Washed bike & now no spark on 1&4

Washed the bike today and started it a couple of times with everything seeming fine then shut it off to keep washing. I used a leaf blower to dry it an then went to take it for a ride to dry off what the leaf blower missed. Found the bike very sluggish then felt pipe 1 & 4 were warm and 2 & 3 were hot.

Came back and put a colortune in & found no spark on 1 & 4. I've tried drying the coil and the ignition module opposite from the battery. No change, runs on two cylinders but not 1&4. Definitely caused by the water from the wash as I drove the bike last night and it was perfect.

Ideas where to find the cause of the problem? Then I need to fix it, I don't want this to happen in the rain.

Thanks!

Gary

 

This happens to me everytime I get caught in a rain storm.

Check your coils connections and also take a look at the TCI connections as well. Cleaning corrosion along the way

 

Yup - sounds like you've got a crack/leak in the left coil for 1&4 - have to give it time to get the dampness out.

 

I think you're right on.

I tried figuring out if there was any issue with ohmage & the input and output read properly on both so I then switched coils and now 1&2 were firing & 3&4 were not. The only thing was the coils were on different sides.

So I took hold of the coil that seemed to be bad and I could feel a shock coming through the casing. Idling, every so often all 4 would fire & then it would revert. I replaced the coils to the original locations and restarted and it was the same as initially.

I guess I need a new or replacement coil...

Would like the Dyna coils but hooking them up looks to be a lot of work for no real performance gain. When dry, the coil I have for 1&4 is fine and I get between 50-55 MPG so I don't think a high peformance coil will increase my MPGs.

Knowing High Voltage (Ham Radio) I doubt I could do anything to repair the bad coil. Sealing it from the outside may help but I'm more concerned about the internal components breaking down over time.

I'll make a post on the wanted/for sale forum & see what comes up...

Thanks for the suggestion, looks like you were right.

Gary

 

driving at 55 like the old days AND put a windshield on are the only ways to increase y our mileage. a full windshield makes a big difference.

 

You could dry that coil out, then coat it with RTV or silicone.

 

This is the one thing WD40 IS good for. But I would still replace the coil.

Here's what happens:

Look very carefully at the surface of the coil and at where the metal lugs protrude from the case.

On the surface of the coil itself, you may find microscopic cracks that follow the "lava flow" within the plastic (?) itself. Where the lugs come out there may be some cracking or separation of the plastic from the metal.

Both of these scenarios are the possible points of entry for the moisture.

Like Wiz said, it can be dried out and then coated, preferrably with liquid electrical tape but RTV would work.

But I wouldn't trust it. Sucks being stranded on your bike 400 miles from home in the rain.

Don't spend too much for used coils on eBay, it's a crapshoot. That being said, very nice used parts CAN be got, you just need to be vigilant.

Talk to chacal.

 

Snowy; yuppers, I have a full windshield on my bike. I really like it.

Wizard; for the short term I should do this.

Fitz; Yeah, I worry about getting used stuff on Ebay that's electrical. Frankly the part I expected to be an issue was the plug wires, not the coil. I do have liquid tape that I bought to paint my manifolds & once the coil seems to be working right I can do this fix. The problem I worry about is the internal breakdown of windings because of moisture/HV damage. I would expect this coil to fail down the road.

Chacal's price for the Dyna coils is good but I really don't want to spend that much right now, I'd rather put the money into getting a 2nd XJ & rehabbing that... If it would make a difference I could feel as opposed to a stock coil, I't be a more likely choice. The other thing is it looks like I'd have to make a mounting bracket for them & then it's a 4 hour job to install.

Thanks!