KV75 ignition problems - no spark

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Pacoperryz

Pacoperryz

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Trying to troubleshoot my issue of no spark in my 1974 MT1/KV75. Originally thought it was a bad ignition coil and I have a replacement on order but now I am thinking it has to do with my contact point system. I haven't yet pulled off the fly wheel (because I don't have the right tool todo so) but I can see the point through a window in the flywheel. When I crank the engine with the kick starter it does not appear that the contact point actually moves or changes position.

Can the cam lever piece that moves the point wear out or break off? If so is it an easy fix and where can you get such a part.

Thanks for any help
 
just a guess, but i would think the points run on the lobe inside the flywheel on the centre boss
if so, then a new flywheel should fix it ?
sometimes too, you can adjust the points through the slots in the outer edge of the flywheel

most of the time it is just the points that wear out.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-NOS-..._Parts_Accessories&hash=item232bcb28d1&_uhb=1

you may as well replace the condenser while you are at it too-
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NOS-1978..._Parts_Accessories&hash=item256a83e0a8&_uhb=1


http://www.partzilla.com/parts/sear...5-A5/IGNITION-GENERATOR ('71-'75)/parts.html#
 
Have a flywheel puller on order so will have a better look once I get it open. Like I said cranking the engine and the points don't seem to be contacting and breaking. They seem to just sit stationary but it could be masked by the flywheel. That's why I suspected the cam. Will let you know what I find when I get it opened up.
 
So finally go the flywheel pulled (with some effort) and you were on the money in that the cam lobe is actually the inner hub of the flywheel. Got my new contact point in the post, got it all hooked up and.....no spark. So to date, I have 1) new ignition coil; 2) new spark plug; 3) new points; and still no spark. I have a condenser on order as well so hoping that is the final solution. Flywheel magnets still seem strong so don't think that is an issue. Is it possible I have a short in the magneto coil? not sure how to test for that
 
when you replaced the points, did you refit the wire to them in the correct way,
they normally have a plastic insulator so the wire doesn't earth to the engine through the mounting screw.
make sure the wires terminal is only contacting the points, not an earth.


i just had a look online for the stator specifications and come across a PDF service manual for the early KV75 Kawasaki.
do you have a multimeter, if not you can pick one up cheap at a hardware store, or tool, and or, electronics shop.

scroll to page 22, it has the specs for setting the ignition point gaps etc.

then, go down to page 73, it has all the specs for the ignition coil, source and lighting coils, even the capacitor.

http://sundry.tech.purdue.edu/mleasu...ice-Manual.pdf
 
Thanks for the feedback and yes I have the same online service manual which is a great link. I will double check my connection wire on the points, but I basically connected it the same way as one the one I removed. Possibly it could be grounded but I doubt it. Pretty sure I set them up correctly as well but I am a newbie. Spun the flywheel so that the points were closed and then adjusted to a business cards width apart.

Missed the troubleshooting section on the magneto. Thanks for that. Will give it a go tonight. Otherwise will have to wait for my capacitor to show up
 
ok,
let me know if you still have problems, i might be able to help
 
Hey my67xr, still struggling unfortunately. As it turned out, my condensor on order showed up yesterday so I got to work to install it as well as check some of the other things you mentioned. Still no spark. So as per page 73 of the manual, I got out the multimeter and starter to work my way around the ignition system. Ignition coil primary winding is supposed to be 2.41 - 2.81 Ohms. I'm right in the money at 2.6 ohms. Secondary winding is supposed to be 10 kOhms but I am getting no reading at all. Made sure I had it on the right range. The coil is brand new so I don't know what the issue is. Next put the multimeter on the magneto, and again an odd result. Manual says disconnect the black lead and should read 1.6 Ohms. I get 1.4 Ohms steady which suggests it could have a short? I hate the idea of replacing the whole magneto (even if I could find one). for such a simple system, it shouldn't be this hard.....help!! :(

Will maybe throw some pictures on here tomorrow.
 
the readings specified in the manual will sometimes be slightly different, they can vary up to 20%.
this is due to the temperature, on a warmer day, you will get slightly higher readings, and visa versa colder day lower readings.

when you measured the secondary resistance on the ignition coil,
did you remove the spark plug cap, eg unscrew it off the end of the spark plug lead ?
 
and when you are kicking it over to check for a spark.
do you have the spark plug out, connected to the coil lead, and the plugs' threads earthed out onto the engine?

and it may sound silly, but did you reconnect the black lead from the stator, that you disconnected to test it ?
 
Good suggestions and truth is I thought the same thing while lying in bed last night trying to figure this thing out. I will run through all the tests again tonight, but yes I have tested the coil secondary with the lead off (when I first got it though, not recently). And yes, spark plug is out of the cylinder, connected and grounded to a clean bolt (earthed) on the engine frame - also earthed against the cylinder head just in case. Even turned out the lights to see if I was just missing a very faint spark, but not even a sniff. Black lead is definitely connected. As I said previously, magnets on flywheel also seem strong - it wants to pull itself onto the magneto when putting it back on.

Unfortunately when installing the new capacitor, I did manage to snap off a section of the wire lead from the magneto coil to the capacitor (approx. a 2" section of wire with insulation on it). I ended up slipping on an insulation jacket onto the end of the wire and sodering the magneto coil copper wire directly to the capacitor with the other wires (points (blue wire) and ignition coil (black wire)). It was after this fix that I got the 1.4 Ohms so thinking it should be OK.

Appreciate all you help
 
So got out the multimeter tonight and confirmed my earlier post. 2.4 ohms on primary and nada on secondary. Spark plug lead off. Will add some pictures tomorrow.

One issue. It was the first new part I replaced, but because I struggled to find a genuine Kawasaki replacement, I consulted online and was told any 6V ignition coil should work. The one I bought says it is for a Honda (C100, CA100,C50,C70,C90,CM90, and CM91). Any idea if this may be my problem. Pretty hard to get energy to the spark plug if not getting continuity on the spark plug lead....

There are a couple of used ones on EBay, but I hate the idea of ordering another one if I don't need to. Especially when the shipping to Oz is as much and in some cases more than the part itself. Man I want to get this thing running.
 
photo's of my ignition coil continuity testing
 

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sorry i havent replied sooner,
i have done 3 8x5 caged trailer loads of rubbish to the dump today, fun...


those readings are a little strange, 2.4 is possibly ok? but i would have thought that the seconday reading would be up around 6 ohms maybe ?
did you try measuring the secondary with the multimeters' lead to the actual coil metal frame?
taking a reading from a blot is sometimes wrong, due to there being rust/corrosion in the mountings' threads.
it could be worth running a tap through it to clean them up.

do you have a link to the coil you bought?
 
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Yeah just tried again going straight to the coil's ground. 2.4 on primary, and 0 on the secondary again. Here is a question for you. If the secondary coil is bad, but everything else is good, should I still be able to see an arc at the points? In theory There should still be a closed circuit on the primary right? It seems odd to me to get no continuity on the secondary at all, but I don't want to replace again only to find I still have another issue still in the magneto. Encouraged I have continuity in the magneto but not confident it's operating as it should either. Running out o options there though short of replacing the coil or the flywheel itself.
 
i have been researching the coils and found out a couple of things that may help.

older bikes fitted with points, instead of a cdi, require an ignition coil with a primary reading of around 5 ohms.
seeing as yours only has 2.4 ohms, it isn't enough to trigger a decent spark.
what you need to do to use the coil you have, is to buy a 25 watt, 3 Ohm resistor and connect one end to the terminal of the coil (along with the original wire) and the other end of the resistor to earth.
here is one i found on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gold-Ton...cal_Test_Equipment&hash=item4d07a7056b&_uhb=1

otherwise if there is a Jaycar store local to you,
get 2x of these resistors, and run them in series (put the 2x side by side, and join the wires together at each end)
and then wire it the same as i said above, one end to earth, other end connects to the coil wire at the coil
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gold-Ton...cal_Test_Equipment&hash=item4d07a7056b&_uhb=1
 
looking again at your readings on the multimeter,
in the first pic, i cant see it too well, but does it say .1 K Ohms ?
if so, then that is correct for what the coil is, it means 10,000 Ohms
 
Will read through your links, but going off the service manual, page 73, primary coil should be 2.41-2.81 ohms. I get 2.4 so all good. Secondary should be 10 kohms which as you say is 10,000 ohms. My multimeter is a little weird in that when just switched on it has a 0.L on the readout so that is what you are seeing, not 0.1 (and if it was, that would be 1000 ohms, not 10,000). Doesn't matter though as i have gone through all the ranges on the meter and i still get nothing.
 
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