Be sure to look through the jet holes and make sure there are no blockages; any blockages will cause poor performance on your motorcycle. You may have to pay $80 for some coils, while others may require that you part with $300. If you need to replace a spark plug, make sure you replace all the other ones as well even if they dont need it. 1) Stalling If your vehicle begins to stall as you're driving, it could be related to your ignition coil being bad. A great place to start is at the source of power. components of your electrical system to see what is causing the excessive amperage. --Pick-up coils- engine heat causes the coil to open, The bike runs fine when cold then stops after enging warms up. If you have an electric starter, take your air intake off, push the starter and squirt starter fluid straight into your carburetor. If the battery drops below 10.8 volts, it If it did not, the issue is more than likely faulty contact points or incorrect timing. The stator mark will need to be lined up with the engine mark, then youll need to remove the valve cover and make sure the valves are positioned correctly. Note- If your motorcycle starts and runs fine, but then dies once it warms up, there could be a wire Cannon Entities LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Rakuten, AvantLink, and other sites. Essentially, their Can A Loose Motorcycle Chain Cause Vibration? This could become apparent even as you start the motorcycle. When you match the symptoms and assume its a bad ignition coil, the only troubleshooting process is to get it tested and install a replacement ignition coil as soon as possible. Featured Images By https://itstillruns.com/test-harley-davidson-ignition-coil-6516657.html. Engine misfiring and a dashboard check engine light are the two most common symptoms of a bad ignition coil. Due to a defective ignition coil, your car engine might misfire and pour fuel out of the exhaust pipe without burning it, causing the engine to consume more fuel. To make it worse, the wiring is only getting more intricate with the new bike models. Primary windings are thicker wires. As the stator provides the spark for the spark plug, if it is not working correctly you could be getting a very weak spark. Lastly, you just need to solder the connector wires to the three phases and put it back onto the bike. OBD2 Scanner: https://amzn.to/2QBLLp1. is possible that the battery is no longer operable. For troubleshooting, the stator connector that runs to the engine m ust be Once you ignite the engine, the engine gives some noisy sound as though it were coughing or sputtering. Ignition coils should be replaced only when it requires a replacement. How to fix it: There are ways to clean your fuel injectors including using a solution specifically for cleaning them; theres even a tool made to clean fuel injectors. The spark plug can crack by either dropping it on the ground before installation or by it simply getting old and the extreme heat has its toll on it. Anything over that and the system is overcharging. Check A breakdown in the When you face a bad ignition coil problem, you have no choice but to service it.Rather, youve to replace the ignition coil system with a new one completely. Thousands of volts of energy are required for a spark plug to ignite. Now put the separate leads on the two battery posts (if youre reading a negative number, that just means you need to switch the leads to the other battery post). To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Unlikely, maybe not a car dealer but a motorcycle dealer should certainly know. Because thats what powers the spark plugs. How to diagnose motorcycle ignition problems. Further, it occurs when there is gasoline in your combustion engine cylinders and is referred to as backfiring. Motorcycles are a lot more simple to repair compared to cars. How to Change Dirt Bike Tire: Simple and Easy Ways, Nibbi Racing Parts Replacement Original High Performance Ignition Coil, HIFROM Motorcycle Ignition Coil for Chinese 50cc 90cc 110cc 125cc ATV Dirt Bike. for all three (make sure to take into account the resistance between the leads). Newer vehicles use either coil-on-plug (COP) ignition coils or coil packs. For the regulator, attach your meter leads to the battery while it is running. Bad Ignition Coil. Also, if you have no idea when they were changed last, that might be a good indication that theyre spent. extra power needed to charge the battery during operation. The more you understand how a motorcycle works, the better you can understand how a car works. ignition coil. 10 Best Electric Scooter for Teenagers: Safe, and Affordable! That is just for the part itself. A motorcycle with a faulty main fuse may create an intermittent connection that can make the bike run poorly or completely die at what seems to be random times. Your email address will not be published. If it starts and revs up for a few seconds then that means your have a dirty carburetor. ground can range from a completely dead bike to electrical components working intermittently. If you notice that your motorcycle is very hard to start and that the difficulty of starting it seems to change with the temperature of the bike, you can be pretty confident that there is a stator issue. Otherwise, youll through off the engines ignition timing, and create more problems. Repeat the process for the negative diode. When a cracked spark plug is installed, the spark will find the least path of resistance through the crack and ground out to your engine block instead of going all the way down to the end of the spark plug and jumping across the gap like its supposed to. Another simple test you can do, regardless of the type of coil you're dealing with, is to check the voltage flowing with battery connected. This wont completely warm up your engine, but it will make it warm enough to get it started. Symptom #2: Backfiring Your motorcycle will sound like its attempting to start, but the turning sounds will probably sound a little slower than normal. Plug caps may be cracked, which can cause corrosion or an open circuit. Because of my knowledge and research, I am able to list possible reasons why your motorcycle isnt starting and how to fix those problems. You can first check to make sure that the plug wires and caps are all intact. Sometimes this will happen while you're already stopped and other times it will happen as you're moving. Overall, failed or weak have 12 volts or higher with no load on it (ignition and lights off). To test the cap, you will need to remove If the reading says anything close to or slightly below 12 volts, charge your battery and try starting your motorcycle again. The misfire will either be on a particular cylinder, or random. You expect a smooth and unhesitant start when you first start your bike in a day, right? I give dozens of tips and tricks that you wont find anywhere else online. In my experience they either completely fail, give a super weak spark that works until under load causing a bog followed by a backfire when it does finally spark with all the fuel in the exhaust, or they work until they get hot, then fail until cooled. Now, lets learn motorcycle ignition coil failure symptoms in detail. It will require some attention to detail, but you can do the entire thing yourself. This will make your motorcycle run much more smoothly. There are so many different signs pointing towards a failing stator. Looks like a fairly simple procedure and it would be great if it indicated the problem. How to fix it: all you need to do is simply replace the spark plug wire. To test the rectifier, you will need to disconnect all of the wires and turn your multimeter to the diode Take it to a Honda dealer and ask him to run diagnostics on it. I wouldn't mind replacing the stock unit though. The exact mechanism depends on if you have a conventional system with a distributor, a more modern distributor-less system, or the newest coil-on-lug system, Advance Auto Parts explains. The plug wire runs from the ignition coil to the However, its possible for bad coils to still pass this test. If it still doesnt fire, its the coil. Hello, my name is Henry. Other causes of ignition failure: --Bad fuse box- Our old OEM fuses are prone to corrosion and weak connections. the primary wire that comes from the CDI box and the ground or ground wire. Once you have all three poles wired correctly, you are then ready to cover the entire thing in insulating paint. Your vehicle will cough and splutter regularly. It is usually located off of the positive battery wire. An ignition coil is essentially a wire-based transformer, Haynes explains. If youre running too lean, meaning theres not enough gas, or running too rich which means theres too much gas (or if theres oil that is detonating with your gas) then it will dirty up the tip of your spark plug and it wont fire correctly. Your motorcycle may turn over but not start, it may make a grinding sound, or it may not make any sound at all depending on the make and model of motorcycle you have. See my article here for more details about what happens when a battery just sits. How to fix it: youll need to thoroughly clean your carbs. For example, you may notice that your motorcycle runs fine at lower rpms but when you get to the higher rpms, it starts to run really rough. Reduced engine power. It all came from the day I, Read More 10-Point Checklist For Buying a Used MotorcycleContinue, Riding a motorcycle is more than just the miles or the destination. can become faulty due to age or excessive vibration. And you decided to accelerate your bike a bit to go faster. Since youll likely need to replace the spark plugs anyway, connect the suspected ignition coil to a new plug with new wiring. troubleshooting to eliminate them as the source of the problem. Generally, you can get a reading of 0.2 ohms all the way up to 5 ohms. Anything under and the charging system is not able to keep up. The numbers are not important. Whenever misfires happen, you will notice how some ticks are happening inside of the engine. If an ignition coil is bad, you will experience rough idling. Trying to start your vehicle when the ignition coils fail will result in a rough ride. How spark plug wires crack: constant heat will eventually wear down the rubber/plastic material your wires are made out of over time. It has two parts, primary windings and secondary windings. Then, measure the voltage from tab to tab, just like before. Once you have the stator out, you can start working on getting the epoxy off of the windings. This bumps the 12 volts from the battery into 50,000 volts or even more. Diesel engines dont have spark plugs because diesel ignites via compression, not a spark. You will need a multimeter and the shop manual for your specific motorcycle to troubleshoot the electrical Japanese motorcycles are the easiest type of motorcycle to restore whereas European motorcycles are a bit more difficult. Kyle currently works as a mechanical engineer and graduated with a minor in automotive engineering. This amperage is absolute and cannot be decreased. Next, take the multimeter and place it in the ohms position. If you'd like us to follow up with you, enter the details below. If this is the case, you may have to often cause an instant phone call to schedule an appointment at the bike shop. Using a high gear and 5k rpm in a mild uphill makes the engine sound like it spits fuel out of the exhaust. These are the symptoms of a bad ignition coil: Misfires - Check Engine Light: Misfiring is usually the first and most common symptom, and in most vehicles today, this will appear as a Check Engine Light. What are the symptoms you should look out for in your Harley Davidson ignition coil? How air is obstructed: this is usually caused by a dirty air filter that hasnt been cleaned or replaced in a while or clogged pod filters (though pod filters dont usually have a problem with obstructing air). To begin, you should first check for continuity from the terminal tabs of the connector and then see if With the negative lead connected to the Eliminate everything else before you buy a new CDI, unless you are fortunate enough If youre riding your bike and see a check engine light sign anytime soon, it may be because of the bad coil inside. Discussion in 'The Garage' started by MrBob, Apr 13, 2016. somewhere in the ignition circuit that is losing connectivity as it warms. For the electrical testing, firstly, turn off the engine of your motorcycle. It will, Symptoms that youre in the wrong gear: this mostly applies to kick starter motorcycles. "whoops, forgot about those" issues. The actual number of the voltage If this happens to be the case, you may notice some of the following symptoms: Lack of acceleration when starting from a stop. Your Harley engine backfire is noticeable when your engine runs lean or rich. These symptoms can be easily confused with several other engine problems. How the motorcycle engine timing gets off: its possible the timing was not set right if someone has previously taken your engine apart and reassembled it together with or without professional help. to test for the CDI is to swap it with a CDI that is known to work. A check engine light can also point to either, as can difficulty starting the engine. A main fuse As I just talked about testing motorcycle ignition coils, lets learn how to do it. Every motorcycles process of timing is different from each other. the regulator to get rid of it. Next, check to make sure nothing is going to ground by connecting the red lead to the connector and the black If you are getting close to 12vdc at the coil terminal of a 12V DC system and no reading is coming out of from touching the coil, then you either have a bad connection or bad coil. reading should measure between 300 and 500 Ohms, but refer to your shop manual for your motorcycle's Another significant symptom of a bad ignition coil is the lessening of fuel economy. You can also check the gap between the coil and the magnet. How to fix it: Luckily fixing a spark plug is easy; you simply need to buy new spark plugs. They attach directly to the wiring and indicate when charge flows through it. Therere single ignition coil and dual chordignition coil. You can get online all the instructions to follow to carry out this test. lead to the negative terminal of the battery. Sometimes someone tries to wire up aftermarket lights or a horn and put the wrong wire somewhere. more information and. Pickup coils rarely go bad, but at times they do. This is a result of the high-speed coil in the stator going bad. link to 6 Reasons Why Your Motorcycle Accelerates By Itself. If the fuse continues to blow, you will have to check other A bad started can make several strange sounds. should be the last thing that you check. The stator begins to work much harder and therefore generate much more power. If these tests do not check out, you will need a new regulator/rectifier. In this post, youll gather all the information you need to have so that when you next experience Harley coil symptoms, you can easily nip issues in the bud without delay. Knowing where to start is the biggest hurdle. There are certain functions on your motorcycle that your stator must run, like your spark plugs. In this article we will dig into these symptoms and what causes them. Sometimes its an inline fuse and other times its a regular block fuse. Symptoms that your motorcycle is too cold: This is only applicable to motorcycles that have a carburetor and does not usually affect motorcycles that have a fuel injection system. Many people have had stators last them over 200,000 miles, your stator can last just as long too. battery will continue to drain as the bike runs. Motorcycle electrical systems have been known to strike fear even into some of the most seasoned home motorcycle Luckily through my own trial and error, my education in mechanics, and a little bit of luck, Ive been able to troubleshoot several areas of the motorcycle. If your engines idle RPM doesnt change, the coil for that cylinder is on its way out. However, if you know the signs of damage, that would be easier for you to tell. Maybe your motorcycle has related symptoms but isnt an ignition coil, could it be symptoms of Harley intake leaks or even fuel filter symptoms? Youll need to plug in a space heater and blow it directly onto your engine and carburetor for at least 20 minutes. Your stator has to keep up with all of these accessories but also continue providing power to your spark plugs. Label parts using some tape if you need to. Call Us Mon-Fri: 7am - 8pm, Sat & Sun: 8am - 5pm CST: 1-800-969-7501, Pickup Store Hours are Mon-Fri: 9am - 8pm, Sat: 9am - 5pm & Sun: 12pm - 5pm CST. Youll have the positive wire going straight to ground and its too many amps for that fuse to handle thus causing the fuse to blow to protect the battery and the wiring. Other extreme weather conditions will speed up this process. Engine misfiring is the most common symptom of a bad ignition coil. When this happens, some unused fuel or black smoke in the combustion cylinders exits through the exhaust pipe. 3. Generally, our first thought is to assume that those other components have failed, and we do not consider the stator. Once you find out that your ignition coil is bad, the first thing to do is to disconnect the negative terminal on your battery and locate the coil that needs to be replaced. Ive owned over 12 motorcycles and went through this process with every single one of them. Without a stator, your motorcycle will not get any spark at all as your battery is not capable of supplying the appropriate power levels to generate a spark. Let it cool down. As a result, if your stator is going bad your motorcycle will run very poorly. If it keeps blowing, buy a small circuit breaker for a few dollars at any auto store and put the circuit breaker in the line until you identify why the fuse keeps blowing. 10 Best Beginner Dirt Bike for Teenagers | Pick Your Best Choice, Best Electric Dirt Bikes for Kids And teenager motocross riders, 10 Best Dirt Bike Handguards Review & Buying Guide, Best Motocross Chest Protector And Roost Deflector Body Armor For Rider, 10 best dirt bike tires for woods And trail riding, 10 best dirt bike universal training wheels for kids, top 10 best motorcycle wheel balancer and truing stand, 10 best dirt chain lube Protect From Rusting, 10 best motorcycle chain cleaning brush [Buying Guide], 10 Best Motorcycle Chain Cleaner with Buying Guide, Best Dirt Bike Hitch Carrier That Will Make Your Life Easier. For more information about how to start a motorcycle in cold temperatures, see my article here. Stators can fail for multiple reasons. You will need to buy new AWG wire. These are parts that dont last forever and with continual use, theyll eventually become dysfunctional. All engines eventually lose some power, but regular maintenance helps regulate the loss. Also, plug wires can be checked for proper resistance using an ohmeter. Every motorcycle usually has a main fuse which is between 30 to 50 amps (occasionally some bikes will have 20 amps). If the battery only measures to a maximum Thank you for watching! Electrical problems Its worth pointing out, though, that bad spark plugs and plug wires can damage the coils and not just vice versa. While the ignition coil transforms the power, the spark plug wires assists to ignite the fuel. This electrical conversion is needed to ignite the fuel and start the engine. Youll get to hear weird noises or feel the low power in starting the engine. shop manual should have the correct specifications for your specific ignition coil. In both cases, something in the charging system The third way a spark plug can fail is if the gap between the center electrode and the side electrode (or the distance between the two points on the end of the spark plug) is not set properly. The stator has the responsibility of generating power to run various electronics on the bike. This website is where I report everything I've learned and continue to learn. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you allow it or, Read More 14 Best Motorcycle Wheel ChocksContinue, Take away the hassle in bike maintenance with the best motorcycle lift table. If you are having a no-spark problem, a good place to start after ruling out shorts, grounds, switches and Your email address will not be published. be at about 2000 rpm. 04. insulation can cause arcing in the plug wire. When the sequence gets interrupted by a damaged ignition coil, your bike starts to misfire. When you attempt to start it, you may hear a ticking sound. This should be an open circuit and the meter should not read anything. The same goes with your motorcycle. Cannon Entities LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. You might be served by such an effort though. For some riders, they find their motorcycle is accelerating unintentionally. But the biggest reason ignition coils fail is due to an overload in voltage because of poorly functioning spark plugs. These will be signs that your stator is failing. (mostly older), they can be separate. happening is to check the battery cables for excessive heat. Then take the positive and negative wire leads and attach them to the posts of the primary winding of the ignition coil. How a motorcycle gets in the wrong gear: Often times people will turn off their motorcycle while its in gear and forget to put it back into neutral. It can imply that some or all of your coils must be repaired. that sends you an indication that you have a bad Harley ignition coil is that How to fix it: Youll need to replace it if you know its no longer functional. Get to hear weird noises or feel the low power in starting the engine the rubber/plastic material your wires made. Or a horn and put it back onto the bike runs bad ignition coil symptoms... The problem begins to work over time when they were changed last, that would be easier you... Referred to as backfiring into your carburetor drain as the source of power 'd like us follow... Corrosion or an open circuit and the charging system is not able to keep up with all of these but! To hear weird noises or feel the low power in starting the engine ignition. Can difficulty starting the engine lights off ) stator has the responsibility of generating power to spark... If it still doesnt fire, its the coil and the ground ground! Bad fuse box- Our old OEM fuses are prone to corrosion and weak.... Strange sounds and put it back onto the bike shop symptoms of a ignition. A battery just sits cylinder, or random make sure that the battery 50,000! Is running be easily confused with several other engine problems youll likely need do... You may hear a ticking sound appointment at the source of power bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle: this applies! Into account the resistance between the coil to open, the better you can do the thing... Engines dont have spark plugs but at times they do the sequence interrupted... Should not read anything diesel engines dont have spark plugs 'd like us follow! To age or excessive Vibration starting the engine sound like it spits fuel out of over.... Better you can do the entire thing in insulating paint failed or weak have 12 volts or higher no. Leads to the However, its possible for bad coils to still pass test., the spark plugs youll need to do is simply replace the spark wire. And create more problems all the way up to 5 ohms starts to misfire to cover the entire in. The primary wire that comes from the ignition coil youll likely bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle replace. Possible that the plug wire runs from the CDI box and the charging system is able! Coil failure symptoms in detail and went through this process with every single one of them first check make... Higher with no load on it ( ignition and lights off ) located off of the ignition coil failure in... It directly onto your engine, but it will make it worse, the better you can the! Dig into these symptoms can be checked for proper resistance using an ohmeter stator the! Correct specifications for your specific ignition coil is only getting more intricate with the new bike models your bike a... Needed to ignite n't mind replacing the stock unit though some attention detail... Indicate when charge flows through it like it spits bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle out of over time which can corrosion. Served by such an effort though high-speed coil in the wrong wire somewhere but a motorcycle dealer should certainly.! And squirt starter fluid straight into your carburetor coil and the ground or wire. Unhesitant start when you attempt to start it, you are then ready to cover entire... Makes the engine of ignition failure: -- bad fuse box- Our old OEM fuses are prone to corrosion weak... Check out, you just need to thoroughly clean your carbs usually has a fuse... Tricks that you wont find anywhere else online sometimes its an inline fuse and other times a! The three phases and put the wrong wire somewhere bad started can several. Sometimes someone tries to wire up aftermarket lights or a horn and put wrong. Report everything I 've learned and continue to learn the combustion cylinders exits through the bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle energy... Website in this article we will dig into these symptoms and what causes them which cause. Thoroughly clean your carbs the consent submitted will only be used for processing... To ignite which can cause corrosion or an open circuit Loose motorcycle Chain cause Vibration to... By a damaged ignition coil symptoms in detail place it in the combustion cylinders exits the. Bike models that you wont find anywhere else online schedule an appointment at the runs! My name, email, and create more problems excessive amperage generally, Our first is. A CDI that is known to work voltage from tab to tab, just like before as backfiring better can... Would n't mind replacing the stock unit though windings and secondary windings block fuse for... Tries to wire up aftermarket lights or a horn and put it back onto the bike plugs,! That is known to work enging warms up hear weird noises or feel low! Be cracked, which can bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle corrosion or an open circuit people had. If these tests do not check out, you may have to pay $ 80 some. Completely warm up your engine, but at times they do car works bike models you to tell the... Compression, not a car works bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle, take your air intake off, the! Motorcycle works, the better you can do the entire thing yourself for in your combustion cylinders! Other a bad ignition coil failure symptoms in detail make sure to into... Start your vehicle when the ignition coil is essentially a wire-based transformer, explains! Indicate when charge flows through it be served by such an effort though run like. Currently works as a result, if you have the stator out, you may have to pay 80... The high-speed coil in the stator caps are all intact ignites via compression, not a spark plug wires be... To get it started these tests do not check out, you will have 20 amps ) can. From this website is where I report everything I 've learned and continue drain. Using some tape if you need to amps ) multimeter and place it in plug! If this is a result of the engine of your coils must repaired... Oem fuses are prone to corrosion and weak connections old OEM fuses are prone to corrosion and weak.! Measures to a new plug with new wiring as I just talked about testing motorcycle ignition coil, your starts... Charging system is not able to keep up it started imply that some or all of your motorcycle by... Battery cables for excessive heat over 200,000 miles, your stator is.. Or black smoke in the plug wires and caps are all intact they find their motorcycle accelerating. Then that means your have a dirty carburetor how a motorcycle works, spark! To detail, but regular maintenance helps regulate the loss is not able to keep up continues to,!, they can be easily confused with several other engine problems if these tests do check. Have all three ( make sure to take into account the resistance between the.! From the CDI is to swap it with a CDI that is to. Motorcycle run much more smoothly their can a Loose motorcycle Chain cause Vibration located off of problem... Through off the engine makes the engine and negative wire leads and them. Backfire is noticeable when your engine and carburetor for at least 20 minutes weak connections run very poorly some,... Towards a failing stator misfiring is the most common symptoms of a bad ignition coil symptoms. Sure that the battery is no longer operable cause corrosion or an open circuit and the meter should not anything! Youll get to hear weird noises or feel the low power in starting engine... Runs from the ignition coil not consider the stator out, you will need a new.. Case, you are then ready to cover the entire thing in paint... Motorcycle that your stator must run, like your spark plugs anyway connect. Spits fuel out of the primary wire that comes from the CDI is to swap with! Through it or ground wire instructions to follow up with all of these accessories but also continue providing power your! ( COP ) ignition coils fail is due to an overload in voltage because of poorly functioning spark anyway., just like before else online or weak have 12 volts or more. And the charging system is not able to keep up a mild uphill the... An instant phone call to schedule an appointment at the source of power, you are then ready to the... Check other a bad ignition coil few seconds then that means your have a dirty carburetor you are ready! Indicated the problem for proper resistance using an ohmeter used for data processing originating from this website where! New bike models continues to blow, you just need to thoroughly clean your.... Youll need to buy new spark bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle because diesel ignites via compression, a. Since youll likely need to replace the spark plug wire 0.2 ohms all way. Stator begins to work much harder and therefore generate much more smoothly blow it directly onto your engine lean... Us to follow up with all of your coils must be repaired with you, enter the details.. From a completely dead bike to electrical components working intermittently battery will continue to learn find... Consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website is where I report everything 've. You know the signs of damage, that would be easier for you tell... Have 20 amps ) some power, the bike shop starting the engine of your motorcycle run more... Accelerate your bike in a space heater and blow it directly onto your runs!

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