XR600 coil secondary resistance

[xjz]

I have had problems trying to get my bike to run properly and trying to get it to start with less than 50 kicks. I just today put in a ricky stator hoping that was my problem, because I had no visible spark, but it didn't seem to help. I got to checking the electrical systems resistance according to the manual with a fluke 16 multimeter and found the resistance on the primary coil to be .4 ohm when it should be be .1-.3 ohm, so not far off but still out of spec. I next checked the coil secondary and the multimeter couldn't measure a resistance. (I tried measuring from the black/yellow wire tab to the spark plug wire, and also tried measuring from the green tab on the coil to the spark plug wire, both with the same results) It kept changing from 0 to infinity continuously and showed no actual resistance ever, it wasn't acting like I wasn't touching anything, it just kept changing from 1 extreme to the other. So do I have a bad coil??

I measured the resistance on the pulse generator and it was within spec, so I don't think that's the problem, I know the stator is now good. The only other thing that could be bad it the CDI box but I'm leaning towards the coil being bad with the secondary coil resistance acting the way it was.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[xjz]

bumpedy bump.

[Kenzo]

sounds like ur coil is bad with the secondary being an open circuit...if u did the testing properly

?

[Beyond The Pale]

If you are measuring from the spark plug connector be sure that you remove the resistor. The spark plug connector unscrews and there is a resistor underneath. Many remove the resistor and put in a piece of wire. My bike had this mod when I got it. You just want to make sure the problem isn't the resistor not making contact.

My book says 7.4k to 11k for 88 to 90 and 2k to 4k ohms from 91 on.

[xjz]

This is what I tried for the primary which was just out of spec (.4 ohm), and what I tried initially for the secondary (continually changing value).

But when it didn't read anything on the secondary I tried this without the spark plug cap by unscrewing it from the coil wire (got the same result as before). I tried this using both of the tabs on top of the coil, the green one and the black/yellow one, both with the same results.

I didn't see any kind of resistor under the cap, just a threaded brass piece that you screw into the coil wire and make contact with the copper wires inside the insulation. I did measure the spark plug cap resistance and got "2" but I cant verify the units but I think it was ohms, not Kohm or Mohm. Where is this resistor susposed to be? In the cap where the spark plug goes, or on the end that attaches to the coil wire?

My bike does run, sometimes, after 1 hour of kicking, or a quick pull start behind the jeep, but it doesn't run well and once warm it doesn't start any easier which also makes me believe something is up with my electrical.

[xjz]

I just remembered a guy I work with has an 86 XR600, so can I take my coil and CDI from my 88 and try it on his bike or are they different and would hurt something?

Also where is the resistor on the plug cap supposed to be?

[aussieXR600]

No...

[xjz]

So I swap out my coil for a buddies coil on his bike and I get a good spark, then do the same with the CDI and still get a good spark, and my pulse generator under the clutch cover measured good so I'm stumped. I go home and have my wife double check my spark for good blue spark and compare it to my boys JR50 and they both have the same good blue spark. So apparently I couldn't kick my own bike over fast enough to get a good spark and still see the plug at the same time.

Bottom line is I have a good looking spark when the bike is cold, and yet my coil is measuring out of spec on resistance and I'm haveing a hard time getting it started and it doesn't run at WOT without trying to die even though I've tried every main jet from 158 to 168 and every pilot from 58 to 65 and it still doesn't run well (when I can get it started). What do I do now?

I guess I can bump start it (easier behind my jeep) and try measuring resistances on a warm bike. Anything else??

[wattner]

double check the kill switch... Chase the wires and secure all connectors

Make sure the vent hose is not clogged, make sure the screen in the petcock is clean...

Spark plug cap tight???

I dunno???

[Kenzo]

here's wut i wud do...assuming valves adjusted and float bowl level correct.

jetting 155 main & 68 pilot(or the closest to these), fuel screw 2 1/2 out from lightly seated...

full choke and u may need to use the throttle until u get the proper idle setting...

then get busy kicking or better yet bump start it ?

gud luck

P.S. wut wus the last best configuration?

[xjz]

The last best condition is where its at right now, 162 main, 65 pilot, 3rd clip needle, 14.5mm float level, new spark plug gaped to .034". I will disconnect the kill switch, and I just this past weekend created a better ground to the frame and for the new RS stator.

I guess I'll get my wife to bump start me tomorrow after work and give it another go and if it dies then I'll check the previous usual suspects, coil resistance, float needle sticking and running float bowl dry. ?

Thanks

[xjz]

Just to give an update for future searches, I went out today and reassembled everything to try to bump start it and decided to give it a couple good kicks before hand, and... WOOO-HOOO! it fired up on the 2nd kick. The thing ran great compared to not at all before. It did have a little hesitation at mid throttle but it was awesome for my first real ride on the bike since I bought it 5 months ago. I will work on the jetting more now.

So I think what happened was that after spray painting the frame I didn't give it a good enough ground so the filing off the paint where the ground connected was the ticket (the bolt the holds the ignition coil on also holds on a frame ground). I also made sure to put the frame ground directly between the frame and the coil instead of between the bolt head and the coil to make sure the ground was good. I disconnected the kill switch too, but later re-connected it and it didn't kill the engine until I pushed it. Thanks all for the help so far. ? At least I know I'll have a running bike for the pigfest.

[xjz]

Update again. I have had issues with getting the bike started since I first got it running. It seemed as though the bike would only start using the kickstart if the bike had been running some time within the last week. If the bike hadn't been run for 2+ weeks I couldn't get the bike started ever by just kick starting the bike, I'd have to get the wifey to pull start me behind my Jeep. Well you can see from earlier posts that I have installed a new Ricky Stator, checked the pulse generator resistance to be within speck and had a questionable coil.

So since then I have replaced the coil with a coil off of an 86 CR250 which is identical to the XR600 coil (it was free from a buddy) and that coil measured perfectly within spec. I got it running one more time (pull starting it). Then the next time, I couldn't get it to work even by pull starting it, which we tried for nearly 5 minutes off and on. So I have re-checked all the electronics and my Ricky Stator measures 108 Ohms which isn't in spec for a stock unit but it isn't a stock unit so I'm not sure what it's susposed to read. I also checked the pulse generator and this time I got NO continuity at all.

SO, I think my problem is with my pulse generator, do you think otherwise? Is my Ricky Stator still OK on the ignition side at 108 Ohms (I didn't measure the lighting side because I don't care and the headlight comes on when i kick it over). Thanks for your thoughts.

[JohnXL]

On 8/26/2009 at 8:32 PM, xjz said:

Update again. I have had issues with getting the bike started since I first got it running. It seemed as though the bike would only start using the kickstart if the bike had been running some time within the last week. If the bike hadn't been run for 2+ weeks I couldn't get the bike started ever by just kick starting the bike, I'd have to get the wifey to pull start me behind my Jeep. Well you can see from earlier posts that I have installed a new Ricky Stator, checked the pulse generator resistance to be within speck and had a questionable coil.

So since then I have replaced the coil with a coil off of an 86 CR250 which is identical to the XR600 coil (it was free from a buddy) and that coil measured perfectly within spec. I got it running one more time (pull starting it). Then the next time, I couldn't get it to work even by pull starting it, which we tried for nearly 5 minutes off and on. So I have re-checked all the electronics and my Ricky Stator measures 108 Ohms which isn't in spec for a stock unit but it isn't a stock unit so I'm not sure what it's susposed to read. I also checked the pulse generator and this time I got NO continuity at all.

SO, I think my problem is with my pulse generator, do you think otherwise? Is my Ricky Stator still OK on the ignition side at 108 Ohms (I didn't measure the lighting side because I don't care and the headlight comes on when i kick it over). Thanks for your thoughts.

So did you ever fix the 600?  I'm having a helluva time getting my xl going.  Wont even start.  Was it pickup coil?  Timing?

[xjz]

1 hour ago, JohnXL said:

So did you ever fix the 600?  I'm having a helluva time getting my xl going.  Wont even start.  Was it pickup coil?  Timing?

That was so long ago, I dont remember why it wasnt working at the time. I have replaced every electrical part on that bike at least once since I got it. I think it was the pickup that specific instance, but I dont know for sure. I have replaced the coil twice, the pickup once, the stater once and the CDI box twice. Just this last year I replaced the coil and CDI for the 2nd time, now that my oldest son is big enough to ride and the 600 is the only bike we still have.

Usually I'll measure the resistance of each of the individual components and make sure I'm getting something within spec based on what the manual states. If all that checks out good then I assume it's the CDI as I cant check it at all. Both times I replaced the CDI the bike ran afterwards but didnt before so I think that must have been the issue.