Another No Spark Post...

[Ambo_bubba]

There is no ignition lead from the coil to the distributor. I traced the +12v wire back to the fuse box and found that the wire for the lights on the dash was introducing a ground into the fuse box. Must have been minor as everything else worked, it was just causing enough of a ground to create problems.

I haven't pulled the dash apart yet to see why that's the case, but for now I have that wire to the fuse box disconnected. The ground issue is gone at the coil, but now the points don't close and give me continuity with the key off. So back to testing the points.

[Tom H]

So I have reread what your symptoms are and what has been tried to fix it. And.....

Charlie mentioned the tach could be an issue, listen to what Charlie says. There should be a blue (IIRR) mark next to one of the terminals (IIRR it's the forward terminal) disconnect it and test. You might also try removing both wires at the tach to be sure.

Along the same lines, which is why I want the coil + to alt. wire removed, is that the alt. could be faulty or you have the wires connected wrong to the alt.. You may want to remove both wires from the alt., maybe, just maybe that could be your system ground issue, doubtful, but maybe.

Another thing that I'm thinking is that you have a bad ground or a ground wire not connected correctly. I bring this up since your headlight and blinkers are acting weird. I just had to deal with this myself on an old R75/5. Hit the blinker and the brake light would also lightly flash, hit the brake and the turns would flash. Someone had mixed up where the ground wire was attached to. Plugged ground wire in correctly and all was well.

EDIT: So you may need to fix your lighting issue before you can fix your ignition issue. EDIT: looks like you finding some wiring issues from what you wrote in your last post.

I also just confirmed my test outline I wrote. Key off, points OPEN, Continuity buzz from fixed point to ground, NO buzz from moving point to ground. With power ON and point OPEN, 12v to moving point, ground the moving point and NO 12V power.

Again, you say that when the coil neg to dist. wire is disconnected, the points make the meter buzz like I wrote. Connect wire and all goes bad. So... with coil wire off, make sure again the points are working properly and then leave them and the dist. alone, it's fine. Your issue is somewhere from the coil back I believe. Again, maybe a crossed wire or bad ground.

EDIT AGAIN: after reading you last post. Are you sure your setting the point gap with the points held open by the SMALL lobe on the dist. shaft?

Hope this helps,
Tom

[Ambo_bubba]

Tried doing the screwdriver wiggle trick and no luck, was hoping it would do the trick. I do have good power to the points, I just can't get them to close now without having the gap at essentially 0". Which is bizarre because earlier today I was testing them at .016" with no continuity issues

[Ambo_bubba]

So I have reread what your symptoms are and what has been tried to fix it. And.....

Charlie mentioned the tach could be an issue, listen to what Charlie says. There should be a blue (IIRR) mark next to one of the terminals (IIRR it's the forward terminal) disconnect it and test. You might also try removing both wires at the tach to be sure.

Along the same lines, which is why I want the coil + to alt. wire removed, is that the alt. could be faulty or you have the wires connected wrong to the alt.. You may want to remove both wires from the alt., maybe, just maybe that could be your system ground issue, doubtful, but maybe.

Another thing that I'm thinking is that you have a bad ground or a ground wire not connected correctly. I bring this up since your headlight and blinkers are acting weird. I just had to deal with this myself on an old R75/5. Hit the blinker and the brake light would also lightly flash, hit the brake and the turns would flash. Someone had mixed up where the ground wire was attached to. Plugged ground wire in correctly and all was well.

EDIT: So you may need to fix your lighting issue before you can fix your ignition issue.

I also just confirmed my test outline I wrote. Key off, points OPEN, Continuity buzz from fixed point to ground, NO buzz from moving point to ground. With power ON and point OPEN, 12v to moving point, ground the moving point and NO 12V power.

Again, you say that when the coil neg to dist. wire is disconnected, the points make the meter buzz like I wrote. Connect wire and all goes bad. So... with coil wire off, make sure again the points are working properly and then leave them and the dist. alone, it's fine. Your issue is somewhere from the coil back I believe. Again, maybe a crossed wire or bad ground.

Hope this helps,
Tom

I'm pretty sure a ground in the dash is the issue as with the white/black wire disconnected the grounding issue goes away.

Was hoping that would have some effect on the headlight wackiness but that didn't do the trick, will have to diagnose that further.

Get the spark thing sorted is the priority though. Time to figure out why the points aren't closing now

[Ambo_bubba]

Oh and the tach has been completely disconnected this whole time

[Ambo_bubba]

EDIT AGAIN: after reading you last post. Are you sure your setting the point gap with the points held open by the SMALL lobe on the dist. shaft?

On the distributor there are two narrow lobes connected by flat portions on each side. By small lobe do you mean when the narrow line is at its widest (most open) part? If so I have been doing this wrong and that explains the points...

I never claimed to be smart!

[Tom H]

The lobes on the shaft are sorta shaped like and egg. as you go around the shaft lobes, a narrow lobe, a flat, a wide lobe (most of the way around the shaft), a flat and back to the narrow lobe.

So rotate the engine and watch the shaft. You will see the narrow lobe open the points (also, if you keep going you'll see the points close and then open again on the wide lobe), this is where you want to adjust them at.

Your getting there, I still think you need to get the headlight and turn issue solved as it may be causing the ignition issue. You dash issue I feel may be just one of the steps.

You getting there!!
Tom

[Ambo_bubba]

Yup, I was definitely gapping the points wrong 

On the bright side, I now have spark!

The dash ground and headlight issue are next on the list. Will update here once I have that solved.

Thank you everyone for your help! Tom, if you ever find yourself in the vicinity of Norfolk, VA let me know and I'd love to buy you a beer.

Cheers,
Fabio

[Tom H]

Congrats!!!


Tom

[Ambo_bubba]

Wanted to go ahead and consolidate all my issues and fixes for anyone who stumbles upon this in the future. I also just got off the phone with Greg Bender and we think we have whittled down a solution for the headlight and dash ground issue.

For no spark I had the following issues:
1) the new condenser I had fitted was faulty (created a ground at the distributor post)
2) the original coil on the bike was faulty (the negative post had continuity with an unpainted surface on the coil casing, grounding it to the frame full time)
3) a connection at my fuse box was introducing a ground into the system (it wasn't significant enough but once disconnected, it was the black white wire for the dash lights, the issue was solved. We are thinking one of the bulb holders is to blame here.)
4) I had my points gapped incorrectly (gapping them closed instead of open)

For the headlight, I had my headlight relay and turn signal flasher grounded to the the voltage regulator bracket. Since my voltage regulator is disconnected with the alternator conversion, the bracket actually isn't grounded. Further I had a 3 post flasher relay vice a 2 post. Greg is sending me a two post flasher relay and grounding wire that should solve this, but we verified it worked correctly if I jumped the voltage regulator to battery ground.

Thanks again for all the help, Greg has been fantastic to deal with and extremely helpful providing support with his wiring harness as well.