Triumphrat

ocelot · 03-24-2007

I have a 2001 thunderbird, and the 1st cyclinder pipe stays cool like its not getting any spark. I switched the coil packs and spark plug wires around with the same results. It has new plugs in it. I'am thinking about just replacing the ignition pickup since some people think this may be it, but others says that all 3 cylinders would just die altogether. Can anybody tell me the air gap and the exacts ohms i'am supposed to be getting. I've read that the ohms should be 530 +\- 10%, and should the engine be completly warmed up when I check the ohms? I had checked with the engine just starting up and got ohms around 530 then they went all over the place.

jimmyj900 · 03-24-2007

The pickup coil is common to the entire system so if it fails, the whole system fails.

Since you've replaced the spark pluges and swapped coils and coil wires with the same result, then they're probably good.

That leaves the wiring between the igniter box and the coils and the igniter box itself.

Try reading the voltage (ignition on, engine not running) between the low voltage coil leads on each coil individualy and comparing the results. It should be the same on each coil plus or minus a couple of percent.

If the voltage on one coil is low or zero, that indicates a problem in the wiring or the igniter.

Jim

ocelot · 03-24-2007

I checked them and the 1st and 3rd coil read around 4.8. The middle one however ran a little above 6 .

ocelot · 03-24-2007

also forgot to mention the tach jumps up and down when revving it.

jimmyj900 · 03-24-2007

Quote:

I checked them and the 1st and 3rd coil read around 4.8. The middle one however ran a little above 6 ."

I seem to remember that they should read about 4.75 volts but I'm not 100% certain.

I believe the igniter uses current limited outputs and that would cause the voltage to be higher on a coil that has a higher resistance.

Swap the #2 with one of the others and see if the voltage readings shift accordingly. That would mean that the coil that reads 6V has a higher resistance than the other two.

If the readings remain the same then the igniter is having a problem.

Quote:

I have a 2001 thunderbird, and the 1st cyclinder pipe stays cool like its not getting any spark.

If by "first cylinder" you mean the cylinder on the kickstand side, you might have a blocked carburetor pilot jet that needs cleaning. The carb that's downhill when a bike is parked gets the most gas and the most gunk as the gas evaporates.

Jim

tridentt150v · 03-25-2007

Jimmy is probably correct, take out all the spark plugs, leave the fuel turned off, and then one by one put a sparkplug in each cylinder lead in turn and hold it on the motor [earthing it out] and then wind the motor over on the starter. Note if any DON"T spark? This is the dead one. Try swapping plugs and coils [not at the same time] and try again. By process of elimination you should be able to see if the issue is spark related, dud sparkplug, dud coil, or all are sparking OK and then fuel/carbies are the problem.

Note you'll see spark better in a shady or darker place, don't do it in the sun. And just to be safe don't hold the sparkplug too close to the sparkplug hole [you don't want to ignite any vapours.........woosh].

ocelot · 03-26-2007

Well I got her running, apparently the gaskets to the airbox from the card were very poorly sealed. I pushed to the airbox all the way and sealed it with blue silicone gasket marker for right now. I plan to replace it with the filter pods.

But now after a short ride this weekend the bike hit a few bumps in a parking lot and completely shut off and would not start agian. after I trailed it back to the shop the ignition pickup completely fell off its metal base like the metal rotor had hit it.

jimmyj900 · 03-26-2007

"But now after a short ride this weekend the bike hit a few bumps in a parking lot and completely shut off and would not start agian. after I trailed it back to the shop the ignition pickup completely fell off its metal base like the metal rotor had hit it."

Are the mounting screws still in place? If they're missing you've got a much bigger problem and need to find them before you try and run the engine again.

If the pickup broke loose from the bracket and the screws are still there, then you're in pretty good shape.

Jim

ocelot · 03-28-2007

The pickup sensor fell off the metal piece. It has also come to my attention that the guy my sister recommended to work on it had said the pickup kept falling off and he had rigged it back on.

I have never looked at the pickup before. Does it normaly have industrial glue holding it on the metal piece?

jimmyj900 · 03-28-2007

Quote:

The pickup sensor fell off the metal piece. It has also come to my attention that the guy my sister recommended to work on it had said the pickup kept falling off and he had rigged it back on.

I have never looked at the pickup before. Does it normaly have industrial glue holding it on the metal piece?

The guy your sister recommended is an idiot and there is no way that the pickup somehow 'magically disassassembled' itself. Most likely he broke it while doing a valve check as there's no other reason to remove that cover.

I'm looking at my spare pickup as I type, and the steel bracket is potted (with black epoxy) into the shell. The steel is also part of the magnetic circuit that generates the ignition pulse, so if that's separated from the coil the sensor is junk.

Jim