[stuartbuckle]

THE ANSWER !!

It was a problem with the kill switch.

The guy who bought the bike traced the fault.

Thanks for all comments, hints and tips.

It is now sorted.

[stuartbuckle]

Thanks for all the help and tips guys. However, I had somebody come and buy the bike from me at the weekend, so it’s now gone. As I mentioned, it did run with a live to the ignition coil, so I think it probably is a loose/bad connection somewhere, but the new owner will be sorting it out.

Now I just have my 2014 Bonneville T100.

I am 64 now and am a bit tired of tinkering with older bikes, besides, the old joints/muscles ache after grovelling around on the floor or being bent over or crouched down for too long.

So I’ve copped-out and it’s the easy life for me. Dealer service once a year and that’s it.

Thanks again.

Stuart

[stuartbuckle]

OK, the new ignition coil and plug caps arrived. Wrong coil. Still, I tried something else. I found that all of a sudden, I have no spark at either the plugs or when I flick the points open. This was all working previously.

So, I ran a direct feed from the battery live to the coil input and BINGO! It started FIRST KICK.

So the present situation is that the engine will not crank on the electric starter, there is no ignition feed. No power at the starter solenoid apart from the main, thick battery cable.

I’m thinking I might have to investigate the ignition switch area. Maybe a loose/bad connection?

It had a new ignition switch fitted a short while ago and I also fitted a new headlamp. So maybe the switch is partially unplugged or I may have disturbed some wiring connections in that area.

I’m checking today.

[stuartbuckle]

Thanks LONESOME and MIKEONABIKE,

I have tried it on the kickstart with the battery fully charged….nothing. This week I have ordered a new ignition coil and some new NGK plug caps which I can fit at the weekend. So I’ll give that a try.

[stuartbuckle]

Yes, the float bowls were both full.

The carbs were ultrasonically cleaned last year and they were drained before storage. The tank was resprayed last year, so that had been drained as well.

It had fresh fuel in it for the start-up.

It fired and ran for about four or five seconds and then cut out. I thought that maybe I moved the throttle slightly and that had caused it to stop, but it hasn’t fired since.

I have tried every combination of choke (sorry, enrichment device) and throttle, but it won’t even spit.

If I take the plugs out and lay them on the cylinder heads, I get a spark at both plugs and after some attempts to start, the tops of the pistons are wet with fuel, so I know it’s getting fuel through.

This is why I suspect the ignition coil. In the past I have known coils to supply a spark with the plugs out, but when they are installed they can’t cope with firing under compression.

I just wondered if anyone has had a similar issue.

[stuartbuckle]

The 7650 was caused by fat fingers. Of course, it is a KZ750 B4.

[stuartbuckle]

My 1979 KZ7650 B4 was off the road for a few months so, armed with a new battery and fresh fuel, I tried to start it. It fired up and ran for about 4 seconds, then cut out and hasn’t made a sound since.

It will crank over, there is a spark at both plugs (they are new), I removed and checked both carb float bowls, lovely and clean and no contaminants, checked the points and ignition timing, all OK.

I’ve even removed the air filter and tried some Easy-Start. It didn’t do what it said on the tin.

I am starting to suspect that the ignition coil may be weak and that the plugs may not spark under compression (it has two good compressions).

Do these have a problem with coils?

[stuartbuckle]

That would be good. Thanks KK.

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