Knackered Ignition Coil, Haynes Manual And A Panic

Hi guys and girls

Not been on the forum for a while due to ill health and family issues, also barely ridden the Fiat Yam other than to and from work as a result of the above.

Anyway Im back

Was riding to work the other day and dropped to two cylinders, a quick check of the downpipes and became clear 2 and 3 were not running. By process of elimination decided this must be the ignition coil as they went at same time. Tried an old spark plug and sure enough getting a spark on 1 and 4 but not on 2 and 3.

So tonight I went out armed with tools, a Haynes manual and barrow load of ignorance. Followed the manual removing the panels, fuel tank and air filter housing and started cracking on with getting the carbs out.

Got as far as removing the cooling system pipes from either end and when I removed what I think are the right pipes got a steady flow of fluid that showed no sign of abating and was covering the floor beneath the bike.

Quickly lost my bottle, panicked and shoved the hoses back on.

Had a look and the next stage (looks like last stage) involves using a long hex key to get release the carbs from rubber mounts. Had a look and cant quite work out what I am supposedly loosening and then removing the carbs.

Can anyone shed any light on whether I should expect this fluid, what it is and how much is likely to escape - and how do I replace it when I put bike back together.

While this far I am going to replace cutch cable, accelerator cable and poss flush the cooling system but a lack of funds and time are probably going to mean I miss my MOT date and poss the Yorkshire run at end of September, just when I thought life was getting a bit easier hehe. She also has a prob with the speedo cable, a dodgy headlight connection and front calipers apparently needing new seals and pistons

All advice and help much appreciated as I really cant afford to get this to a mechanic at the moment as it has just been there to have braided lines fitted and wasnt very happy with the guy anyway.

The carbs release jubilee clips (hex ones) are a bit of a bugger to get to but can be accesses with allen keys,
If the fuel tank is off (along with the fuel tap) then I guess the fluid is coolant as I seem to remember the carbs have coolant pipes attatched so may be a good time to change the coolant within the same process?

I've not had a chance to look at the Haynes yet but do the carbs need to come out to change the coils/ Did them on a Fazer once & was a simple job.

Yeah thought it prob was coolant but decided to panic on the safe side

The Haynes says that easier to get access taking all this out and being as I need to replace the coil thought best to give myself as much room to work with as possible.

If anyone can advise if I can get it out without taking carbs out please let me know

Are the coils unable to clear the carbs? the leads should unscrew at the caps if its a clearance issue. no doubt Haynes will know this though so I guess not?

I've done the clutch cable, and brake calipers on mine before and have the relevant tools to do this. I've a Haynes and Yam Service Manual handy too.

I'd not be overly confident doing the other stuff but can try and help if you want.

I'm not about this weekend but maybe next.

Cheers
Rosco

I had a coil go and didn't have to strip it all down .. took off the tank and air box and could get to the coil. It was over 3 years ago I did it, think the right hand coil is the one you're after.
I have found Haynes likes you to take the bike virtually to bits, but I have ignored that and still got the jobs done.

Have a look and see if the connectors to the coil are OK, there are two spade connectors, either of which may have come loose. I think in my case the connectors were intermittently failing and the coil just had enough and gave up the ghost.
Haynes will tell you what the expected resistance is (you do have a multimeter don't you?)

If it is a duff coil, you got another one? I bought a set 2nd hand and it just so happens I have 2&3 cyl coil spare.

* Just had a read of the instructions in the manual, glad I ignored them. There's no way I'd attempt a carb removal. Also glad I didn't see the 3 spanners severity for this job.

SteveCat wrote:I had a coil go and didn't have to strip it all down .. took off the tank and air box and could get to the coil.

Ditto.
Tank off, airbox off and both coils are right there, held in by a couple of rubber straps (practically in a straight line a few inches back from each fork).


That must be an Aussie Haynes manual you have there mate.
You know the one where you tunnel up through the cylinder head to get to the coils.

-edit- This is them:

I can confirm what others already said, no need to take off your carbs to get at the coils, I recently had mine out and checked them over. My carbs stayed where they were.

p.s.

Can anyone shed any light on whether I should expect this fluid, what it is and how much is likely to escape..

Given you were removing the cooling system, I think it's a fair bet that it's coolant.

If you put a match to it what happens............don't try this at home kids.

Cheers chaps for all your advice, I decided to take Roscos advice and I no longer need to get the coil out as the bike burned like a peanut on the experiment you do on your first day at school

In all seriousness I will go back and see if i can get the coil out without taking carbs out, TBH they do look accessible but thought Mr Haynes must know best.

Yes will be coolant but you know that initial panic you get when something gets wet and you dont know what it is - though honestly this hasnt happened to me for years

Anyway enough nonsense - SteveCat I will check it with the multimeter and PM you re the spare 2&3 that you have.

Cheers for the help guys - I am but a novice and happy to admit my inadequacies and at least it gives you the knowledge there is someone out there less competent than yourself

When I last had the carbs out I tied the coolan hoses up and that way it reduced the amount of fluid lost ;-)

OK so Mr Haynes is a git - so much room to get coil out without going near carbs it was unreal, nevermind lesson learned.

Drained all the coolant out too seeing as I had got that far anyway - looked like dirty coca cola so well overdue a change anyway.

So hopefully new Coil, replace coolant, fit new throttle cable, put back together and she will purr and get through the MOT. Fingers crossed