Spin but no fire

nomad ryder · 01-12-2015, 01:34 PM

Been having a little trouble last couple weeks with my '04 1500 Nomad, with 53,000 miles. Turn the ig switch on, fuel pump spins up, hit the starter button, engine turns over good, but doesn't fire. Can smell the gas, plugs are wet. Used an extra plug to test for spark. Spark was there but very weak on all four wires. Must be the coil, or...? Given the mileage on it, I'm thinking of just replacing coils. Where get, and how much? Thanks in advance.

**cnc** · 01-12-2015, 02:01 PM

How old is the battery? Before assuming it is the coils, you could try boosting the bike with a known good battery( that vehicle turned off ). These bikes require a good battery for fuel injection and good spark. While you might think it is turning over fast enough, it might have slowed down over the last little bit without you realizing and there just isn't enough juice left for spark and injectors.

**Top Cat** · 01-12-2015, 04:23 PM

Listen to Norm, he knows his stuff when it comes to bike electrics.
Oh crap, did I just give Norm a compliment

Disregard my previous message

**ringadingh** · 01-12-2015, 06:56 PM

Try boosting the bike, they will crank but not fire with a weak battery. Also make sure that you hear the fuel pump whine for a couple seconds when you turn on the key, these ignition switches are known to wear or have the contacts stick inside. And pull a plug and verify that you have spark at the plug.

roadhawg · 01-13-2015, 08:34 AM

My 1500 use to do the same thing, especially in wet weather!

When it did this i would simply put new plugs in and it would fire right up!
Also when I change plugs I always put some Dielectric grease on rubber plug boots inside and out to keep moisture out.

**ringadingh** · 01-13-2015, 08:39 AM

Mine also got so it wouldn't start in the wet weather, I replaced the coils and wires, but all that was really neccessary was new plug wires and caps. After 10-11 years the plug wires have broken down and a little moisture keeps the bike from starting.

nomad ryder · 01-13-2015, 12:34 PM

Battery is two years old, but I will hook up a charger with a boost/start function and try it. The fuel pump does spin up to pressure. The plugs had spark, but very weak.
The weather was wet and rainy on Sunday, but I first experienced the problem in dry conditions.
Can you get new plug wires? I had heard the wires were integral to the coil and not separate.
I'll also get a set of new plugs and try that.
Where on the bike is the coil primary plug? An electrical diagram did not where on the bike the plug was. I would guess under the seat? Maybe I could match wire colors, and check resistance without lifting the tank, to eliminate coil problems.
Thanks, cnc, T.C., ringadingh, and roadhawg; this forum is a true community.

**cnc** · 01-14-2015, 10:00 AM

While the coils and leads look like they are intrigated and most on here assumed they were, there is a thread some where here where a fella changed the leads only. Guess they are glued in or something. If you bike won't start cause of rain and changing the plugs gets it going, it's not the plugs that are the main culprit. Somewhere there is a loss of juice to the plugs, most likely the leads are shot. By changing the plugs you may slightly reduce the resistance a weak spark has on a used and carboned plug, but most probably the manipulating of the leads when you change the plugs allows them to pass more juice.
The coils are under the front part of the tank.

**ringadingh** · 01-14-2015, 05:59 PM

You can change the plug wires and caps on the coils, the cap unscrews, even though it looked like it was all one piece. The coils are under the gas tank up br the steering neck.

Sidewalkman · 01-15-2015, 05:28 PM

There is a mile long thread over at V.F. on this exact topic with a final solution, worth the read

http://www.vulcanforums.com/forums/s...d.php?t=157849

Dave · 01-16-2015, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidewalkman

There is a mile long thread over at V.F. on this exact topic with a final solution, worth the read

So what's the solution?

**ringadingh** · 01-16-2015, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

So what's the solution?

In his case on an 11 year old bike you have to eliminate things to find the problem. I'd replace the wire and caps, as quite a few fellas with the now older bikes have had to do.

Jllm02199 · 01-16-2015, 09:33 AM

When mine was about 5 years old I replaced the coils with Dynatec hot coils and Accel
Wires. Stopped damp starting problems. PLUS my plugs last longer.

**MAS Tequila** · 01-17-2015, 06:33 AM

Which Dyna coils did you end up using?

MT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jllm02199

When mine was about 5 years old I replaced the coils with Dynatec hot coils and Accel
Wires. Stopped damp starting problems. PLUS my plugs last longer.

nomad ryder · 01-19-2015, 12:18 PM

I replaced the battery, all is good. Thanks to all those who replied and offered suggestions.

01-12-2015, 01:34 PM	#1
nomad ryder Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 274	Spin but no fire Been having a little trouble last couple weeks with my '04 1500 Nomad, with 53,000 miles. Turn the ig switch on, fuel pump spins up, hit the starter button, engine turns over good, but doesn't fire. Can smell the gas, plugs are wet. Used an extra plug to test for spark. Spark was there but very weak on all four wires. Must be the coil, or...? Given the mileage on it, I'm thinking of just replacing coils. Where get, and how much? Thanks in advance. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-12-2015, 02:01 PM	#2
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	How old is the battery? Before assuming it is the coils, you could try boosting the bike with a known good battery( that vehicle turned off ). These bikes require a good battery for fuel injection and good spark. While you might think it is turning over fast enough, it might have slowed down over the last little bit without you realizing and there just isn't enough juice left for spark and injectors. __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
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01-12-2015, 04:23 PM	#3
Top Cat Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Peoples Republic of New York State Posts: 15,154	Listen to Norm, he knows his stuff when it comes to bike electrics. Oh crap, did I just give Norm a compliment Disregard my previous message __________________ Tim "TC" Conley VBA #9 2011 Victory Kingpin mine 2013 Victory Boardwalk -hers [LEFT][COLOR=#000000] [SIZE=4]
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01-12-2015, 06:56 PM	#4
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Try boosting the bike, they will crank but not fire with a weak battery. Also make sure that you hear the fuel pump whine for a couple seconds when you turn on the key, these ignition switches are known to wear or have the contacts stick inside. And pull a plug and verify that you have spark at the plug. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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01-13-2015, 08:34 AM	#5
roadhawg Advanced Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Starke Florida Posts: 856	My 1500 use to do the same thing, especially in wet weather! When it did this i would simply put new plugs in and it would fire right up! Also when I change plugs I always put some Dielectric grease on rubber plug boots inside and out to keep moisture out. __________________ "Ride it like you stole it"! 2008 1600 Nomad 56K miles "BlueBelle" 2004 1500 Nomad 102 K miles "Black Beauty" ABATE Black Creek Chapter Amvet Rider Post 86 http://www.facebook.com/AmvetPost86 Weston A. Price Foundation member. Vegetarian...... An old Indian word meaning "Bad Hunter" Legalize Freedom! Question Authority! "Im in love with the waitress, and I dont even know her name" "Boys" Gone Wild" ! Mainstreet Station 2012 Daytona Bikeweek Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-13-2015, 08:39 AM	#6
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Mine also got so it wouldn't start in the wet weather, I replaced the coils and wires, but all that was really neccessary was new plug wires and caps. After 10-11 years the plug wires have broken down and a little moisture keeps the bike from starting. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

01-13-2015, 12:34 PM	#7
nomad ryder Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 274	Battery is two years old, but I will hook up a charger with a boost/start function and try it. The fuel pump does spin up to pressure. The plugs had spark, but very weak. The weather was wet and rainy on Sunday, but I first experienced the problem in dry conditions. Can you get new plug wires? I had heard the wires were integral to the coil and not separate. I'll also get a set of new plugs and try that. Where on the bike is the coil primary plug? An electrical diagram did not where on the bike the plug was. I would guess under the seat? Maybe I could match wire colors, and check resistance without lifting the tank, to eliminate coil problems. Thanks, cnc, T.C., ringadingh, and roadhawg; this forum is a true community.
	0

01-14-2015, 10:00 AM	#8
cnc Join Date: May 2009 Location: Montreal QC Posts: 12,034	While the coils and leads look like they are intrigated and most on here assumed they were, there is a thread some where here where a fella changed the leads only. Guess they are glued in or something. If you bike won't start cause of rain and changing the plugs gets it going, it's not the plugs that are the main culprit. Somewhere there is a loss of juice to the plugs, most likely the leads are shot. By changing the plugs you may slightly reduce the resistance a weak spark has on a used and carboned plug, but most probably the manipulating of the leads when you change the plugs allows them to pass more juice. The coils are under the front part of the tank. __________________ Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136
	0

01-14-2015, 05:59 PM	#9
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	You can change the plug wires and caps on the coils, the cap unscrews, even though it looked like it was all one piece. The coils are under the gas tank up br the steering neck. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

01-15-2015, 05:28 PM	#10
Sidewalkman Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 73	There is a mile long thread over at V.F. on this exact topic with a final solution, worth the read http://www.vulcanforums.com/forums/s...d.php?t=157849 Last edited by Sidewalkman; 01-17-2015 at 11:01 PM.
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01-16-2015, 09:33 AM	#13
Jllm02199 Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Morrow, Ga. Posts: 830	When mine was about 5 years old I replaced the coils with Dynatec hot coils and Accel Wires. Stopped damp starting problems. PLUS my plugs last longer. __________________ 02 1500 Nomad (07 1600 Motor) 160,000 Red & Black 12" mini apes Galfer lines (6' over) EJK Dobeck Reckless Fairing. Led H4 headlight All LED lights Rockford Fosgate radio
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01-19-2015, 12:18 PM	#15
nomad ryder Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 274	I replaced the battery, all is good. Thanks to all those who replied and offered suggestions.
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