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Engine cranks over but no spark

20K views 81 replies 4 participants last post by  Bandit101  
#1 ·
Swapped my 03 Classic 1500 engine for an 04 Meanstreak 1600. So I went from 2 stators to 1. But everything seems to be fine except no spark. The engine turns over fine but no matter what we try we can't get anything at the plugs.

Starter, lights, signals, brakes, kill switch, all function fine but not sure where else to look. Cleaned up the ground from the battery. Charged the battery the other day and it still reads 13.2. Don't know if it is the IC Igniter(although the other things connected to it seem to function fine), Ignition coils, Throttle Position sensor, pickup coils, stator?

We replaced the stator to check and see if that was the problem. No difference. What are some other common things that I am probably overlooking that can have an impact? Could it be Timing? Or if the marks on the balancing gear and the stator aren't perfectly aligned could that cause it? Went through most of the wiring backtracking but can't find anything out of place....... I am lost at where to look next......
 
#8 ·
Originally people questioned why I didn't just put the dual stators and rotor in the 1600 but the gear behind the rotor didn't fit (the neck on the shaft had a shoulder on it).
I didn't get spark with the single stator and original pickups in the 1600 after I put it in the bike. But when I opened up the 1600 stator I saw there were metal shavings in there. So I figured that may be the problem. I switched over the entire stator, pickups and cover from my old bike. So long answer....Yes the original 1500 pickups next to the rotor are in the 1600 now.
 
#9 ·
I am a bit confused, when you got the 1600 engine, was it not complete with the stators and rotor. You are saying the "gear behind the rotor didn't fit", was this a different gear than the 1600 originally came with. What I am getting at is if the tab on the rotor is not perfectly aligned with the pickup coils, they will not function.

Another confusing item is if the 1600 was complete with both stators, you could either have added another regulator to your bike, or have just connected one stator.

Not trying to jump in where sfair has started, but I have a first test for you.

With your volt meter in DC position, connect negative lead to battery negative. At ignition coils, connect positive lead to red wire, either coil, they are parallel,
turn on ignition switch and read voltage. Not cranking, just switch on.
 
#10 ·
Sorry for the confusion. When I bought the 1600 engine to replace my 1500 it only had a single stator and rectifier. My 1500 classic had 2. I was told to make wiring easier I could take the complete dual setup out of my old 1500 and put the whole works into the 1600. It didn't fit....So I had to leave a single stator in the 1600.
But once I had the 1600 open I could see the stator was worn.....So I left the rotor but put my stator and pickups from the 1500 in it instead. So the 1600 still has a single.
 
#20 ·
You should be able to hear it run for approx. 4sec, when you turn the switch on, not pressing the start button. I am concerned that there is no power to the coils as they are powered by the same supply wire as the fuel pump. I would remove the fuel tank and look for a plug that is disconnected. Follow the wire from the coil & red wire from the fuel pump to find the plug. If the fuel pump is running, there is a break in the wire going to the coils.
 
#23 ·
Same wire that supplies voltage to the coils is the same that supplies voltage to the fuel pump, so most likely if you have no voltage at coils, there will be none to fuel pump. At this point, I would disconnect wire that goes to starter, (large wire at terminal on starter), turn start switch on, press start button, and you will hear and or be able to feel if pump is running.
 
#25 ·
I checked for continuity between the ignitor black/green and black to both coils. They are fine. Checked the red between both coils and the fuel pump and they have continuity.

So what else....Bad coils? Bad ignitor? Could the position of the rotor and pickups be off in some way and keeping it from sparking?
 
#28 ·
I haven't had time to do the same test again (and hope for different results). But if I get no power at the coils when I check again tonight/tomorrow ....what is the next thing I should look at? What else would cause no voltage at the coils?

bad cdi/igniter, or would the position of the rotor matter? I know there were 2 marks that you line up and I think it is correct when I assembled it but it could be wrong. I am trying to eliminate all possibilities.