1978 Honda CB400T - "Controlled" - First Build
- Thread starter shavoc
- Start date
shavoc
Do or do not, there is no try.
I think my multi meter is broken - go figure. I had a shitty old GE one but I'm looking around for a decent one. I started to unclip everything, main harness and such... I'm really suspecting the stator hardcore... previous owner had the cover off and the center nut is rusted like hell but then again most of the wires are frayed too... a few exposed here and there I taped up temporarily and retried with no luck.
stator failure wouldn't affect running, just charging; rectifier failure would destroy your electrical system to all points north. need to be methodical when testing the electrical system. could be the cdi - but you won't know until you check everything that comes before it. cheap harbor freight multimeter will do this job.
shavoc
Do or do not, there is no try.
Rich Ard said:
I guess I missed that... gotta keep a battery charged right! ha. I'm an idiot. I unmounted the cdi and the rectifier - both have seen better days as they seem to have been exposed (tank and seat removed and bike left in rain at some point) - I checked the 3 fuses I saw on the plate with the rectifier and they seemed good. No breaks or corrosions or burns and the 2 spares look identical.
As for testing the rectifier and cdi, I assume I turn the key on and measure connections before and after each point? I'm not so great with a multi-meter but that's just a youtube video away.
Even tho the fuses look fine doesn't mean anything. Those fuse boxes do not hold up very well and they stop making good connections. I have a 78 also and I had problems with the lights not working also. I went to an auto parts store an got a universal blade fuse box and I replaced the original one with it. It took care of all my problems.
shavoc
Do or do not, there is no try.
Small victory- I figured out what the wires were on the battery side of the house after seeing this
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don't need that shit!
Ones less thing to worry about. I imagine I'll be making a custom wiring harness after all is said and done. Picking up a new multimeter today, some fuses, and I should be getting my compression tester and feeler gauges today or tomorrow.
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Found that napa center here has a few... got 4 ordered just in case - picking up today!
don't need that shit!
Ones less thing to worry about. I imagine I'll be making a custom wiring harness after all is said and done. Picking up a new multimeter today, some fuses, and I should be getting my compression tester and feeler gauges today or tomorrow.
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Found that napa center here has a few... got 4 ordered just in case - picking up today!
shavoc
Do or do not, there is no try.
You need to test the coil. Having voltage to the coil doesn't mean it's bad - could also be that the cDi isn't doing it's job, or that the cDi isn't getting signal from the pickups, or that your plug wires are bad, or your timing is way off...
be slow and methodical.
be slow and methodical.
I just mean to encourage you to read, think and ask questions as you go - hoping that replacing a component will solve an issue gets expensive, and you may eventually find that it was something as simple as a misconnected wire.
So - right now your starter motor is out of the picture entirely, right? Consider using it for now, they're great for testing.
If you describe in detail how the bike is set up now, and then explain how you've cone to the conclusion you aren't getting spark, we can lend a hand troubleshooting
So - right now your starter motor is out of the picture entirely, right? Consider using it for now, they're great for testing.
If you describe in detail how the bike is set up now, and then explain how you've cone to the conclusion you aren't getting spark, we can lend a hand troubleshooting
TricDick
Been Around the Block
shavoc
Do or do not, there is no try.
Ill do the best I can. I don't have a starter motor, when I noticed disconnected wires on the battery side I looked it up and that's where it would've gone. I replaced the battery and found that all the lights and flashers work fine. I've replaced the 15amp and 2 7 amp fuses. I then would turn on the key and start multimeter testing.
First I checked all the connections out of the stator/alternator while kicking. All fine. Then I went up from there. Got to the connection in the photo I linked earlier and stopped there. Spark plugs are new and gapped. As far as the plug wires I thought about replacing them but how do they physically connect to the coil? Just grip and rip? Or unscrew like the plug caps?
First I checked all the connections out of the stator/alternator while kicking. All fine. Then I went up from there. Got to the connection in the photo I linked earlier and stopped there. Spark plugs are new and gapped. As far as the plug wires I thought about replacing them but how do they physically connect to the coil? Just grip and rip? Or unscrew like the plug caps?
shavoc
Do or do not, there is no try.
As it sits now. I'm going to en up throwin some money at this anyway. Ordered a CDI from mr magician on a whim. Local cycle parts places don't carry much around here.
As far as coil is concerned; if mine is broken has anyone had some luck with dyna coils on these older bikes (no starter motor)
As far as coil is concerned; if mine is broken has anyone had some luck with dyna coils on these older bikes (no starter motor)
Attachments
shavoc
Do or do not, there is no try.
As she sits now. Carbs removed, air box removed (what a pain!), rear tire removed, exhaust and crossover pipe(holy heavy) All gauges removed and main harness gone.
I'm not gonna sit and figure out the wiring/spark issue. A better use of my time is to tear it all apart and start from the bottom up.
I'm not gonna sit and figure out the wiring/spark issue. A better use of my time is to tear it all apart and start from the bottom up.
Attachments
MJPriceisright
Coast to Coast
shavoc said:
wait so you were getting those readings coming off the inlet wires? or off the plug wire? I could be wrong but those are probably 3 ohm on the inlet wire side, and youd want to see something like 13-15k on the plug wire side, if you don't have that, yes its most likely going to need replacement. yeah guys replace their coils with dynas all the time around here. expensive.
