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1982 Maxim 550 no spark and other PO tales.

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by BlumpkinKing87, Jun 18, 2018.

  1. BlumpkinKing87

    BlumpkinKing87 New Member

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    Hey all, I'm new around here! I got a Maxim 550 in a trade about 5 weeks ago, on the way to drop off the bike the guy tells me it lost spark and through process of elimination he determined it's due to the stator. He was supposed to provide one for me, as well as repair the fuel tank because he dented the hell out of it on the way to my house (strap supposedly came loose), but he's ignored my calls and texts and blocked me on Facebook so now I'm on my own. I've been looking online for a complete generator assembly so I can get this bike on the road. Any good sources out there that I can trust? I do NOT want to use eBay. Thanks in advance!
     

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  2. MattiThundrrr

    MattiThundrrr Not a guru

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    WhattanASSHOLE!!! Don't worry, you will find that everyone here is awesome and supportive. I don't know much about electric srstu, but I do know the best part source for the xj series. Xj4ever, there's a link at the top right corner of every page. Your experience with Len, aka Chacal, the guy who runs the shop, will be the absolute opposite of what you endured with your seller. Another guarantee, once you get it running, you won't regret the xj, they're awesome!

    Ps have you notified the police? Not sure there's much you can do about it, but it would be cool if you could!
     
  3. BlumpkinKing87

    BlumpkinKing87 New Member

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    I'm actually going to make a police report today. I think I also have enough of a case to take him to small claims court, I have a ton of messages between us on Facebook. Thanks for the swift reply! I hope to be riding sometime this year, nice weather only lasts about 4 months around here!

    [EDIT]: Well, I just rang the city police department up and they told me it's a civil matter and I don't need to make a police report. I should have just reported the handgun I traded to him stolen instead!
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2018
  4. joe elliff

    joe elliff Active Member

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    With the issues already known with the seller, should you trust “his” determination of the root cause being the stator?
     
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  5. MattiThundrrr

    MattiThundrrr Not a guru

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    Yeah, my riding season pretty much just ended a couple of weeks ago, so I don't have much to do and I cruise the internet instead of the back roads.
    Yeesh, traded the bike for a gun?! Definitely not in Canada, huh?
     
  6. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I would see if you have someone from here that is close to you to look at to to verify. It MAY be that he's wrong, , and it's a simpler issue---- fwiw
     
  7. BlumpkinKing87

    BlumpkinKing87 New Member

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    I hear ya. I'm going to check the ignition system with my multimeter sometime this week and see for myself what the issue is before I go buying any parts. I have to sell this POS Kawasaki 440 that he dropped off to me for parts before I do anything anyway. Idiot said they were interchangeable lmao

    [EDIT]: Going with your idea, anyone here in Northwest Indiana?
     
  8. Rooster53

    Rooster53 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    That's a great plan. The stator is not going to cause a spark issue as it is part of the charging system. A defective stator will cause no charge of the battery, which would then result in a weak spark once the battery was depleted.

    This link covers just about everything and is a must read for new XJ owners to restore the bike to a safe and reliable condition:

    https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/the-information-overload-hour.27544/
     
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  9. BlumpkinKing87

    BlumpkinKing87 New Member

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    Thanks, that will be a huge help to me!!
     
  10. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    @BlumpkinKing87

    Mind if a mod moves this and turns it into a help thread, or would you rather start one of your own and leave this in here in case you do end up needing a stator?
    Based on what the PO did, and told you, I'm fairly certain that he knows nothing about the bike or what it needs.
     
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  11. BlumpkinKing87

    BlumpkinKing87 New Member

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    Yeah go ahead and move it, that will probably get me a lot farther! I'll make a new post here if I actually do need the stator. Thanks!
     
  12. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Well-Known Member

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    Welcome @BlumpkinKing87
    So is the stator missing or he just thought it was no good? I agree with the previous posts that it is something other than stator causing the problem.
     
  13. BlumpkinKing87

    BlumpkinKing87 New Member

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    I was thinking about disassembling it and cleaning it up a little bit, but I didn't think that would make much of a difference.
     

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  14. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Well-Known Member

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    Ok those are the pickup coils they can fail there is an ohm test to confirm if the work
     
  15. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Well they won't both have failed...
     
  16. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Pickups, not stator
     
  17. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I'm curious--- maybe I missed it....

    how do YOU know it's a spark issue? Did you check for spark? Pull a plug let it hang by the cap and havecthectip touch the block. Hit the start button and watch for spark. Try a new plug, too.....

    Go for the obvious first.

    If there's spark, then you're looking at a carb/fuel issue.
     
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  18. Rooster53

    Rooster53 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    From this link:

    https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/the-ultimate-relay-switch-sensor-and-diodes-guide.27543/

    XJ550 models
    :

    Pick-up coils:
    650 ohms +/- 20% = 520 ohms to 780 ohms acceptable range

    Ignition Coils:
    Primary side (input from main wiring harness):
    2.5 ohms +/- 10% = 2.25 ohms - 2.75 ohms acceptable range

    Secondary side (spark plug wires, without their end caps):
    11K ohms +/- 20% = 8,800 ohms - 13,200 ohms acceptable range

    Spark plug caps:
    10K +/- 20% = 8,000 to 12,000 ohms per cap acceptable range

    Spark plugs:
    0 ohms per plug

    The easiest place to check the ignition coil primaries and pick-up coils is at the TCI. Remove the two connectors from the TCI to make the resistance measurements.

    4 pin connector R/W to Orange for one ignition coil primary, R/W to Gray for other ignition coil primary 2.5 ohms +/- 10% - note these tend to read slightly high.

    6 pin connector Orange to Black for one pick-up, Grey to Black for other pick-up - 650 ohms +/- 20%.

    The ignition coil secondary resistance is done at the plug caps. Some people like to remove the caps, but I prefer to check them first with the caps installed in the event that you might identify a poor connection between the cap and the plug wire; noted by an initial failed reading but a good reading when checking individual components.

    Measure from cylinder 1 to 4 and cylinder 2 to 3.
     
  19. BlumpkinKing87

    BlumpkinKing87 New Member

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    Pickup coils check out fine, primary ignition coil resistance is good but I can't get any readings for secondary resistance. I'm not sure I'm measuring in the right spot for secondary though as I'm not sure how to remove the plug caps

    [EDIT]: figured out how to remove the caps. Both coils test good, but I can't get any readings at all with the caps on. The caps are pretty much shot anyway, number 4 is completely broken.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2018
  20. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    spark plug caps unscrew from wires. you test spark plug wire 1 to spark plug wire 4
    and spark plug wire 2 to spark plug wire 3.
    you can test with caps in place just expect more resistance. due to the caps
     

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