Is the faulty kill switch the reason for my EI no spark?

I recently removed a working AAU/points ignition and installed a Pazon Surefire and now can't get a spark.

I remember my kill switch - didn't, I used the ignition key to turn the engine off, but that aside it ran well.

Could it be that the faulty kill switch allowed ignition with points, but not with EI? Perhaps because of the change from parallel to in series 6v coils?

Bonzo said:

I recently removed a working AAU/points ignition and installed a Pazon Surefire and now can't get a spark.

I remember my kill switch - didn't, I used the ignition key to turn the engine off, but that aside it ran well.

Could it be that the faulty kill switch allowed ignition with points, but not with EI? Perhaps because of the change from parallel to in series 6v coils?

Click to expand...

Easy to test. Disconnect the White/Yellow wire from the White/Yellow wire coming from the handlebar switch and plug it into a white wire. The kill switch is then bypassed.

Bonzo said:

Could it be that the faulty kill switch allowed ignition with points, but not with EI?

I remember my kill switch - didn't, I used the ignition key to turn the engine off, but that aside it ran well.

Click to expand...

If the apparently faulty kill switch was not cutting power to the ignition before (as that's what it does, it doesn't earth/ground any part of the ignition system) then, probably not. Or it had been bypassed so the ignition was powered directly from the ignition switch (harness white)?

Bonzo said:

Perhaps because of the change from parallel to in series 6v coils?

Click to expand...

Even less likely. It sounds more like something hasn't been connected correctly (or the Pazon is faulty?).

marshg246 said:

Easy to test. Disconnect the White/Yellow wire from the White/Yellow wire coming from the handlebar switch and plug it into a white wire. The kill switch is then bypassed.

Click to expand...

The WY wire coming from the handlebar kill switch would normally connect to white/blue WU going to the ballast resistor and should've been disconnected for Pazon so WY from the kill switch would then normally connect to Pazon white.
To bypass the kill switch (assuming it isn't already but by the sound of it, it could be) for positive earth/ground, harness white should be connected to Pazon white.

Hmmm.

I've treble checked my connections, and even though I confess that I'm not an electrician, the Pazon instructions are good and easy to follow.

The battery is fairly new and very good, reading 12.9v across the terminals. I have a 12.7v live feed WU wire which came out of the ballast resistor, that I connected the ignition module to, with earth tried at both the battery positive and the grounding tag on the ballast resistor bracket. Ignition switch on - no spark.

I have, as per Les above, bypassed the kill switch by taking the W harness to the Pazon W wire. Ignition switch on - no spark.

I have tried a wire direct from the negative battery terminal direct into the ignition module via the W wire - no spark.

And I have tried the manual trigger test, touching and then opening the trigger wires, as per the Surefire Fault Finding page on the Pazon site.

Could it be that I have got a faulty Surefire?

Maybe....

Bonzo said:

I have a 12.7v live feed WU wire which came out of the ballast resistor, that I connected the ignition module to,

Click to expand...

If I've understood that correctly you disconnected the WU wire from the ballast resistor and connected the Pazon W to the WU with 12V?
All WU wires can be disconnected and Pazon W connected to WY instead of WU (less complicated). All WP (white/purple) wires (ballast to coils) should also have been disconnected.

Bonzo said:

Could it be that I have got a faulty Surefire?

Click to expand...

It can't be ruled out although there's still a chance that something isn't connected correctly so could you confirm that the only wires connected to the coils are the ones on the Pazon diagram so black to the 1st coil(-), the link wire (1st coil + to 2nd coil - and two reds, one from the Pazon box and also a harness red* on 2nd coil +)?

*(The harness red that was originally connected to the double condenser bracket earth terminal can be used.)

Bonzo said:

Hmmm.



The battery is fairly new and very good, reading 12.9v across the terminals. I have a 12.7v live feed WU wire which came out of the ballast resistor, that I connected the ignition module to, with earth tried at both the battery positive and the grounding tag on the ballast resistor bracket. Ignition switch on - no spark.

I have, as per Les above, bypassed the kill switch by taking the W harness to the Pazon W wire. Ignition switch on - no spark.

Click to expand...

The White/Blue wire should be gone. The frame is not an acceptable ground - it's a shame Pazon says to use it.

Connect Pazon White to the Battery minus.

Check the voltage with your red meter lead on the aluminum of the head and your black on the Pazon White. If that's got voltage move your red meter lead to the coil + you have connected to a red wire.

The harness red wires must be grounded to the engine (via the head steady or directly). There is no need for a frame ground on a Norton. The red to the coil + where the Pazon red attaches should also have a red to the harness reds or to the engine. Pazon has you connect it to the frame which is a dubious ground at best.

L.A.B. said:

If I've understood that correctly you disconnected the WU wire from the ballast resistor and connected the Pazon W to the WU with 12V?
All WU wires can be disconnected and Pazon W connected to WY instead of WU (less complicated). All WP (white/purple) wires (ballast to coils) should also have been disconnected.

Click to expand...

Yes, that's correct.

The balance resistor and condensers are removed. I used the WU the feed the ignition module as per the instructions, but as per above I'm aware that WY is available. I'll give that a try, but I'm not sure it will change anything as I'm showing 12plus volts from the (now unused) WU.

L.A.B. said:

It can't be ruled out although there's still a chance that something isn't connected correctly so could you confirm that the only wires connected to the coils are the ones on the Pazon diagram so black to the 1st coil(-), the link wire (1st coil + to 2nd coil - and two reds, one from the Pazon box and also a harness red* on 2nd coil +)?

*(The harness red that was originally connected to the double condenser bracket earth terminal can be used.)

Click to expand...

Agreed. I'm more than conscious that the problem is more than likely something I have/haven't done ahead of the ultra reliable Pazon being faulty.

The only connections to the coils are as per the Pazon instructions, namely, Coil #1: B link to coil #2 (+ to -), B ignition module to -. Coil #2, R ignition module to +, 2nd + terminal to bracket earth tag. Then HT leads obv.

marshg246 said:

The White/Blue wire should be gone. The frame is not an acceptable ground - it's a shame Pazon says to use it.

Connect Pazon White to the Battery minus.

Check the voltage with your red meter lead on the aluminum of the head and your black on the Pazon White. If that's got voltage move your red meter lead to the coil + you have connected to a red wire.

The harness red wires must be grounded to the engine (via the head steady or directly). There is no need for a frame ground on a Norton. The red to the coil + where the Pazon red attaches should also have a red to the harness reds or to the engine. Pazon has you connect it to the frame which is a dubious ground at best.

Click to expand...

Sorry Greg, was typing as this came up.

Give me a minute to digest...

marshg246 said:

The White/Blue wire should be gone. The frame is not an acceptable ground - it's a shame Pazon says to use it.

Connect Pazon White to the Battery minus.

Check the voltage with your red meter lead on the aluminum of the head and your black on the Pazon White. If that's got voltage move your red meter lead to the coil + you have connected to a red wire.

The harness red wires must be grounded to the engine (via the head steady or directly). There is no need for a frame ground on a Norton. The red to the coil + where the Pazon red attaches should also have a red to the harness reds or to the engine. Pazon has you connect it to the frame which is a dubious ground at best.

Click to expand...

Gentlemen, we have a spark!

I followed yours & les' advice and removed the R coil wire from the bracket tag and connected it to the R harness wire (grounded on the HS), and as above took a wire direct from the battery minus to the ignition module. 12.7v from the Pazon white earthed at cylinder head then #2 coil +.

In hindsight I should've just asked on here for install tips pertinent to our bikes before taking the Pazon instructions as gospel. You guys know more about fitting their product than they do. I perhaps wouldn't have had to needlessly add another connection to lengthen the wiring.

I haven't attempted to fire it up yet as I need to tidy up the spaghetti to fit the tank and it's pitch black outside, but shall have a dabble tomorrow evening after work.

Thanks very much, as always, for your input & encouragement