No spark....Resolved!

[orourkean]

I have a basketcase 76 liquifire that I am finally getting around to working on. I am looking at my electrical situation and I have found a few things cut. I guess I am going to start with the wires coming off the ignition key. If I am reading my wiring diagram correctly I think they are supposed to go to my solenoid for my electric start. I do not have electric start so I am a bit stumped on what to do with this wiring.

[orourkean]

Ok I figured out the spark issue. I think its because I do not have a ground strap. Am I supposed to have a ground strap from the cdi box or am I not getting spark because my cdi box isn't bolted down?

[harleysportster]

Check this out, it should help...
http://www.jdsleds.com/community/viewto ... ?f=5&t=289

[orourkean]

Thanks! I will dig deeper tomorrow on this!

[JDT]

The best first step in to unplug the engine connection from the main harness.
This is a five pin connector.

By unplugging this connector you have eliminated the key switch, kill switch and any other ignition controls like a tether switch.
If you have spark with this connector unplugged than you problem is not on the engine side.

If you still have no spark than continue trouble shooting. Follow the link that Harley posted.
This link is gospel.
Keep in mind that No.1 failure point on this ignition system is the low speed coil on the stator.

Yes, the CDI box HAS to be grounded.
This is done with both a mechanical ground(mounting bolts) and the ground strap.

[orourkean]

I unplugged main harness. For whatever reason the cdi box was not attached to the engine. As soon as I touched a mounting bolt to the engine I was able to get spark. I will still ground strap it. After that I will start sorting my hacked up electrics.

[harleysportster]

Sounds like you are making progress. If I remember correctly, the CDI ground wire with a crimped on terminal, mounts to the lower bolt. The upper bolt contains the ground wire from the stator and a ground wire from the coils.

[JDT]

Good grounds are oh so very important.

For ignition and the lighting curcuit.
Just saying as you hinted you may have other issues.

[orourkean]

Sounds like you are making progress. If I remember correctly, the CDI ground wire with a crimped on terminal, mounts to the lower bolt. The upper bolt contains the ground wire from the stator and a ground wire from the coils.

I don't beleive I have ground wires coming from the stator or the coils coming to my cdi upper mounting bolt. Do you have a picture for reference?

[harleysportster]

I don't have a picture but the wire should be around a 14 gauge with eye-lit type terminal. One end mounts under a coil mounting screw. The other end mounts under the CDI mounting bolt.

[orourkean]

I don't have a picture but the wire should be around a 14 gauge with eye-lit type terminal. One end mounts under a coil mounting screw. The other end mounts under the CDI mounting bolt.

Thanks Harley....I should be able to work with that!

[orourkean]

Ok...after a carb clean, fuel pump rebuild, tank screen replacement, all fuel line replaced, cdi box remounted. She took off. Ran for a good 10 minutes. Only problem now is I get spark, both with the engine harness connected and disconnected. Now it doesn't shut off unless I shut off the fuel. Just another thing on the list of stuff to sort through.

[harleysportster]

Great progress. Glsd to hear you turned the fuel off to shut it down. You can short out the CDI if you pull off the plug wires and get one heck of a shock. It's not uncommon for the kill button to not work on these old sleds. The sad thing is they are hard to find. Replacement key switches are still available. Double check your wiring.

[orourkean]

Harley thats next on the list. I have maybe 4 or 5 wires just cut. I have a couple of black wires cut off of the connector going to the stator (I think). I will have to pull up my wiring diagram and start knocking out my connections one by one.

I did think about pulling the spark plug wires off the plugs....then I thought about how much I dislike getting shocked.

[orourkean]

Well I am at a loss. I figured out what was missing. White wire was cut from the ignition switch to the block and from the block to the "engine coupler". Also there was no black wire from the "engine coupler" to the
"cdi connector". I put everything back the way it was supposed to be and I still get spark when I have the key in the off position. I disconnected the kill switch because that is completly frozen and will not function. Is there anyway to bypass the ignition switch to see if I even have it right? Please advise.