No Spark, no Joy... Walked home....

[buffalotankbob]

Hi guys.

Hope you can help a fellow who is down on his luck…

1982 R100RT 65K miles
Bike ran fine all day. Went to grocery store at end of day and -no Joy when I tried to start it. Sounded like there was ZERO spark. Turned over with plenty of zeal.

It normally starts on the first revolution when warm. Nothing this time. Not even a little pop. Pulled spark plug & re-connected it to wire [grounded], tested it. No spark.

I was able to get spark at the plug by flipping the kill switch back and forth from the run to the kill position!!?

Does this sound like the hall generator or the black ignition module under the tank puked?

Sorry to drop this in your laps; the bike died the other day and I am w/o internet [except at work]. Trying not to get fired by spending too much time this AM researching this thing. Hope to get the parts and have it fixed by this weekend....

Thanks, y’all.

[Kurt in S.A.]

Thunderchild has a couple of sections on testing the ignition module and the hall effect sensor:

http://thunderchild-design.com/info.html#chargsys

Another thing I wonder about...what about heat sink paste on the ignition module? Beginning with the '81s, I think this paste had to be renewed regularly. RatShack sells such a paste.

Kurt in S.A.

[lrz]

I was able to get spark at the plug by flipping the kill switch back and forth from the run to the kill position!!?

I'm no electronic guru, but this statement seems key.

Have you done the usual checking connections routine, esp battery/ground?

Can you spray some contact cleaner into the kill switch?

[buffalotankbob]

I forgot to mention that I re-did the paste after i bought the bike five years ago, and re-did it again last year. Used some radio shack heat-sink paste.

Disconnected & re-connected the following connections just in case it was a corroded connector:
Coils, bean can, ignition module.

No sparkie…. So suck.