[gudgean]

so i was getting on my bike yesterday.1996 vt1100c. same routine as always,,,insert key, turn key,thumb choke on,gas on, start switch on, hit the button,,,,

she fires but runs about 30 sec and shuts down. fire button again crank, crank,,no fire. try again same .

never had an issue out of the ignition before . she has 44k mls on her and been good.did the pipes and jet kit 2 months ago and i have replaced the stator, and volt reg and battery last year and been running great. but now no fire.

dont get it ?????? hope it's not the pulse generator.dont wanna just throw money and parts at it.

does someone here have a similar experience? can ya help?

 

[gudgean]

well so i started with the plugs they all looked carbon fouled and gas coated.

ok ran rich so i cleaned them up in the sandblaster ,little brake clean.

check for spark looks good. removed carbs for one more needle valve adjustment.

gonna try to fire today and see what happens.

seemed electrical though not fouled plugs. it ran then died. then wouldnt fire back up.

 

[rieckena]

How warm was it outside when you started it? I never use the choke in the summer on my 95 1100, only when it's below 60 or so (and only a little then). I really only need the choke when it's cold.

 

[gudgean]

got her started last night and ran but while running she keeps popping and bucking and the front cyl isnt firing. fouling plugs. cleaned them up again and installed newer ones.
dies ,,,, no sputter nothing. so i dig deeper.
start to suspect coils and upon testing the primary side looks good. but secondary side i get nothing at all. remove wires and test from posts. nothing.

so now i think coils are to blame. but they were very intermittant . could something else have caused the coils to go bad? what else should i check?

 

[gudgean]

checked coils today and found nothing wrong there. good ohmic value's across all terminals.rechecked secondary side and found good results today. must not have been touching the deeper post.

spark control or pulse generator coils?

any body?

 

[gudgean]

wow.... one guy asked how warm it was.

 

[gudgean]

bumpty bump

 

[jpr1968]

You need to check for spark and also make sure your getting gas to the cylinders. Look at the sticky about what to do when the bike won't start.

 

[gudgean]

did all that. now i'm down to checking pulse generators and replacing the spark unit.
aside from ebay is there someplace you fellas might recommend?

 

[stlouisaaron]

search for threads with pulse generators - they are hard to test on your bike. I had a false positive with the normal test - but sure as spit, that was my problem. Post a new thread with "pulse generator" in it and wait for justin tubesrock to help you out - he is the electrical guru on this forum. FYI, I could always get my bike started with a bad pulse generator - it just would run like crap after it heated up... loss of power to one of my cylinders. But if you got nothing, maybe the ohm test would give you your answer. Good luck - and keep us posted on your progress

 

[pipster79]

just a dumb question maybe but did you do a spark test with a plug connected and grounded so you could see the spark?

 

[zappa]

Ok I have same ride and had the same issue. New plugs,fresh gas,etc etc. A bike tech friend of mine comes over, takes the gas cap off, puts his mouth over the hole, and blows hard and long. replaces cap, and starts it up!!! Believe it...it worked. He said its an old ******* biker trick. I was ready to spend all sorts of bucks on it, and ended up costing nothing!!!

 

[gudgean]

ok getting back to it..... been stored in my carmate trailer since before the hurricane. so now i get to try again. so since i did all the other tests, coils good, plugs good, wires are good, gas pump is good, front cylinder fired intermittantly then stopped firing all together. started and idled but died. i do no want to replace the cdi yet without exhausting all else.

i cannot find an ohmic value or test procedure for the pulse generators. could some one please help me with that?

 

[Frogman172]

Frustrating I can imagine. Couple of questions. How old is your battery. My VT1100c3 needs a good battery so the fuel pump can run worth a damn. If not. Runs like **** = problems. Check your spark plugs again make sure they are seated. Reserve switch in the correct position (Down). Is it a full gas tank? If so pop gas knob then try to start. Another one, kickstand up, try in neutral to start. Sometimes we all forget about the simple things and overlook them once in a while. Let us know.

 

[95shadow1099]

How much voltage at battery while running? Under 10 or so will not fire the plugs...9.8 or something...I don't remember.

Also, hate to ask, but how much gas in it and how long has it been there? Seems you got spark and no fuel to me...

Your description of whats happening is kinda vague to me. "started and idled but died" Would it take any throttle? Try to re-start? Will it start/run on ether?

I don't care for "cleaned" plugs, sandblaster or whatever...but I guess they Might be capable of running the engine... (although my 1976 XR75 in 1985 would oil foul a plug and a NEW one was needed/cleaned one lasted 5 minutes)

Keep us posted. I bet it'll run soon...

 

[gudgean]

full charge on battery. gas flow at carbs is good.it was wierd and intermittant. it would start and run like crap,not fire at all on front cylinder, then wouldnt idle at all then just not start. so i first checked spark cause i knew battery was good, no spark on either plug on front cylinder, and the plugs were gas fouled out so i cleaned them up reinstalled and it fired but weekly. so i pulled them again and they were fouling out again. tried spark and it was weak,,, once. then nothing. and nothing i have tried since has done any good.

tested the coils primary and secondary., wires, and wire caps tested, plugs were replaced with new, gas flow checked,all good so far.

so next on my list is pulse generators and cdi box. so how do i test the pulse generators? i know the cdi is a replace and pray item. so testing the pulse generator seams like a good idea. hell, i even took apart the switch assembly and cleaned it all out and checked all the wires. all good.

 

[walker311]

Try changing out the gas.

 

[gudgean]

please fellas,, read the whole post before posting an obvious answer that doesnt help at all.

read the thread and realize i have a bit of knowledge and skill and have been working on my own bikes and built a few as well.

please just answer the question i have posted.

i cannot find an ohmic value or testing procedure for the pulse generators. can someone help out with that?

 

[95shadow1099]

i cannot find an ohmic value or testing procedure for the pulse generators. can someone help out with that?

Pg 17-4 in Honda manual.

IPG, 400-500 ohms/68degrees F Test between each wire, 4P

ICM Ign on and stop switch in run position, voltage between black and green terminals. Check continuity between blue/yellow wire (ICM 6P) connector to starter relay switch connector....

"If IGP, Coils, wiring and connector are good, and ignition timing is NOT within specs, replace ICM with new one and recheck ignition timing."

 

[gudgean]

Pg 17-4 in Honda manual.

IPG, 400-500 ohms/68degrees F Test between each wire, 4P

ICM Ign on and stop switch in run position, voltage between black and green terminals. Check continuity between blue/yellow wire (ICM 6P) connector to starter relay switch connector....

"If IGP, Coils, wiring and connector are good, and ignition timing is NOT within specs, replace ICM with new one and recheck ignition timing."

thank you. thats what i needed. for the life of me i couldnt find that in my book.

is there any performance mods that you have done to your 95?