82 Maxum Ignition Issues

[TheCopperHat]

I'm done banging my head on the wall lol. I'm working on my wife's 1982 Maxum 400. She was riding home from work and the bike suddenly started dropping one cylinder, then picking it up and dropping it again at random. When she got home I determined no spark to one cylinder.

When I turned the key to power on, there was also a short in the safety circut somewhere that burned out the inline fuse on the clutch engaged/disengaged circut, I think this was due to a really bad ground, so I replaced the engine/frame grounds with new cables and mounting bolts.

When trying to start the bike you would randomly get an ignition shock through the bars. I diagnosed the no spark issue to a bad plug cap that had infinite resistance, so I replaced the plug wires and caps both sides. Removed the clutch switch, checked the rest of the circut and couldn't find any other glaring issues.

No what's happening is I'm getting a weak spark on the right plug, and no spark on the left, and am stilling getting an ignition shock through the bars. What am I missing???

 

[akronevan2]

What about the ignition switch wires? Perhaps they are grounding out on the bars.

 

[TheCopperHat]

If the ignition switch wires were shorting on the bars, the bike would want to randomly engage the starter, the shock I'm getting is a diluted spark plug shock. Which I'm thinking may be caused by a shorted out coil?? I have no idea, like I said, tired of banging my head on the wall.

Thanks for the thoughts though, you never know what you may have looked over.

 

[akronevan2]

Is the ignition shock happening on the frame under the tank as well? I wonder if you have an ignition coil shorting out onto the frame and travelling up to the handlebars? Sounds like it could be the left coil pick-up shorting out and drawing more amperage into and through the left side, possibly taking from the right side as well because of the favorable draw from the left side. I am no electrician but that is the only other thing that sounds feasible.

 

[TheCopperHat]

That does sound feasible, on that thought, if I disconnect the left coil, I should have regular conditions on the right side, and proper spark in theory.

 

[surveywaters]

I have had an ignition coil arc to the frame on an old Honda. A good way to find trouble is go to the shop after sunset, cut all the lights off and fire the bike up. You should see a light show. I also know of a problem with my Roadstar's coils doing the same thing, the fix that I have read of is as simple as wrapping them in e-tape.

Goodluck

 

[TheCopperHat]

That's an issue I've never dealt with before. Tough to see if that's actually happening on this bike, what with the coils tucked so damn far up in the tube. If the left coil was arcing to the frame that shouldn't cause a weak spark on the right though?

 

[TheCopperHat]

After closer inspection I found that the new spark plug caps I bought were 5000ohm resistor caps. Replaced them with non resisitor caps which is what was on the bike. Now have very very weak spark both sides. This is killing me slowly.