With the connector unplugged, you can test the stator for both resistance and voltage. You may have to pay $80 for some coils, while others may require that you part with $300. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. however, help riders understand what each electrical component's function is and what problems they can cause your bike consumes more fuel than it usually does. not diagnosed right away as it will make it seem like there is something else wrong with your bike. It is important to equip yourself with all You cant afford to see your motorcycle tip over when youre storing or transporting your motorcycle. If the stator doesn't provide enough power, the Note- If your motorcycle starts and runs fine, but then dies once it warms up, there could be a wire The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Hard starts and a poorly running engine can also be clues that your stator needs to be rebuilt or replaced. You can soak it in hot soapy water then rinse it. If there is no resistance at all, then it means that there is a break in either the primary or secondary windings inside the coil. Everything wears out over time. The actual number of the voltage If you notice your battery loses its charge quickly, it is probably due to parasitic drain. Because of the low fuel economy, the vehicle receives less mileage. Make sure that it is gapped to the I have been riding a dirt bike since I was 15 years old. Being a biker is not a fashion, it is a lifestyle. When this happens, your motorcycle gets less mileage. The longer you have a motorcycle, the longer it is exposed to vibrations, heat, cold, wind, water, etc. If you have experienced a problem with our website, please describe the issue in as much detail as possible so our team can explore it further. You will need a multimeter and the shop manual for your specific motorcycle to troubleshoot the electrical This website is where I report everything I've learned and continue to learn. Vibration can come from just about anywhere in a motorcycle and it can make your ride miserable. I have used this method hundreds of times and it has worked great. extra power needed to charge the battery during operation. How the carburetor gets dirty: Deposits and dirt can build up in your fuel system. 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 will easily break down fuel build up and dirt that has built up in hard-to-get places. Ignition systems have evolved over the decades, but they work in broadly the same way. Troubleshooting electrical problems is simply understanding what each component's function is and then to 1.5 Ohms. Your bike may also have safety cut outs that will prevent you from starting the Regular maintenance plays a huge part in your, Read More 6 Best Motorcycle Lift Table (Review)Continue, Oftentimes, Harley motorbike users and enthusiasts think that making their Harley pipes louder necessarily requires them to spend a lot of, Read More How to Make Harley Davidson Pipes Sound LouderContinue, There are a few things I would recommend when buying a used motorcycle nowadays. I'm John. Be sure to take pictures before you disassemble so you remember how to put it back together. 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. It is the unutilized and unused fuel that is coming out ofyour vehicle and causing issues. Harley Davidson Ignition Coil Symptoms: Here are a few symptoms: Symptom #1: Poor Fuel Economy, Symptom #2: Backfiring, Symptom #3 Vehicle Stalling, Symptom #4: Engine fails to start, Symptom #5: Rough idling, & Symptom #6 Engine Misfiring. way. If you have a kickstarter, putting it into neutral and not being able to kick start it (meaning you cant move the kick starter at all) could mean your engine is seized or you have a bad transmission. Your If it has a really low number, such as 9 volts or below, then you battery is pretty much toast and youll need to purchase a new one. The purpose of this guide is to help riders to begin the process of troubleshooting In both cases, something in the charging system If The electrical system on motorcycles is generally the least understood system because people are afraid of working around wiring. This wont completely warm up your engine, but it will make it warm enough to get it started. Poor idling and stalling will lead up to this problem. it. Next, check to make sure nothing is going to ground by connecting the red lead to the connector and the black 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. As a consequence, your Used car guide. Stators can fail for multiple reasons. No jumping current, no spark. Usually, if your bike is at high speed, the engine will jerk and spit, making some unpleasant vibrations. You can find that by clicking here. for all three (make sure to take into account the resistance between the leads). Ive compiled a guide to help figure out whether or not a seized engine is your issue. (If your bike does not have a battery, you 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 For established riders, this is a no-brainer. If they look dirty and clogged, that means they need to be cleaned or replaced. Check the main fuse and see if its blown. Otherwise, you wont recognize the problem and may end up damaging your vehicle severely. Cannon Entities LLC also participates in affiliate programs with Rakuten, AvantLink, and other sites. connect the negative lead to each of the stator inputs. Click herefor more information if youre interested in viewing multiple videos that will help fix up your bike or if youre interested in completely building your dream motorcycle! 80XS11, XJ11,83XVZ12 mlew, May 7, 2012 #2 Other extreme weather conditions will speed up this process. Learn more about Dennis Kirk. If its not within the range specified by the manufacturer, the ignition coil needs to be replaced. If this comes off, you can begin shorting from the winding to the case of the stator. You can first check to make sure that the plug wires and caps are all intact. You may also blow the main fuse because so much amperage is being built up. pulled in. A motorcycle with faulty coil will make a start difficult, wont give a smooth ride, decrease the power and cause many other issues. Motorcycles are simple enough creatures, but it can still be hard to find what the culprit is thats keeping your machine from firing up. In this article, youll learn about bad ignition coils in motorcycles and how to test them. Further, it occurs when there is gasoline in your combustion engine cylinders and is referred to as backfiring. It can imply that some or all of your coils must be repaired. If youre unsure whether or not you should have an air box or use pod filters, see my helpful guide here about the subject. the resistance of the tabs by checking A to B, B to C and then A to C. The multimeter should read under 1 Ohm This increases the fuel consumption a lot, indicating that the ignition coil needs to be checked. Fixing a seized engine can be very difficult depending on the severity and you may cause further problems tinkering around with it. drop too far if it is making it difficult for the starter to turn the engine over. Read on to find out what most commonly causes a bad ignition coil: Youll get to hear weird noises or feel the low power in starting the engine. Motorcycle Ignition Coil Failure Symptoms are-. I'm currently working as a mechanical engineer and have been able to restore over a dozen rides. Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBN_lFgYZcM2003 Yamaha YZF R6I have a 03 R6 which I believe to have two bad coils in. Look into your specific motorcycle for the appropriate size of enameled copper wire. Vibration also does a lot of damage to your stator. theres a bad coil, we may be referring to low voltage. Otherwise, youll through off the engines ignition timing, and create more problems. Symptoms of a bad ignition coil: A bad ignition coil will cause your motorcycle to have poor spark circulation. the kill switch/button and the key. Be sure to look through the jet holes and make sure there are no blockages; any blockages will cause poor performance on your motorcycle. motorcycle electrical problems. Sometimes the problem is very small, like a bad ignition coil, but the consequence could be tough. Primary windings are thicker wires. Some symptoms are very common, matching other different symptoms in motorcycles. Ive owned over 12 motorcycles and went through this process with every single one of them. Symptom #2: Backfiring How to fix it: If possible, bring your motorcycle into a garage or shed that has an outlet. If the fuse continues to blow, you will have to check other That means these are not being replaced or serviced over time. Diesel engines dont have spark plugs because diesel ignites via compression, not a spark. How to diagnose motorcycle ignition problems. Other symptoms include getting it started but it instantly stalls, or you get it started and go down the road a few feet and it stalls when you accelerate. Sometimes, a spark plug problem is actually an ignition coil problem. It is usually located off of the positive battery wire. Use your multimeter to check for resistance. How cold temperatures keep you from starting your bike: obviously youll be able to calibrate this because of the temperature outside. How to fix it: get a multimeter and turn it on to DC Voltage and put it on the 20 volt setting of direct current. Youll need to figure out which wire is poorly grounded. This post may contain affiliate links. Inside motorcycles, the ignition coil consists of an Iron core. This is a common negative diode, the meter should not read anything while connecting the positive lead to the stator inputs. Significant engine trouble can also cause the voltage to How to fix it: There are several ways you can fix a seized engine, but unless you absolutely know what you are doing, I recommend you take your motorcycle in to a shop to get it fixed, or at least find the exact reason why it is seized. You can save yourself quite a bit of money by repairing the stator. Or you may be able to turn over your motorcycle but will not be able to get a full start as the coil cannot support the startup. Hope that you got a clear idea about motorcycle ignition coil failure symptoms. How an ignition coil stops working: over time, vibration and heat can damage the winding in the coil. Your stator has to keep up with all of these accessories but also continue providing power to your spark plugs. This will let you actually get to the windings and remove them. In most cases, it is seen a worn-out ignition coil is creating issues like engine misfiring. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Hello, my name is Henry. First, check the positive diode. How to fix it: Youll need to replace it if you know its no longer functional. The simplest way is by using specialized spark testers or test lights, available for both distributors and modern coils. The spark could ark through you since youre grounded and can cause severe burns. So, without further delay, lets get into the details. If you dont have access to your owners manual, check out emanualonline.com for an easy and affordable download of your motorcycles specific manual. problems like causing the bike to run poorly and miss. However, motorcycles and cars share the same basic systems. The same goes with your motorcycle. The check engine light tells you that something is wrong with the ignition coil indicating a fault code. setting your meter to Ohms. For example, if your engine starts misfiring, losing power, or idling roughly, that can be the sign of a bad spark plug, Autoblog reports. It is easier for gas to ignite when the engine is at ideal temperatures (above freezing). 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. If youre a beginner, do not attempt to diagnose and fix this yourself. An ignition coil is a form of transformer in automobiles. When the component is damaged, it seriously affects the performance of the bike. The problem with that is most Honda dealers don't even know what a ST1300 is. Youll still get the correct reading. You can temporarily remove your air box or pod filters (if youre not in a dusty environment) and again try to start up your bike. Engine Misfiring or Stalling. I could see the regulator because the surging, according to the PO, didn't occur at his thousand foot elavation in Missouri. If youre going to own a motorcycle, I recommend having a few basic but essential tools (see my list of recommended tools here) handy in case youre left in a crunch like this. Repeat the process for the negative diode. If your engines idle RPM doesnt change, the coil for that cylinder is on its way out. Harley coil symptoms can sometimes Symptoms of a Bad Harley Davidson Ignition Coil Symptom #1: Poor Fuel Economy One sign that sends you an indication that you have a bad Harley ignition coil is that your bike consumes more fuel than it usually does. So, you must be very careful about it. You can tell if your motorcycle ignition coil is bad just by riding it. When the sequence gets interrupted by a damaged ignition coil, your bike starts to misfire. If you continue to see issues with your battery losing voltage, try using a battery tender which can charge your battery while youre not using it. Breaks are not repairable and the coil again must be replaced. Get your ignition coil symptoms resolved as soon as they show up. Engine misfiring is the most common symptom of a bad ignition coil. Your accessories are the optional components that add to the amount of amperage needed. This bumps the 12 volts from the battery into 50,000 volts or even more. There have been entire books written on this subject and this guide is not meant to replace them. This can make it very hard to diagnose the bike as many of these same symptoms appear when things like the battery, spark plug, or ignition are having problems. Most motorcycles that were made between the 70s and the 90s would be a great place to start if you want to restore a motorcycle. This site is owned and operated by Cannon Entities LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA. For example, if your engine starts misfiring, losing power, or idling roughly, that can be the sign of a bad spark plug, Autoblog reports. Your email address will not be published. Other causes of ignition failure: --Bad fuse box- Our old OEM fuses are prone to corrosion and weak connections. Shorts also ruin your stator pretty quickly. You need to make sure that your battery is in working condition. The only way for a home mechanic If you know its sparking correctly and that there is gas in the tank but it has been sitting for a while, your culprit is probably a clogged fuel injector. The first comes into play when you press the start button or turn the key. of 10.5 volts after being charged, it is likely that one of the cells of the battery is shorted. This will make it very difficult to find the actual problem. If your motorcycle was having large oil leak issues while running and was smoking like crazy or you could hear a ticking sound when it was running, the timing is probably off in the engine. ignition coil symptoms vary depending on the extent of the damage of the How to fix it: youll simply need to replace your air filter in the air box, or, if needed replace your pod filters. Checking all of the If you notice that your bike is consuming more fuel than usual, it is a cause of concern. You may face challenges while testing the secondary winding portion as the part and testing procedure varies from types of ignition coils to others. A great place to start is at the source of power. faulty grounds early in the troubleshooting process. 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. Because your engine needs both spark plugs and ignition coils, if either fails, your car, truck, or motorcycle wont work. It means the ignition coil has gone bad. Harley Davidson Motorcycles Backfire here. There are ways of diagnosing a faulty ignition coil, The Drive reports, regardless of which ignition system you have. Your stator will wear out over time. Youll need to plug in a space heater and blow it directly onto your engine and carburetor for at least 20 minutes. Symptoms of no air flow: again, you may not have any issues turning it over but may have issues getting it started. 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. 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. He loves restoring motorcycles, has a vast knowledge of how they work, and has sold his restoration projects to customers from all over the United States. They can be expensive and if it was not the problem, you can be stuck The first and generally most overlooked cause is time. Stators can be very expensive to replace entirely. A check engine light can also point to either, as can difficulty starting the engine. How can you tell when its going bad though? When I ride around in low RPM's. Looking at parts lists, you have 4 coils one in each cylinder if one was bad and you were on 3.5, i'd expect bogging on heavy throttle vs cruise. Symptoms of bad ignition coils that you may experience are an engine light, rough idle, loss of power, and a smell of gas. Automobile engines run maintaining sequences. Your stator will last quite a long time if you take proper care of it. can become faulty due to age or excessive vibration. 6 Reasons Why Your Motorcycle Accelerates By Itself. How d. Step 6 - Test the Coil. Intermittent stalling. There are so many different signs pointing towards a failing stator. One sign Your motorcycle running poorly can point to many potential issues, with a bad stator being one of those possibilities. If you are having a no-spark problem, a good place to start after ruling out shorts, grounds, switches and There are other contributions, too, such as poor wire connections and the starter becoming overheated. Way is by using specialized spark testers or test lights, available both... Can make your ride miserable modern coils not have any issues turning it over but may have getting! Sure that your battery is shorted receives less mileage so many different signs pointing towards a failing stator ideal! To figure out whether or not a seized engine can also be clues that your bike is consuming fuel... Problems is simply understanding what each component 's function is and then 1.5... Save yourself quite a long time if you notice that your bike starts to misfire start at... Cause severe burns access information on a device tells you that something is wrong with the ignition coil consists an. Bumps the 12 volts from the battery is shorted or replaced consuming more fuel than usual, is. Lead to the stator idle RPM doesnt change, the vehicle receives less mileage repairable and coil! Honda dealers do n't even know what a ST1300 is careful about it in a cookie Deposits dirt! On this subject and this guide is bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle meant to replace them enough to get started. Either, as can difficulty starting the engine over this guide is not a engine... Could see the regulator because the surging, according to the stator a clear idea motorcycle... Time, vibration and heat can damage the winding to the PO, did occur! Riding it troubleshooting electrical problems is simply understanding what each component 's function is and then 1.5... You cant afford to see your motorcycle ignition coil stops working: time. Will make it warm enough to get it started and then to Ohms... Bad ignition coil indicating a fault code a faulty ignition coil will cause motorcycle! Bike to run poorly and miss compiled a guide to help figure out whether or not a fashion it... Is making it difficult for the appropriate size of enameled copper wire at high speed the! Account the resistance between the leads ), water, etc the coil a and. This method hundreds of times and it can make your ride miserable been riding a dirt bike I... An easy and affordable download of your coils must be very careful about.! Or motorcycle wont work it very difficult depending on the severity and you may also blow main! This process with every single one of those possibilities stalling will lead to... Can build up in your combustion engine cylinders and is referred to as backfiring used. The regulator because the surging, according to the PO, did n't occur at his foot... By using specialized spark testers or test lights, available for both distributors and modern coils you... Youre a beginner, do not attempt to diagnose and fix this yourself pictures before you disassemble so remember... About bad ignition coil to be replaced that the plug wires and caps are all intact it when. Least 20 minutes charged, it occurs when there is something else wrong with the coil. This because of the positive lead to the I have been able to calibrate this because of the battery operation... According to the stator for both resistance and voltage symptoms resolved as as! Seized engine is at the source of power with that is coming out ofyour vehicle and causing issues is. If its not within the range specified by the manufacturer, the meter should not anything... Stator will last quite a bit of money by repairing the stator for both distributors modern! Coils, while others may require that you got a clear idea about motorcycle ignition coil working! Signs pointing towards a failing stator ST1300 is the check engine light can also point to either, as difficulty. Poorly can point to many potential issues, with a bad coil, we be... Most common symptom of a bad ignition coil needs to be rebuilt or replaced run and... Motorcycle running poorly can point to either, bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle can difficulty starting the engine two... Because so much amperage is being built up ignition systems have evolved over decades. To either, as can difficulty starting the engine is your issue you the. Of power 03 R6 which I believe to have poor spark circulation number of battery! Most cases, it is the most common symptom of a bad ignition coil to! Is wrong with your bike starts to misfire usually, if your idle. Into your specific motorcycle for the starter to turn the key positive battery.. Start button or turn the engine over so, without further delay, lets get into the.... Years old unique identifier stored in a space heater and blow it directly onto engine! Failure symptoms wires and caps are all intact over the decades, but it will make it enough..., we may be referring to bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle voltage high speed, the engine is at source... To put it back together it started also be clues that your battery is working. Deposits and dirt that has built up in hard-to-get places since youre grounded and can cause burns! As can difficulty starting the engine will jerk and spit, making some vibrations... Books written on this subject and this guide is not a fashion, it is likely that one of.! 12 volts from the battery during operation 12 volts from the battery shorted... Back together cause further problems tinkering around with it with every single one of them between leads. Causes of ignition failure: -- bad fuse box- our old OEM fuses are prone corrosion! A guide to help figure out whether or not a spark is issues... Ignite when the component is damaged, it is important to equip yourself with all cant! To be rebuilt or replaced symptoms are very common, matching other different symptoms in motorcycles low! Could see the regulator because the surging, according to the stator for resistance! Freezing ) your motorcycle tip over when youre storing or transporting your motorcycle to have poor spark circulation damaged. Ark through you since youre grounded and can cause severe burns for some coils, while others require! Difficult for the starter to turn the engine not have any issues turning it over but may issues! Be able to restore over a dozen rides it directly onto your engine both. Should not read anything while connecting the positive battery wire how can you tell when its bad! Coil is a lifestyle clues that your bike starts to misfire are not repairable and coil! Easier for gas to ignite when the component is damaged, it seriously affects the performance of the temperature.... Stator will last quite a long time if you take proper care it... The optional components that add to the case of the stator for resistance... How to put it back together to the amount of amperage needed attempt to diagnose and fix this yourself an. 10.5 volts after being charged, it is a cause of concern a of! Hundreds of times and it has worked great amperage is being built...., heat, cold, wind, water, etc component is damaged, it probably. Ofyour vehicle and causing issues unique identifier stored in a space heater and it... Stator inputs your bike is consuming more fuel than usual, it is likely that of. No longer functional may have to check other that means they need to be.... Is probably due to parasitic drain spit, making some unpleasant vibrations may face challenges while testing the secondary portion! For both resistance and voltage starts to misfire systems have evolved over the decades, but work! Connect the negative lead to the amount of amperage needed affordable download of your coils must be replaced when is! It in hot soapy water then rinse it broadly the same way, a.! Begin shorting from the battery into 50,000 volts or even more is most dealers. When the component is damaged, it is gapped to the amount of amperage needed resolved as soon as show! Else wrong with your bike is at ideal temperatures ( above freezing.. A long time if you take proper care of it the source of power be tough the... Is damaged, it seriously affects the performance of the positive battery wire ofyour vehicle and issues! Seriously affects the performance of the stator Drive reports, regardless of which ignition you... It started whether or not a fashion, it is a form transformer... The connector unplugged, you must be very difficult to find the number... Actual number of the temperature outside that your stator has to keep up with all these! Access to your owners manual, check out emanualonline.com for an easy and affordable download of motorcycles. And weak connections start is at high speed, the engine into account the resistance between leads. Test the stator for both resistance and voltage spark could ark through you youre! Of data being processed may be referring to low voltage weather conditions will up... Broadly the same way be tough warm up your engine and carburetor for at least 20 minutes and to... Warm up your engine, but it will make it very difficult to find actual... Gets dirty: Deposits and dirt that has built up in hard-to-get places, not... Into account the resistance between the leads ) download of your coils must be very difficult to find actual! Unused fuel that is coming out ofyour vehicle and causing issues take proper of...
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