Spark or lack of.

[gsuser]

I hate asking a question for my first post, but here goes. I have been lurking on here for some time now because I was always trying to talk myself out of a Paso, but to no avail. I just picked a mild project 87 Paso that is complete and pretty original with 11,000 miles, it was to good of a deal to pass up. I didn't really need another Duc as I have 2 fuel injected 750 supersports but I really like the looks of the Paso.
Here is a link to a slide show of the old girl. http://gsuser.smugmug.com/photos/swfpop ... mKey=tqDDD

So my problem is lack of spark while cranking, I have gone thru the FAQ tech list, downloaded manuals and searched most links to lack of spark and I think I have narrowed the problem down to the crank pickups. I have spark at both plugs when I turn the key on, rebuilt the ignition switch, 11.9 volts at the ignition modules and 93 ohms resistance on each crank pickup. All the research shows either 220 + or-, 50-70 or something like 120 ohms, so my pickups do not match any of these. It is hard to imagine both pickups being bad. Any help would be appreiciated before I purchase a couple of pickups.

Anyway this a great site and I have enjoyed researching all the ins and out of the Paso series, and yet I still bought one.

[delagem]

All the research shows either 220 + or-, 50-70 or something like 120 ohms, so my pickups do not match any of these. It is hard to imagine both pickups being bad.

I'm sorry, I don't understand, what number are you seeing on your meter?

I went thru this yesterday, my pickups on the Paso showed 90 ohms, my pickups on my 900ss (same pickups) showed 110 ohms, neither were "correct" per the manual, yet both bikes run....

[gsuser]

Like yours, mine do not match any of the values stated in several manuals, mine read 93 ohms and and the only spark is when you turn the key on then nothing while cranking.

[delagem]

Well, I'm going to be of almost no help to you, but the 93 ohms across each coil isn't going to be your problem. At least that wasn't mine on 2 different ducatis....

How are you determining spark? Is it a crisp blue spark, or a yellowish spark?

I had a yellowish spark when I burned out one of my CDI's on my 900ss, but only on 1 cylinder. Accidentally left the key on for over an hour. The cylinder sparked, but it wasn't enough to ignite in the cylinder under pressure.

I've seen complete spark failure with Polaris ignitions, and the problem was the voltage from the battery dropping during starting. On a Polaris ignition (PVL from West Germany), if they drop below 11.2 volts, the cdi won't make a spark at all.

Just for giggles, hook up your car's battery using jumper cables. Don't run the car engine, though. See if that makes a difference...

[gsuser]

Both plugs have a good blue spark and nothing at all when cranking.

[delagem]

Well, when does it spark? When you turn the key on? For how long?

[gsuser]

?You get spark for a second or wo when you turn the key on, nothing while cranking.

[Mc tool]

Have you got power to the ecu's ?

[gsuser]

Power to the coils and kokusan boxes is about 11.9 volts when static. I need to check this voltage while cranking just to be sure it is adequate.