Good news/Bad News.

The good news is that I got my multimeter, an 18mm socket to remove spark plugs, some starting fluid and a new battery installed. All of the panels are pulled but I still have the tank on for fuel. I also got new plugs just for grins.

Bad news: I pulled the front plug and grounded it to the case. No spark. Also, I was playing with the fuses and found that either of the 15A fuses will cut out the light and fuel pump if I pull it. I am going to have to check the manual and schematics - that does not feel right. One of them was also quite warm to the touch.

The plug that came out of the front cylinder was rather black. There does not seem to be a lot of oil fouling so maybe it is just running too rich. I am going to look up some of these great on line resources and get the gap settings and then go about testing again.

Now - how do I test those coils?

Ciao, y'all

Okay, I do not know what it's all about but here is what I did:

I pull the wires off of the coils to try and get some feeling for the voltage, when I put them back on I put them on a second set of posts. I then gap a new plug to .024 and ground it on the frame - making sure that I see 12 volts there. I hit the starter and ...SPARK!

Not only does it spark but the rear cylinder fires and the engine started. It also knocks me on my butt (from a squat). When it starts I move a but and the plug comes off the frame then the plug wire I am holding in my hand transfers current to me.

I stop everything and put the plug back in the front, hit the start switch again and varoom. Oh sweetness! What a sound those Yoshimira pipes make. Deep and throaty without being overdone like a Harley. I am so tickled that I do not notice that the oil light does not turn off. The smoke, the smoke. I am sure now that I have scored my pistons, burnished all the bearings and basically fried the engine. Damn!

Then I notice that the wire to the sender was not hooked up. So I hook it up and the oil light goes out. I start her again and there is still smoke. Lot's of blue smoke! I don't know why but I decide to let it warm up and see if the expanding metal will tighten things up. It does and the smoke seems to lessen.

Now I am beside myself. I push out on to the driveway, grab my helmet, and ride out into the road. What a joy this bike is to ride! After being on the MH900evo for so long this is bliss. I go up to the traffic circle and ride around a few laps. Then the engine misses. Then again. This is why I did not stray far from home and I head back. Soon it is coughing and sputtering and not developing much power. I barely make it back to the driveway.

It is back in the garage with a battery charger on. It seems that the battery light never went off either and the battery was drained. I know this because when it died just outside the garage I tried to start it again and the battery would not even make the starter turn the engine over.

BUT IT RAN AND I GOT TO RIDE. However so briefly I got to ride it again. Now - to continue the trouble shooting. I need to get some relays and see about making the mods posted elsewhere. I also need to pull apart all connections and make sure they are clean.

More to come....

:thumbup:


You are on your way, Little Grasshopper, you are on your way ...

Just remember to always have the plugs grounded when testing, so the ignition can fire (rather than discharging through you!) That should keep it all in good condition.

You got one of those MHR Evos? Wow!

Did you find out how to test the coils?

i did warn you that it would start on one cyclinder good to here
that she fired up. but sounds like you have a bad short somewhere as the battery should not die that quick . check the
regulator for output voltage at the battery as you should get about 14volts when running

Excellent news!!!!

Now it's just down to making the charging system work properly.

With the multi meter you should read about 14 volts when the engine is running at about 3500 RPM.

http://WWW.electrex.com has a good trouble shooting page too.