83 Venture with fire problem

[jeffcity2]

New to the forum and first post. I have a 1983 Venture that I am using for the power plant for a Reverse Trike, now I know that a few will sat why not just ride on 2. I have had some major injuries that prevents this from happening. I started with a failed project that someone had got in a hurry to complete, so I brought it to my shop so that I could get some wind in my face. I tore the whole thing apart after I got the venture running, it had not been started for 2 years and the valves stuck for a few minutes, but after some Sea Foam they cleared up and it ran pretty good for something that had not run for 2 years. I then disconnected all the relays and the TCI from the wiring harness to do my welding for the pan and roll cage. Well 2 months later I decide to hook everything back up and test run the engine again. Well it wouldn't start after plugging everything back up so here is what has been done so far:

Cleaned all grounds

Replaced Carb Diaphrams

Replaced Coils

replaced plug wires

checked fuel pump and relay

removed TCI from under frame

Repaired starter

 

Here is the problem I don't get fire from number 4 plug. I can get fire from #4 plug if I unplug #3 coil and plug it into #4 coil I get fire to #4 plug.

 

This must sound like I am rambling but I really don't know where to look next for the answer. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.

 

Happy Holidays to everyone on the board!

[RandyR]

The engine should run on 3 cylinders, just badly.

 

if I read what you're saying, plug 4 won't fire, but when you swap the #3 coil into the #4 position, then #4 plug fires.. is that right?

 

If so, then that sounds like a origonal #4 coil being bad.

 

Loose Creek huh? Still population 20? Had a friend there in the mid 60's.

[jeffcity2]

Thanks for reply Randy.

 

I will change the #4 coil with one that I know is good and replace the fuel filter just to make sure it is getting fuel along with the fuel lines. What are the chances that 2 coil packs would have the same coil bad in both packs, just my luck.

 

Yes we now have 21 people in town I moved in about 6 years ago.

 

I do love a challenge(1983 Yamaha that has set outside for over 2 years and never started).

 

:bang head::bang head:

[mbrood]

You can disconnect the large white connector on the TCI, turn on the ignition and with a "spare" spark plug in the #4 plug holder, "temporarily" ground pin 7 on the removed connector. The ignition puts +12V on the high side of both the primary and secondary of each coil... temporarily grounding that cooresponding pin will cause the plug to spark.

 

It's also healthy, with the ignition off, to measure the resistance from the plug holder to the ignition fuse... each should read approximately 23K Ohms... 10K for the plug holder resistor (5K if NGKs have been substituted) and 13K for the coil secondary.

 

You also want to pull the small white connector from the TCI and measure the input coils resistance and also measure each one to chassis ground (which should read infinite resitance).

 

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

[bkuhr]

Didn't say if you replaced plug caps when you replaced wires. I had corroded internal resistors, and was only able to clean up and get working 1 of 3 bad ones, I ended up replacing all 4 plug caps for about $2 each. Just a thought.

[jeffcity2]

I have changed the #4 coil and cleaned all grounds. I

Edited December 6, 2010 by jeffcity2

[dingy]

The 83-85 Ventures are known for having the TCI go bad.

 

There are 8 barrel diodes that deteriorate and cause an unrepairable failure of the TCI.

 

About only way to tell if this is the problem is to remove TCI from bike and open it up.

 

Below is one of many threads dealing with this problem.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=51767

 

And if you do determine that it is the TCI, a better option than buying a used TCI that may be bad or soon going to go bad is detailed in next thread.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40414

 

Gary

[jeffcity2]

I just discovered that my fuse box ground was off. Will that make the tci not work like it is suppose to?

 

Gary

[MiCarl]

The fuse box doesn't have a ground. At least it shouldn't have one......

 

On the MKII Ventures there is a screw ahead of the fuse box that is intended to provide power for accessories. Next to it there is another screw that has a ground lead under it to ground accessories. I suspect the MKI has it also and this is what you refer to.

 

If that's what you're talking about it should have no effect on the ignition system.

 

(I use words like should and shouldn't because there is no telling what a PO might have done to it....)

[jeffcity2]

Thanks Dingy for the link. I bought another TCI that was bad so I decided to order a new one from Ignitech just tonight. I will be using the information in the links to get mine up and running. I hope it don't take too long to get here, I want to hear this old 83 humming again.

 

Thanks guys for the valuable information that is posted here.

 

 

Gary