Topic: Dead condensers (may be)

[Jore]

Hi, a few weeks back I had a problem with the kill switch on my bike, so I bypassed it and after a few tries the bike roared back to life but before that it backfired once (think it was due to some accumulated gas on the exhaust), Anyway I got the bike going and rode back to my place (just for safety I had a buddy follow me). About  half a mile from home the bike dyed on me, tried to restart it a few times and it was dead. So I called it a day and trailered it back home.

Fast forward a few days, and I rebuilt the kill switch put everything back together start testing the bike, and found no spark on 1 coil, swapped the cable between them and the dead coil fired. Followed the blue and yellow cables coming from the coils all the way down to the points.

Took off the cover from the points and condensers side, gave it a try and one of the points sparked every time it opened, the other one didn't. I swapped sides on the condensers and nothing, now none of the 2 spark when opened nor there's spark on the coil side.

What can it be?

[Jore]

Is there a way to test the condensers with a meter, or should I just replace them altogether?

[Vinhead1957]

A condenser is just a big capacitor. There should be no continuity from the wire connection to ground with the connection unconnected to the points. You really can't tell with a regular meter if the condenser is open though. Points sets are not that expensive. It would be part of a Normal tune up too

[Jore]

My points were changed recently, but anyway I used up my afternoon chasing electrical gremlins. The other thing I found was this thread:

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=49167.msg519696#msg519696

Basically it's the correct way of setting the points and condenser cables, I did that and it worked like a charm.

Now I just have to see what's going on with the spark plugs since a few days back I took them out and burned the soot out of them with a torch, so probably one is still fouled, but it's going now.

[lucky]

You cannot test condensers with most volt/ohm meters.
You should replace the condensers when you replace the points.

Points are not supposed to have a spark like a spark plug. Means nothing.
They might give off a spark, but usually it is so small you will not see it.

You do need a dwell meter if you want the bike running correctly.
The dwell and points gap are interrelated and must both be within tolerance
at the same time. If you cannot get both sets of points within tolerance at the same time it means the plastic block of the points that rubs on the points cam is worn and the points need to be replaced.

You cannot properly gap a set of worn points.

If there is burned on grease on the points cam, the firing of the engine will be erratic.
Clean the points cam and use a light coating of disc brake grease (1000º temp )won't burn.