New Owner, bike Wont Spark..

[Tj Gonz]

Hi I recently bough an 82 xs400rj seca for $500.
The PO had a starting problem and got another bike after being frustrated.
Got her home and realized she wasnt getting any spark through the coils.

So I bought another used set of coils and still no spark from new plugs. Decided to give bike a makeover & now Im reconnecting the wiring harness. I noticed one of the plugs for the igniter has some missing connectors & I'm not sure where these loose wires out of the bundle connect. Ive already purchased a new[used] igniter box but I'm thinking maybe its my connecter that has the problem with the disconnected wires.

ANY HELP THANKS SO MUCH!

 

[Drewcifer]

google 500 seca manual and look up what the colored wires correspond to.

I think thats a regulator rectifier combo.

 

[bentwrench]

What colours are the wires? My PO had done a similar swap job, and I can help you out.

 

[bentwrench]

Oh, one quick one - there should only be 5 of 6 of those plugs with wires into them, so one empty hole is fine (and you can see on the ignitor that it only has 5 spades to plug in.)

 

[bentwrench]

Black with white stripe is your ground...

And when I check the wiring diagram, your two empty holes should actually be empty (so that's good...)

But it means you have to find a 4th wire somewhere. I just checked mine, and Blue should go to Sky Blue (mine almost looks light green from age.)

 

[Tj Gonz]

Thanks so much guys, kinda wishing I didnt remove the whole harness from the frame now lol. The wires are blue, black/white & black/red. I have the wiring diagram printed out its just a PITA to read in black & white and the tiny little letters lol. This is my first time digging this far into a bike & rebuilding. I also have bullet style brake light and signals Im trying to hook up & my fuse box connectors are trashed so doing inline most likely. I just want to get through this & focus on getting her running for the first time!

Thanks again,
TJ

 

[Tj Gonz]

Ok any idea where I start reconnecting harness? So far Ive got the fuse box swapped out to all 4 inline fuses, replaced ignition but new one has 4 wires instead of 3? I think I have everything hooked up correctly but theres just so many wires. I have about 90% together but I cant read the diagram to save my life. I want to beat up the bike right now lol.

 

[Drewcifer]

dude, go onto xs 650.com and search their wiring diagrams. there are many posted that probably relate to your bike, or match 90 percent. Or google wiring diagram and your bike year and model.


Drewcifer

 

[bentwrench]

There's got to be three more wires sitting somewhere in the tangle of wires. Blue is hot, so you should be able to trace it from the ignition switch all the way back. Black and Red is from your oil pressure switch, so trace that one from the engine block (there should have been 3 or 4 wires snaking along the back of the engine, and then up to the battery originally).

BLack with White is interesting - the wiring diagram has it going to an unlabelled box... you just gotta find it. You've had this bike running, right? Then it must have been hooked up originally!

 

[Tj Gonz]

dude, go onto xs 650.com and search their wiring diagrams. there are many posted that probably relate to your bike, or match 90 percent. Or google wiring diagram and your bike year and model.


Drewcifer

There's got to be three more wires sitting somewhere in the tangle of wires. Blue is hot, so you should be able to trace it from the ignition switch all the way back. Black and Red is from your oil pressure switch, so trace that one from the engine block (there should have been 3 or 4 wires snaking along the back of the engine, and then up to the battery originally).

BLack with White is interesting - the wiring diagram has it going to an unlabelled box... you just gotta find it. You've had this bike running, right? Then it must have been hooked up originally!

You guys are awesome, I was in the middle of color coding the only diagram for my bike when I realized apparently I was a noob and bypassed my starter when hooking up the negative battery cable Then everything fell into place now I got new ignition, headlight, horn, brake light switch all working. Only issues now is the brake running light is staying on without key, push start button worked a couple times & after stuffing the wires in the headlamp it doesnt want to turn over. She still wont spark so Im praying its the TCI box I have coming tomorrow.

 

[Tj Gonz]

Ok, put in new TCI today, new plugs, fresh battery, new coils..still no spark?!
Everything is hooked up correctly not sure whats going on here..so PO'd!

 

[Tj Gonz]

Just confirmed 12volts running through coils and ends of plug wires but no spark on sp's.
Could it be the pick up?

 

[Lou Ranger]

Just confirmed 12volts running through coils and ends of plug wires but no spark on sp's.
Could it be the pick up?

A couple of new Humbuckers and you'll be 'in

 

[bentwrench]

I hate electrical demons.

Did you remove anything from the harness? Everything is wired up? And what do you mean by the starter worked, until you pushed all the wires into the headlight? As in you had spark, then stuffed the wires in, and lost spark?

 

[Drewcifer]

...you're getting cloooossseerrr and its such a satisfying feeling to WIN a battle with gremlins! Keep on plugging.

 

[Tj Gonz]

Right now I believe Ive solved the mystery. New TCI box is either sending signal to one coil to fire and is faulty. What Im starting to lean more towards as I investigate is that the pick up has a bad magnet on one side, because I get a great reading through wires going to the box on both sides..but only one magnet gets a good reading when I trigger it with anything metal. So frustrating, as of now I AM running, but only on one cylinder