spark issues

[pitboss]

i have 1 1998 katana 600, its getting good solid spark to the right coil, #2 and #3. but the left coil has nothing so #1 and #4 are dead. ive tested both coils primary and secondary windings, the pulse generator coil, the tps over and over and they are all in spec. so all thats left is the icu but im wondering if it would only allow spark to one coil. my suzuki dealer was absoluteley no help at all so im on my own. any help would be appreciated. thanks guys

[arsenic]

it's not the CDI (icu). It's very rare that only 1/2 goes out. Make sure the coil wiring is correct, and changing the plugs wouldn't hurt anything.

[kevin2502000]

i have 1 1998 katana 600, its getting good solid spark to the left coil, #1 and #4. but the right coil has nothing so #2 and #3 are dead. ive tested both coils primary and secondary windings, the pulse generator coil, the tps over and over and they are all in spec. so all thats left is the icu but im wondering if it would only allow spark to one coil. my suzuki dealer was absoluteley no help at all so im on my own. any help would be appreciated. thanks guys

Ha there was recently a similar thread identical to this. Here is what I would do.... Switch the power wires to the coils around. If the same coil now sparks, it's not the coil but rather that "channel". I believe that other thread did end up being the CDI. You said you checked the pulse coil so my next guess would be the cdi.

it's not the CDI (icu). It's very rare that only 1/2 goes out. Make sure the coil wiring is correct, and changing the plugs wouldn't hurt anything.

That was my exact thought on the last thread and it ended up being the cdi.

[arsenic]

The other thread didn't end up being the CDI, it was incorrectly wired coils, I just read it

[kevin2502000]

You are correct, here it is for the OP, I just re-read it as well. Sounds like it was wiring mismatched.

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=114757

[hardlydangerous]

Test the wiring first, swap coils to the other side and check the wiring...

that said Ive seen this with some of the older GS ingniter boxes... if they burn out on IN side both coils go dead if they brun out on the out side only one side goes dead....
it does happen but that also usually means the regulator/ rectifier is bad and putting too much voltage to the spark control unit. If you get it running be sure to put a volt meter on the battery and run it up and down the street a couple times and check the voltage.

[arsenic]

Good thing you found that thread, I couldn't remember where it was I've only been back like 2 days, I don't know where everything is yet

Test the wiring first, swap coils to the other side and check the wiring...

that said Ive seen this with some of the older GS ingniter boxes... if they burn out on IN side both coils go dead if they brun out on the out side only one side goes dead....
it does happen but that also usually means the regulator/ rectifier is bad and putting too much voltage to the spark control unit. If you get it running be sure to put a volt meter on the battery and run it up and down the street a couple times and check the voltage.

I agree it DOES happen, but it's VERY rare.

[kevin2502000]

Good thing you found that thread, I couldn't remember where it was I've only been back like 2 days, I don't know where everything is yet

Actually here is the other thread I had it confused with that describes what HD just said. http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=115395
Good to see you back Chris.

[arsenic]

Well, yeah, if you jump a bike with a running vehicle, that's gonna kill the CDI. I don't believe this OP did that.

[hardlydangerous]

Its very rare for one channel ony to go out.... but we have a GS550L street fighter for sale with this same issue... its on its second OE ignition box.

The first time was poor grounding or so I thought, the second time it was pushing way too much power, meaning the the reg/rec is not working properly. at $700 to fix it all, its not worth in on an 84

Hey Chris...can you find me a deal on an 84 ignition box?

[arsenic]

doubt it, if it's not a set of carburetors, I tend to not deal with it

[kevin2502000]

Its very rare for one channel ony to go out.... but we have a GS550L street fighter for sale with this same issue... its on its second OE ignition box.

The first time was poor grounding or so I thought, the second time it was pushing way too much power, meaning the the reg/rec is not working properly. at $700 to fix it all, its not worth in on an 84

Hey Chris...can you find me a deal on an 84 ignition box?

Pop the cover off the cdi box, most of the parts in it are replaceable IF you can find numbers to cross reference. Sometimes they won't have any numbers and that's so you have to buy the whole module. If it's just a diode or resister thats a $3 fix. Gotta find someone that is smart with electronics to figure it out though. Diodes are usually what get "fried" first. They somewhat act like a one way fuse.

Don't hold your breath but I MIGHT have a cdi box. It will be a couple of weeks but I still have some parts off a gs 550, 250, 750 that I parted out along time ago out at my parents and I know I never used the ignitors. If I have one you can have it for shipping because I would have no idea if it's any good.

[hardlydangerous]

Pop the cover off the cdi box, most of the parts in it are replaceable IF you can find numbers to cross reference. Sometimes they won't have any numbers and that's so you have to buy the whole module. If it's just a diode or resister thats a $3 fix. Gotta find someone that is smart with electronics to figure it out though. Diodes are usually what get "fried" first. They somewhat act like a one way fuse.

Don't hold your breath but I MIGHT have a cdi box. It will be a couple of weeks but I still have some parts off a gs 550, 250, 750 that I parted out along time ago out at my parents and I know I never used the ignitors. If I have one you can have it for shipping because I would have no idea if it's any good.

cool sounds good
yeah we have an old one that was torn apart but it actually caught fire and burnt up everything in there lol
I have not tried to pull apart the second one

[pitboss]

i switched coils and got spark. so coils are okay. is there a test i can do to the cdi to check it.

[arsenic]

well, technically yes. But you need a really expensive tester to do it. See if your local dealer can test it. (I guarantee there's nothing wrong with it)