Topic: just want to double check...points?

[possum2082]

once again, you guys are so helpful.  thank you in advance.

battery is good.
plugs wires are good.
coils are good.

no spark from the plugs.
gasoline on the plugs
points are a little pitted.

sometimes she'll fire right up, most of the time, she just cranks.

new points?  new condensers? 

first time with a point system and didn't know if bad points would explain her fickle nature.
thanks.

[750goes]

check your points are opening and closing...and readjust them if needed....easy job..

also clean the points up................run a file through them a few times and wipe the points faces over with some alcohol....

check all your wiring from points to plugs..

check both sets of points.............sometimes the boot or heel of the points wears out by rubbing on the points cam lobe and have no adjustment left to open.....


the off/run/off switch is operational too - in the right spot    ....ie   run   ??

[MrZxp]

the off/run/off switch is operational too - in the right spot    ....ie   run   ??

This would be my first question also...   it (the kill switch) is so easily overlooked...
When it is running - it runs ok?

Cheers, Phil

[possum2082]

kill switch is in the on position, i promise.

i filed them down and they definitely open and close.  can the fickle nature of the bike be caused by bad points?

[Patrick]

Use a circuit checker and find out if you have current on the wires from the points to the coils. The current should alternate from one to the other as each set of points closes. 

[HondaMan]

For "hand" operation, try disconnecting the condensors (just in case they are old and leaky), then turn on the power while watching the plug(s). Open and close the points with a small (plastic-handled) screwdriver, and they should spark a little and the plugs should also spark. If not, the power from the KILL switch might be having a hard time getting to the coils. This can happen if the bike's been sitting a long time with the KILL in the OFF position, because the contacts can corrode a little and become high resistance in series with the coils. This drops the power to the coils and makes a real weak spark. Sometimes, operating the KILL switch about 50 times will "wipe" this corrosion from the contacts, which can help.

When it's all done, connect those condensors back up. Or get new ones. They do go bad, in about 5 years, whether they are used or not.

[Somemonkey]

I had a problem like this a while back. Turned out the condensers were bad so I just replaced the entire breaker plate setup with brand new hardware from Z1. I wish I had done it sooner because I spent many weekends trying to figure out what the problem was.

http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1330

[Steve F]

Once the plugs get "wet" with gas, or become gas-fouled, you'll have to clean and dry them before they'll fire again.  Try starting the bike without the choke, or partial choke.  A weak spark is the main cause of gas fouling of plugs.  My red 750F suffers from this (still using points), and I have to be careful when starting by quickly throwing the choke lever to half-way as SOON as it fires, and modulate the throttle to keep it running until she warms up a bit.
The yellow 750F has DYNA-S ignition with 3-OHM coils, and that problem just "went away".

[possum2082]

  as it turns out, i'm an idiot.

the ground coming from the kill switch into the harness had become unhooked!!!!!
i connected it and she fired right up
however, i did clean up the points and set the ignition.  thank you all yet again.

until next disaster.

[750goes]

It is usually the simplest things that go wrong.....good detective work.......

[Steve F]

as it turns out, i'm an idiot.

the ground coming from the kill switch into the harness had become unhooked!!!!!
i connected it and she fired right up
however, i did clean up the points and set the ignition.  thank you all yet again.

until next disaster.

You're not an idiot.....If you were an idiot, you'd still be messin with the plugs