Some spark, then no spark

[saltcreep]

My bike is a 1992 Venture Royale.

 

I had thought my TCI is bad, still might be, but I am stumped on what is going on with this bike now.

 

This is an intermittent problem... sometimes the bike works just fine.

 

I have spark at all 4 plugs when initially cranking, maybe for 1-2 cycles and then no spark to any of them. The bike will crank over once , sound like it wants to fire and then nothing else.... If I try long enough I get a really loud backfire. The spark seems like it might be a bit weak also. I'm googling and searching the forum and purusing the manual, but not sure what to check for since it has spark on the initial revolution. Could this be a pickup coil problem.?

[Grisolm1]

There is a disable wire that is the safety cutout circuit for the side stand and tip over switch. Remove this wire from the TCI and see if that changes things. Be sure to re-install this safety circuit when the problem is corrected. Also I have heard of problems with the kill switch on the handlebars being intermittent.

[mbrood]

The fuse holder is also a high suspect, over years they become brittle and don't hold well. You should be able to get a resistance reading from the HOT side of the ignition fuse to the inside of each plug holder and see about 23K Ohms... 13K for each coil and 10K for the resistor in the plug holder.

 

Pin D is the disable mentioned earlier.

 

You also need to check that the connector at the drivers left ankle (ignition pickup coils) is clean and tight and that the same is checked for both TCI connectors.

 

http://www.bergall.org/temp/venture/tci/tciplugs.jpg

[saltcreep]

I've spent the day going over it.

I checked the sidestand switch

Tested that the TCI is getting proper voltage, voltage drops to around 11volts while cranking.

 

I removed the kill/safety wire. (Blk/Wht) (no change)

 

If I disconnect the pickup coil it does not even do the initial spark.

 

 

 

I don't think this is related, I think it is just another darned demon I need to find, but thought I should mention it:

Yesterday the bike kept cutting off when I would come to a stop sign and was slow to crank over, I would throw it into gear and start it back up before I came to a complete stop, I had a foot soaked with anti-freeze and it overheated a bit. I refilled it with fluid and none has leaked out , I really have absolutely no idea what that was about. I think maybe it was overheating the whole time is why it was cutting off and I just didn't realize what was going on.

 

 

I am trying to test the coils, but still fuzzy on what I'm doing there.

 

If anyone has any other ideas I would love to hear them, I absolutely love this thing, everything about it, but it is possessed I think.

[GeorgeS]

Try opening up, and Cleaning the Red Switch on right handlebar.

Voltage for all the ignition Switch goes thru this switch.

 

Ignition Fuse, holders are highly suspect.

 

Clean the Switch, on the side stand, make sure its not sticking. follow cable from switch to a pull apart plug. check the switch operation with and ohmeter.

 

From the Pick Up coiles to the TCI, is a 5 wire cable, about half way to the TCI is a pull apart plug installed in this cable, its located just about under your left knee as you sit on the bike. Find this plug, open it, and Clean the Contacts and Inspect the wires, make sure none of them are comeing loose from the pins in the plug.

 

At the Left Front Carb, look forward, and UP. See, the " Barro Pressure Sensor "

NOT easy to see. On bottom of this item is a Rubber Boot, covering the Electrical plug. Remove the boot and plug, and clean the contacts. I know of one bike where this rubber boot was Full of Water, and CRUD, which was shorting out the Voltage to the TCI. Its powered off the same Ignition Fuse !!!! ( This is a LONG SHOT, but check it anyway )

 

If all else fails, you might have a bad TCI. You might need to remove it, and remove the cover, and put it into an oven at 110 DEG. F. to dry out the Moisture. This is a common problem.