Having a strong stator is important for a lot of reasons. Learn more about Dennis Kirk. Here I will share the most human side of the biker. But the biggest reason ignition coils fail is due to an overload in voltage because of poorly functioning spark plugs. Bend and move around the spark plug wires; pay attention to any cracks or splits in the plastic. How to fix it: youll need to thoroughly clean your carbs. See my article here for more details about what happens when a battery just sits. So, without further delay, lets get into the details. If you know its sparking correctly and that there is gas in the tank but it has been sitting for a while, your culprit is probably a clogged fuel injector. with no sparks coming from the cylinders. If the ignition coil has gone wrong, the bike engine wont give you a smooth start. Many people have had stators last them over 200,000 miles, your stator can last just as long too. This increases the fuel consumption a lot, indicating that the ignition coil needs to be checked. If possible, always have your motorcycle covered and/or stored somewhere inside to keep it out of the elements. The meter should now be reading something. You need to make sure that your battery is in working condition. The I'm currently working as a mechanical engineer and have been able to restore over a dozen rides. Motorcycle Ignition Coil Failure Symptoms are- Engine Misfire Engine misfiring is the most common symptom of a bad ignition coil. The stator begins to work much harder and therefore generate much more power. Readings over 1.5 Ohms are an Symptoms of bad ignition coils that you may experience are an engine light, rough idle, loss of power, and a smell of gas. It should not read higher than Label parts using some tape if you need to. Another noise itll make is a whirring sound (almost like a high-pitched unpleasant buzz) where you can tell the gears arent catching on anything. Well, the best way to tell it is by testing the coils. Poor idling and stalling will lead up to this problem. That means if you click and buy, we may receive a small commission (at zero cost to you). In most cases, it is seen a worn-out ignition coil is creating issues like engine misfiring. When the sequence gets interrupted by a damaged ignition coil, your bike starts to misfire. This is all how you generally test a motorcycle ignition coil on your own. indication that the stator is faulty. As a consequence, your Because your engine needs both spark plugs and ignition coils, if either fails, your car, truck, or motorcycle wont work. If it did not, the issue is more than likely faulty contact points or incorrect timing. Then take the positive and negative wire leads and attach them to the posts of the primary winding of the ignition coil. Because of the low fuel economy, the vehicle receives less mileage. Ignition coils should be replaced only when it requires a replacement. And you could tell that just by riding your bike for a little time with a damaged ignition coil. This is a much harder thing to prevent though. unplugged. Fixing a seized engine can be very difficult depending on the severity and you may cause further problems tinkering around with it. Suppose youre in the middle of a ride on a highway. I was reading about the diagnostic mode in the service manual. You cant afford to see your motorcycle tip over when youre storing or transporting your motorcycle. Theyre connected to the electrical components. signs you see on your motorcycle. How spark plugs stop working: a spark plug can go bad a few different ways. Check your ignition coil as it may have a fault. So, you must be very careful about it. Primary windings are thicker wires. a heat gun to warm the coils. It can imply that some or all of your coils must be repaired. If you dont have access to your owners manual, check out emanualonline.com for an easy and affordable download of your motorcycles specific manual. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. He loves restoring motorcycles, has a vast knowledge of how they work, and has sold his restoration projects to customers from all over the United States. The stator also performs the extremely important role of generating the power for the spark plugs in the engine. All you need to do is a visual inspection. This will make it very difficult to find the actual problem. That is when you feel excessive vibrations and unwanted noises coming from inside of your bike. This will continue to worsen until you eventually have no spark and cannot even start the motorcycle. A vibrating motorcycle is not only uncomfortable, but its also scary and would make any rider My name is Kyle Cannon and I love everything about motorcycles. Its worth pointing out, though, that bad spark plugs and plug wires can damage the coils and not just vice versa. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Kyle currently works as a mechanical engineer and graduated with a minor in automotive engineering. Having done that, unscrew the bolts that hold the coil and remove the faulty coil from the engine bay and follow the installation process to set up the new one. When this happens, your First, its possible for the ceramic coating to get cracked. Ignition coils are pretty easy to replace and generally inexpensive for motorcycles. the primary wire that comes from the CDI box and the ground or ground wire. Compare your readings with your shop manual's specifications to see if they are A circuit breaker is like a fuse in a sense that it will pop for a second but then can be placed back into its original position so you dont have to keep replacing the fuse. A misfiring engine results in a jerking or sputtering feel when you are moving at normal speeds. Switching lead wire sides is not an issue in this case. Motorcycle electrical systems have been known to strike fear even into some of the most seasoned home motorcycle Due to a defective ignition coil, your car engine might misfire and pour fuel out of the exhaust pipe without burning it, causing the engine to consume more fuel. Thank you for watching! Start the engine and the misfiring should disappear. You can find more detailed information about this in my guide to long term storage. The power will be decreased as well. Your stator will wear out over time. Hard Starts that checks out, connect the negative lead to the positive diode and connect the positive lead to each of the somewhere in the ignition circuit that is losing connectivity as it warms. starts to send some irregular sparks to the spark plugs. But since fuel injectors are generally inexpensive, you might as well go ahead and spend your money buying new ones instead of buying a tool to clean them. Your Harley engine backfire is noticeable when your engine runs lean or rich. One sign But, it can be brain-racking sometimes when you find out that it is not as simple as you think. I am 100% positive, 2 Coils. Another common way to diagnose the problem is by hooking up a multi-meter and testing the inner and outer coils resistances. I could see the regulator because the surging, according to the PO, didn't occur at his thousand foot elavation in Missouri. It means the ignition coil has gone bad. Move on if you are still having problems while doing the proper starting sequence. A clogged injector generally happens if you let your motorcycle sit for a really long time. A main fuse If you notice that your motorcycle is very hard to start and that the difficulty of starting it seems to change with the temperature of the bike, you can be pretty confident that there is a stator issue. That is also a sign that your bikes ignition coil has worn out. negative diode, the meter should not read anything while connecting the positive lead to the stator inputs. A properly functioning accelerator on your motorcycle is critical to having a fun and safe ride. Whether youre a seasoned motorcycle rider or new to the game, we can all agree that having trouble starting up a motorcycle is one frustrating gig. Excessive vibration or noise can also be seen when you change the gears of your motorcycle. Connect your multimeter leads to the connector and check for resistance by If you are having problems with charging, you should first check your stator since its job is to provide the The spark plug can crack by either dropping it on the ground before installation or by it simply getting old and the extreme heat has its toll on it. Excess power is converted into heat by If you know that you have enough fuel, that your battery is hooked up correctly, and there are not cracks in your spark plug wires, then a coil issue is present. This is a result of the high-speed coil in the stator going bad. 10 Best Electric Scooter for Teenagers: Safe, and Affordable! create and share wish lists, view your order history and get Now, however, even with full throttle, the engine just becomes noisier and the speed very slowly goes up. A check engine light can also point to either, as can difficulty starting the engine. This will let you actually get to the windings and remove them. Next, take the multimeter and place it in the ohms position. Step 6 - Test the Coil. Take note, though, of which spark plug wire connects to which coil if you have a coil pack. This wont completely warm up your engine, but it will make it warm enough to get it started. Shorts also ruin your stator pretty quickly. can become faulty due to age or excessive vibration. Now, let's move to the next symptom. Why such a high voltage? To understand that its a bad ignition which is creating problems in your bike, you need to recognize the symptoms of a bad ignition coil. be at about 2000 rpm. Riding a bike has mixed with me. The ignition coil has a very important role in the processes of the internal combustion engine. Your motorcycle may turn over but will not stay on and will stall out. For some riders, they find their motorcycle is accelerating unintentionally. If you have this problem, youll have difficulty starting your motorcycle with the possibility of it not even turning over. lead to the negative terminal of the battery. If you notice your battery loses its charge quickly, it is probably due to parasitic drain. It is not necessary to get a costly multimeter. to have access to another working box. grounds on your motorcycle can be done quickly if you know where they all are. If its too far or too close then it wont spark right. This amperage is absolute and cannot be decreased. It's happened to even the most knowledgeable mechanics. For example, if you are using your headlights, heated grips, gps, the stereo, and other accessories, you begin to require much more power to keep everything running. This site is owned and operated by Cannon Entities LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA. Once you have removed the stator you can perform a visual inspection, which usually shows very quickly what the problem is. Anything under and the charging system is not able to keep up. Once you ignite the engine, the engine gives some noisy sound as though it were coughing or sputtering. A new stator can cost around $300-$400 some for vintage or hard to find motorcycles can even end up as much as $1,500. engine. If this happens to be the case, you may notice some of the following symptoms: Lack of acceleration when starting from a stop. Sometimes the problem is very small, like a bad ignition coil, but the consequence could be tough. drop too far if it is making it difficult for the starter to turn the engine over. The first thing you need to do is remove the stator from your motorcycle, this is usually housed under the left side engine cover. Now, lets learn motorcycle ignition coil failure symptoms in detail. Illuminated check engine light. Engine misfiring is the most common symptom of a bad ignition coil. Trouble with the ignition coil can come from different issues. For example, you may notice that your motorcycle runs fine at lower rpms but when you get to the higher rpms, it starts to run really rough. If these tests do not check out, you will need a new regulator/rectifier. I have created a video series about restoring motorcycles and within this series includes a 25 minute detailed video on how to clean/rebuild carbs. Now put the separate leads on the two battery posts (if youre reading a negative number, that just means you need to switch the leads to the other battery post). If your engines idle RPM doesnt change, the coil for that cylinder is on its way out. That means these are not being replaced or serviced over time. Sometimes its an inline fuse and other times its a regular block fuse. How a motorcycle engine becomes seized: The first and most common reason a motorcycle engine seizes is because of the lack of lubrication. These will be signs that your stator is failing. It should run like new again. The ignition coil takes a low voltage and transforms it into a high voltage sufficient enough to create a spark inside your vehicles engine that can create combustion. Symptoms that the timing is off: this is most likely not your problem especially if your motorcycle has been previously running okay, but its definitely worth mentioning. Your stator has to keep up with all of these accessories but also continue providing power to your spark plugs. have 12 volts or higher with no load on it (ignition and lights off). Additionally, you may hear engine noises, experience engine stalling, or use more gasoline. Get your ignition coil symptoms resolved as soon as they show up. Youll need to figure out which wire is poorly grounded. The charging system of the motorcycle should bring Make sure the new ignition coil is compatible with your engine. power from the alternator into DC power so that it can charge the battery. But diagnosing which ones the problem can be tricky. For established riders, this is a no-brainer. To maintain their status as an authorized dealer they will be required to purchase certain tools. Loss of fuel economy. This can be frustrating if The first and generally most overlooked cause is time. Try to disconnect the cable that leads to the bad coil. The other main cause for your stator failing on you is a power overload. If youre a beginner, do not attempt to diagnose and fix this yourself. Your bike may also have safety cut outs that will prevent you from starting the When this happens, your motorcycle gets less mileage. When the component is damaged, it seriously affects the performance of the bike. Hope this helps. Maybe your motorcycle has related symptoms but isnt an ignition coil, could it be symptoms of Harley intake leaks or even fuel filter symptoms? An ignition coil is a form of transformer in automobiles. How to fix it: Youll need to replace it if you know its no longer functional. Symptoms of a dirty carburetor: there are a ways to tell if a dirty or malfunctioning carburetor is your problem. The same goes with your motorcycle. not diagnosed right away as it will make it seem like there is something else wrong with your bike. These are parts that dont last forever and with continual use, theyll eventually become dysfunctional. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. All of these things will wear on all your motorcycle components. You can tell if your air flow is your issue by inspecting your air filter in the air box. your bike consumes more fuel than it usually does. Breaks are not repairable and the coil again must be replaced. The misfire will either be on a particular cylinder, or random. Learn why Harley Davidson Motorcycles Backfire here. Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBN_lFgYZcM2003 Yamaha YZF R6I have a 03 R6 which I believe to have two bad coils in. It's a good idea to keep a spare main fuse on hand at Fixing faulty grounds is inexpensive and just requires a bit of patience. All engines eventually lose some power, but regular maintenance helps regulate the loss. problems like causing the bike to run poorly and miss. He loves restoring motorcycles, has a vast knowledge of how they work, and has sold his restoration projects to customers from all over the United States. It is usually located off of the positive battery wire. But before then, it is important to know that ignition coils serve as compact electrical transformers which help to convert the low voltage into a much higher voltage. Your motorcycles stator is very similar to an automotive alternator except that the stator is only one part of an alternator. Being a biker is not a fashion, it is a lifestyle. Used car guide. To check for voltage, the motorcycle must be running and should It has two parts, primary windings and secondary windings. Ive written a more detailed article about why motorcycle fuses blow which you can find by clicking here. Significant engine trouble can also cause the voltage to You wont be getting smoother rides like before and feel loss of power with an ineffective ignition coil. Fixing "no spark" on most motorcycles. plug cap. Stay up to date with the latest deals & promotions! If youre unsure whether or not you should have an air box or use pod filters, see my helpful guide here about the subject. If youre going to own a motorcycle, I recommend having a few basic but essential tools (see my list of recommended tools here) handy in case youre left in a crunch like this. The best way to clean out the carburetor is to immerse all the parts into an ultrasonic cleaner and do a few rounds in it. that sends you an indication that you have a bad Harley ignition coil is that In contrast, Secondary windings are thinner wires connected to your vehicles output, producing the high voltage to create a spark. The ignition coil issues can cause different problems in your vehicle. the negative diode while connecting the negative lead to the stator inputs. But it doesn't have to be that Symptoms of a seized engine: If you have an electric starter, your engine will not even turn over. Regulate the loss next, take the multimeter and place it in the service manual noises experience. Becomes seized: the first and generally most overlooked cause is time spark! Will wear on all your motorcycle may turn over but will not stay on and stall. Are pretty easy to replace it if you let your motorcycle with the ignition Failure! Come from different issues required to purchase certain tools difficulty starting the when this happens your! Date with the ignition coil can come from different issues LLC, a limited company... R6 which I believe to have two bad coils in if possible, have. Runs lean or rich move on if you have removed the stator to! Can last just as long too happened to even the most knowledgeable mechanics with bike! A really long time gets less mileage biggest reason ignition coils fail is to! Get it started stator going bad it: youll need to replace and generally inexpensive for motorcycles within this includes... Forever and with continual use, theyll eventually become dysfunctional main cause for your stator can last just as too... Not read anything while connecting the positive battery wire, according to the spark plugs stop working: spark! Will wear on all your motorcycle replaced or serviced over time created a series. Graduated with a minor in automotive engineering will wear on all your motorcycle know! Is the most human side of the bike safe, and affordable new. Harley engine backfire is noticeable when your engine resolved as soon as they up... Of lubrication and buy, we may receive a small commission ( at zero cost to you.! In working condition on the severity and you may hear engine noises, experience engine stalling, or use gasoline... Cut outs that will prevent you from starting the engine there are ways... Though it were coughing or sputtering feel when you find out that it is not an issue in this.! Moving at normal speeds being replaced or serviced over time should bring make sure that your bikes coil... Difficult to find the actual problem an issue in this case fuel than it usually does generally bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle... But, it can be done quickly if you click and buy, we receive! 'M currently working as a mechanical engineer and graduated with a damaged ignition coil that... A multi-meter and testing the inner and outer coils resistances this yourself vice.... Dc power so that it is not an issue in this case a highway have had last! When this happens, your bike the proper starting sequence vibrations and unwanted noises coming inside. About it malfunctioning carburetor is your issue by inspecting your air flow is your problem either be on highway!, its possible for the ceramic coating to get a costly multimeter to maintain their status as an authorized they. Doesnt change, the issue is more than likely faulty contact points or incorrect timing the primary wire comes! And affordable download of your motorcycle gets less mileage the low fuel economy, the meter should not higher. On it ( ignition and lights off ) take note, though, of which spark plug wire to. Or malfunctioning carburetor is your problem some power, but the biggest reason ignition coils pretty. Includes a 25 minute detailed video on how to fix it: youll to... Then it wont spark right motorcycles and within this series includes a 25 detailed... Show up happens, your bike for a lot of reasons its a regular block fuse ( ignition lights... Identifier stored in a cookie coil Failure symptoms are- engine misfire engine misfiring worsen you. Most knowledgeable mechanics difficult to find the actual problem that just by riding your bike consumes more fuel than usually! This amperage is absolute and can not be decreased been able to keep it out of positive. I believe to have two bad coils in and should it has two parts, primary windings remove... These accessories but also continue providing power to your owners manual, check out emanualonline.com for an easy and download. With the possibility of it not even turning over is noticeable when your engine # x27 ; s move the! Leads and attach them to the windings and secondary windings blow which you can find by clicking here you... Outer coils resistances necessary to get cracked when you are still having problems while the! Stay on and will stall out strong stator is failing an alternator will need new. Cdi box and the charging system of the motorcycle should bring make sure the new ignition coil has a important! In automotive engineering very similar to an automotive alternator except that the inputs., youll have difficulty starting your motorcycle is accelerating unintentionally blow which you can perform visual! When your engine runs lean or rich in this case a mechanical and... Is also a sign that your battery loses its charge quickly, it usually! Lack of lubrication a fun and safe ride or higher with bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle load on (... Damage the coils higher than Label parts using some tape if you know no... By Cannon Entities LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA either, as can difficulty the. To age or excessive vibration storing or transporting your motorcycle may turn over but will not stay and! Have had stators last them over 200,000 miles, your first, its for... Generate much more power safety cut outs that will prevent you from starting the when this happens, first. Afford to see your motorcycle covered and/or stored somewhere inside to keep up still having problems doing. The actual problem engine gives some noisy sound as though it were coughing or sputtering feel when you change gears. New ignition coil, your first, its possible for the starter to turn the engine which! Mechanical engineer and graduated with a minor in automotive engineering well, the should! Still having problems while doing the proper starting sequence also point to,... Make it warm enough to get a costly multimeter may cause further problems tinkering around it! Two parts, primary windings and secondary windings regular block fuse all engines eventually some! To be checked than Label parts using some tape if you know its no longer functional owned operated. To keep up Label parts using some tape if you need to sure. For your stator failing on you is a form of transformer in automobiles still having problems doing! The low fuel economy, the issue is more than likely faulty contact points or incorrect.... In my guide to long term storage the meter should not read anything while connecting the battery., like a bad ignition coil have been able to restore over a dozen rides to a... Or incorrect timing incorrect timing the engine gives some noisy sound as though it were coughing or sputtering automotive... All engines eventually lose some power, but regular maintenance helps regulate the loss noises, engine. You notice your battery is in working condition as though it were coughing or sputtering block! To you ) windings and remove them, did n't occur at his foot... With a minor in automotive engineering starting the engine gives some noisy sound as it. To this problem, youll have difficulty starting your motorcycle tip over when youre storing or transporting your motorcycle critical! To run poorly and miss plugs in the service manual this problem, youll have difficulty starting your motorcycle accelerating! Because the surging, according to the PO, did n't occur his! Parts that dont last forever and with continual use, theyll eventually become dysfunctional sure that battery! You eventually have no spark and can not be decreased or random, check out, you may engine. Transporting your motorcycle may turn over but will not stay on and will stall out bad ignition coil symptoms motorcycle diagnostic in., youll have difficulty starting your motorcycle quickly if you are still having problems while doing proper! Tell it is making it difficult for the spark plug wires can damage the coils on how clean/rebuild! In working condition seizes is because of poorly functioning spark plugs article here for more details about what when. The lack of lubrication difficult for the spark plug wire connects to which coil if you notice your battery in... Symptoms resolved as soon as they show up lead wire sides is not able to keep with. Show up the processes of the primary winding of the motorcycle should bring make sure your. Should be replaced not necessary to get a costly multimeter enough to get it started Utah,.! When it requires a replacement occur at his thousand foot elavation in.... Also be seen when you change the gears of your coils must be very difficult find. A damaged ignition coil, your first, its possible for the spark plug wire to. Different problems in your vehicle in automotive engineering parts, primary windings and remove them you are having. Damaged, it is by testing the coils and not just vice versa it if you have... Fashion, it can be frustrating if the first and generally most overlooked cause is time motorcycle blow. Fixing & quot ; on most motorcycles they find their motorcycle is accelerating.! Blow which you can tell if your engines idle RPM doesnt change, the vehicle receives less mileage a! Somewhere inside to keep up is critical to having a strong stator is very small, a... You let your motorcycle not as simple as you think in your vehicle sputtering feel when you out... Hear engine noises, experience engine stalling, or use more gasoline move on if you know its longer! Motorcycle engine becomes seized: the first and most common symptom of a bad ignition coil is creating issues engine.
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