[diggerdpilot]

Hi all,

Just bumped up from an 08 650 to an 05 (I guess that would be down?) 1100. It ran fine the first couple times I started it and ran it here in Ohio. I only ran up the street just to put some fresher gas into the carb jets. I went to start tonight, and could not get any spark. I grounded the old fashioned way, by laying the plug on the cooling fins, and I know this is not the best way, but figured I would see something out of either one. Nada. Next, I brought up the kickstand thinking the deadman was bad. Same deal. It cranks very well, battery is good, etc, but totally dead plugs. I am pulling the seat and will start to put the voltmeter to it, but does anyone have any hints, or an order in which to check things?

I am new to the 1100s, but feel pretty comfortable wrenching my own stuff.

Thanks in advance, and hope a good week comes for everyone!

Digger

 

[linerdave]

Spark

Digger,

Check out the post under V Star. Some of the same thing. Check your ignition fuse, sidestand sw, stop sw, and pick up coil with an Ohm meter.

Be sure the battery is fully up. A low battery can fool you and the ignition will not fire. Battery should be 12.7 volts.

Bet if you take hold of that plug you will find out if laying it on the fins works.Just kidding don't do it. If you can clip an aligator clip onto it you can be sure you have a ground.

Dave

 

[diggerdpilot]

Yeah, I have a 5 year old I almost had some fun with. Would tell me right off what was there...

I should have posted I did have gas, smell and a drip after all that cranking. I actually thought maybe it was out when I first started cranking, but nope.

Here's what I did/happened today..

Bought a spark tester from Autozone, the clip on kind. Put on both cylinders, with now spark. Popped the seats, and I am not too sure I like all the chrome now, there sure is a lot of trim. Anyhow. I found a sealed black box under the seat, on top of everything, with two connectors, marked exterior and interior. Just jiggled them, and then popped the two screws out holding that down. Then found a double fuse block, with 30A fuses in each side, with a four prong connector between them. Both fuses checked good, and I had voltage on one side, then the other when the key was turned on. I removed and replaced it, wiggling it a couple times. I started to trace the large 12V wire from this down towards the right side of the bike, but was blocked by a chrome piece that looked like the pipes needed to come off to remove. Behind that is a 4" square or so black box with cooling fins. Is that the coil? I found one more small black box on the front right side of the battery box, looked like a flasher relay, but I still reconnected/wiggled it for the heck of it. At this point, I had decided to come back to you all to match what I saw to what it is. I put the rear plug back in the wire, and tried one more time.

I know this sounds odd, but when I tried, it cranked 2-3 times, then a nice, fat, blue spark appeared and stayed there. The front jug was still dead, so I switched plugs, and the front now has spark. So, I have one dead plug, but I swear, I am not new to motors, just this one.

So, the plugs are Denso, W22EPR-U. Is that an OK plug for this bike (has 10K on it)not sure when these were installed.

What is the sealed black box directly under the seat?

What is the small relay thing on the front right of the battery?

What is low, on the right side of the case, with cooling fins?

I am guessing now I had a connection loose or slightly corroded over enough to block some voltage, but need to get the second plug in and see what gives. I would also guess and love hearing your opinions. Maybe it didnt get ran a whole lot this summer or fall, and the vibration from running would help vibrate the connections a bit cleaner?


Thanks!

 

[Sugar Bear]

Yes the DENSO/W22epr-u, is an ok plug, as is NGK/BPR7ES, check the gap ect. I change mine each spring no matter, and before if I have more miles than I like on a set of plugs, I know I change too often, but they are cheap and that's just me. The other stuff, others know more than I, you will get some good advice.

 

[linerdave]

Parts

I have not had an 1100 for a few years and not sure on the locations, but I wonder if you are talking about the ignition module, turn signal flasher, and rectifier for the generator?

Dave

 

[diggerdpilot]

That's pretty much what I was thinking, but is a rectifier for a generator the same thing as a voltage regulator?
Bought two new plugs, will try to post the results while Santa is delivering tomorrow night.

 

[linerdave]

Rectifier

The generator makes AC Voltage, the rectifier has a few diodes that convert the AC to DC. I believe the regulator is part of the same unit. There can be as much as 32 amps so the heat sink to cool the diodes.

Dave

 

[diggerdpilot]

Cool. Just knowing exactly what I am looking at without having to go through the manual helps a ton.

Thanks all, will post an update hopefully tonight.

 

[diggerdpilot]

Put in the new NGKs, and it fired immediately. Now have my Seafoam in and soaking the jets, and dont have to tell my wife the bike I just brought home from Illinois is now getting worked on in the shop. Whew.

I am guessing something had just enough corrosion style dust on it in a connector, and jiggling them worked it clean enough to let juice flow. I guess it is also possible that two plugs failed at the same time, but I should have bought my lottery ticket then too.

Thanks all for the help, and have a great Christmas week!

Digger

 

[tundrawolf]

Put in the new NGKs, and it fired immediately. Now have my Seafoam in and soaking the jets, and dont have to tell my wife the bike I just brought home from Illinois is now getting worked on in the shop. Whew.

I am guessing something had just enough corrosion style dust on it in a connector, and jiggling them worked it clean enough to let juice flow. I guess it is also possible that two plugs failed at the same time, but I should have bought my lottery ticket then too.

Thanks all for the help, and have a great Christmas week!

Digger

You should really try to find what was shorting out.

Here's a tip, although if the kill switch is off it will not crank: The kill switch to this bike is a normally on type, or in other words, the two wires going to the switch have to be connected for it to crank/spark. Although you were cranking it obviously, so it must be a connector issue. Easy enough to isolate and repair.

You don't want the bike blubbering to a stop suddenly while on the road.

 

[diggerdpilot]

You don't want the bike blubbering to a stop suddenly while on the road.

Oh yeah, and that is my luck to an extent that regular maintanence doesnt take care of. I am cleaning each connector that I can find, lugs, harnesses, etc, and dropping a layer of dielectric grease on it too.

So far, I have started it 8-10 times, and no problems at all. Starts almost immediately. I think the Seafoam in the gas is helping.

Tanks!