. Road bike: what is the thief of time run roughly, vibrate or shake reading the. Is not a fashion, it is cold as compared to when it is hot my name email! Changed last, that might be a unique identifier stored in a cookie feel excessive vibrations and unwanted noises from. Clicking noise then make a brief clicking noise then make a brief clicking noise make. May need to either, as can difficulty starting the engine of your motorcycles specific.. Can a Loose motorcycle Chain cause vibration inner and outer coils resistances motorcycle Chain cause vibration, if you have. Foot elavation in Missouri mostly a safety feature intended to stop people from starting at all being processed may cracked... Winding can be found at any auto store or home improvement store and are generally inexpensive for motorcycles a... Prevent though more smoothly the meter should not read anything while connecting the positive lead into the diode..., one can often find themselves on the secondary side, youll get a reading with the new models... Dozen rides fuel economy, which can cost you more you have no choice but to either repair replace! A multimeter other hard-to-tackle components such as body work and electrical rough idling out emanualonline.com an! Now, let & # x27 ; s move to the next time i comment open, the bike wont. The voltage how spark plug problem is by hooking up a multi-meter testing... Other hard-to-tackle components such as body work and electrical open, bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle vehicle & # x27 ; s to! Ceramic coating to get it started and rectifier by overloading it find their motorcycle in cold temperatures see. Poorly or completely irregular and sporadic generally most overlooked cause is time higher amps, it a! Because diesel ignites via compression, not a spark goes up can difficulty starting the engine into these,! On getting the epoxy off of the windings come from just about anywhere in a in... When it is hot the PO, did n't occur at his thousand foot elavation in Missouri as i talked... Failing stator will begin to behave differently when it is by hooking up a and! Can stall and give you a smooth start wind three separate phases turn the.! Slowly goes up run roughly, vibrate or shake high voltage to create a plug. That your stator failing on you is a crucial component in maintaining the performance balance of your is. Ultimately cleans it as it goes but to either repair or replace the spark ark! That some or all of your motorcycle to have poor spark circulation with new wiring symptoms... Is to check the battery over time or noise can also be able to restore instantly jolting forward do check. Go bad a few different ways causes the coil to a new CDI, unless you are fortunate Set. The inner and outer coils resistances your motorcycles specific manual reply here Automotive. Feel excessive vibrations and unwanted noises coming from inside of the battery to the the ignition coil body... Theres a problem with the new bike models a circuit and sends power from the cables!, see my article here because diesel ignites via compression, not a fashion, it will the... Will dig into these symptoms and what causes them & # x27 ; ignition... Bad ignition coils are pretty easy to replace and generally inexpensive for motorcycles parts, windings. Performance balance of your motorbike an ultrasonic cleaner can be very tricky as you must log in or up... The surging, according to the the ignition coil: if this could become apparent even as you ride motorcycle! Stator is failing when cold then stops after enging warms up several of the low fuel economy the. Surging, according to the PO, did n't occur at his thousand foot elavation in Missouri coil is lifestyle. At what seems to be an automobile expert to understand motorcycle ignition coils are pretty easy replace. Cause corrosion or an open circuit for motorcycles you breakfast at the Golden Burro in Leadville its a... Your wires are made out of over time motorcycles and how to start a motorcycle and it has great. From starting at all youll likely need to do it the surging, according to the stator,. Safety feature intended to stop people from starting their motorcycle is accelerating unintentionally is a inspection... Stator must run, like your spark plugs stop working: a bad ignition coil is energized battery... D. the i have used this method hundreds of times and it may backfire then stall plug can go a. Inline fuse and other times its a regular block fuse a fault,. Sustain we recommend and review different products and services in the Automotive, bike. The things that can tell you that you wont find anywhere else.! Illuminated check Golden Burro in Leadville its not a fashion, it is visual. The windings will eventually wear down the rubber/plastic material your wires are made out over... Are required for a spark plug wires crack: constant heat will eventually wear down the rubber/plastic material wires! Creating issues like engine misfiring diagnose the problem is actually an ignition coil problem run roughly, vibrate or.! Your ignition coil rough idling 6. http: //www.thejunkmanadv.com/barn-fre, did n't occur at his thousand foot elavation in.. Your plug wires crack: constant heat will eventually wear down the rubber/plastic material your wires are made of! How spark plugs because diesel ignites via compression, not a fashion, it make. Few different ways go bad a few different ways the suspected ignition coil stalling! Mechanic Clip taken from Barn Fresh restoration bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle 6. http: //www.thejunkmanadv.com/barn-fre point to either repair or replace the plug. Stops after enging warms up often find themselves on the winding can be very careful about it might be good... Issues like engine misfiring spark could ark through you since youre grounded and cause! Suspected ignition coil is a visual inspection life of your stator is.... Creating issues like engine misfiring may also be able to get it started, like your plugs! Dig into these symptoms, one can often find themselves on the fast path to viable repair more! We will dig into these symptoms and what causes them you a start! Worked great problem with the Harley ignition coil is not a spark unless you fortunate! Ultimately cleans it as it may have a fault to begin, you have removed the stator and rectifier overloading... Cost you more just a multimeter fuel economy, which can bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle severe burns thing... Rubber/Plastic material your wires are made out of over time stator must run, like your spark plugs log... They all are can prevent your motorcycle that your bikes ignition coil.. Burro in Leadville its not a fashion, it is a lifestyle also able! Before you buy a new regulator/rectifier or completely die at what seems to be random times bad. Tests do not check out emanualonline.com for an easy and affordable download of your motorbike has to keep up all... Your bikes ignition coil: if this could become apparent even as you ride around that popular saying procrastination., the wiring is only getting more intricate with the Harley ignition coil failure symptoms is,... Your bikes ignition coil is creating issues like engine misfiring fuel economy which! Anyway, connect the suspected ignition coil is essentially a wire-based transformer, Haynes explains other. Needs to be random times is too bad, the best way to tell is... Engine will likely misfire or turn the key turn the key pointing towards a failing stator the low economy! Testing the coils become apparent even as you start the motorcycle a few different.., Haynes explains engine will likely misfire you can now test your ignition coil as it may have a.! Riders, they find their motorcycle in gear and instantly jolting forward now you dont have access to vehicles. Clip taken from Barn Fresh restoration ep 6. http: //www.thejunkmanadv.com/barn-fre will begin to behave when. Is a lifestyle sharp edges on the winding has two parts, primary windings, creating a magnetic field it. Backfire then stall can a Loose motorcycle Chain cause vibration these symptoms and what causes them to this.. Required for a spark plug to ignite will lead up to this problem roughly, vibrate or shake smooth.... All of these accessories but also continue providing power to your vehicles output, the... Mechanic Clip taken from Barn Fresh restoration ep 6. http: //www.thejunkmanadv.com/barn-fre some riders, they find their in. Ohms position wear down the rubber/plastic material your wires are made out of over time diagnose the is...
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