Topic: Got a few sparks. Now what?

[Dr. Noisewater]

Hey guys I made a minor breakthrough on my restoration last night. I got the electrical system put back together enough to check for spark. I kicked it over a few times in the dark and saw a few flashes from the two on the left side, but only a few, then no more. I've changed the battery, points/capacitors, coils, and the fuseholder. What else should I look at? Does it matter that the lights an everything aren't connected? Thanks.

[Tews19]

One coil should feed the two middle cylinders 2&3. Other coil 1&4. Make sure thats the set up.

if you have fresh oil. I would try to start. But that's me

[bollingball]

Just exactly where were these flashes? Were the plug wires on or off? You should not be able to see any flashes with every thing on. Tell us more.
Ken

[Stev-o]

Check the fuses with an ohmmeter, not just visually.

Be sure your plug is grounded, I lay it on the exhaust.

Is your kill switch connected?

[bollingball]

OK I reread the op and I miss understood at first. So are you saying it was 1 &2? Now I see why Tews wrote what he did they are on different coils. I don't think the lack of lights has any thing to do with it. Did you see spark on 3 & 4?
Ken

[lucky]

Some people on this forum think that if they see a spark from the points area, all is good.
The purpose of the points is NOT to make sparks.

[Dr. Noisewater]

My carbs are still getting rebuilt otherwise I would try to start it.

I'll check it out again tonight and see which ones are sparking exactly and if its a coil or something.

[Dr. Noisewater]

Just checked again and the 2 and 3 plugs were sparking fine, but nothing on 1 and 4. I swapped the yellow and blue wires on the coils and the spark swapped sides. Does that mean a bad 1-4 coil?

[Tews19]

Im thinking possible loose connection in the coils proximity.

remove the caps from the side that does not fire... trim 1/4" off both wires. Put caps on. This helps in some cases....

Edit- it's possible a bad coil but that is rare. 

Did you check to make sure on the lower right side that those wires are connected?

[Stev-o]

Coils rarely go bad but seems to be the part everyone wants to replace first (been there).
+ 1 on Tews post, check all connections.

[scottly]

Just checked again and the 2 and 3 plugs were sparking fine, but nothing on 1 and 4. I swapped the yellow and blue wires on the coils and the spark swapped sides. Does that mean a bad 1-4 coil?

This means the 1-4 coil is good. Check the 1-4 points...

[Deltarider]

Coils rarely go bad but seems to be the part everyone wants to replace first

+1

[InTheStreet]

Did you check to make sure on the lower right side that those wires are connected?

Just checked again and the 2 and 3 plugs were sparking fine, but nothing on 1 and 4. I swapped the yellow and blue wires on the coils and the spark swapped sides. Does that mean a bad 1-4 coil?

This means the 1-4 coil is good. Check the 1-4 points...

The +1 and +1. The connector by the battery on the right side inside the weird rubber cover come apart 2 out of 3 times I remove my carbs and once when I changed my battery. Also, my points were so far out if adjustment when I got the bike that it didn't fire on 2 and 3. Recently, a bad condenser acted as a ground and killed spark on 1 and 4 for me, too.

I found putting rubberbands between the points to prevent contact, placing my meter on volts and reading at various connectors very helpful in finding my problem most recently, but check what Tews and scottly said first.