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Need help - No spark after restoration

  • 1badmopar
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Need help - No spark after restoration was created by 1badmopar

I need help.  I have exhausted myself chasing a no-spark issue with my 1973 CT3 175.  It ran fine but I decided to do a full restoration on it.  Down to frame and back up.  Engine was rebuilt by a local professional shop. They replaced the points and capacitor and set timing on bench.  I painted the frame and engine myself and reassembled bike.  

Issue is that I now have a very, very weak spark.  So weak you have to be in the dark to see it.  Soft yellow.  I have tried the below to no success.
- sanded bare and ensured ground at frame to engine mounts, at coil bracket to frame mounts, and spark plug to head surface.
- ran jumper ground wire from engine bolt to coil bracket.  
- Coil bench tested good on primary and secondary.  I also replaced it for good measure. Bench tested replacement for good measure.
- Bench tested condenser.  Tested good, but I also replaced it.  Tested replacement as good. 
- Tested stator output.  With coil wire disconnected. I placed lead on engine ground, other lead on coil input from stator and kicked bike over.  Getting 15-17 AC volts on kick.  With coil reconnected I read 10.7 AC volts.
- Tested points with condenser solder circuit in tact.  0.2 ohms with points closed and 2.4 ohms with points open.
- Removed plug cap from coil wire and held bare copper lead 1/4" from engine ground.  Only a very very faint spark in dark. 
- Added starting fluid directly into cylinder and kicked bike, no reaction of any kind from engine. 
- I have tested the bike with all three key positions.  No spark. 

I did have the headlight assembly off of the bike along with the frame wiring harness.  I took many photos before disassembly and feel that everything is back in correct location. However I could have something not plugged in right.  I do not have a wiring diagram with colors for me to check.  

If anyone has any ideas on what I should check next please let me know.  I am at a loss!  And very frustrated.  Lol. 

Thank you 
 
06 May 2026 21:16 #1

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Replied by Gr8uncleal on topic Need help - No spark after restoration

Many stories of aftermarket ignition parts being of very poor quality.

I'm not sure why your shop replaced the points and condenser if it ran fine - presumably they didn't keep the originals?

Anyway, I would fit genuine Yamaha, or Daiichi, points and condenser. Yamaha will be either Hitachi or Mitsubishi parts (can't remember which!) and will have that company's logo stamped on it. Daichi parts will have their logo stamped on them.

I would try and find a genuine Yamaha coil, or maybe an Emgo aftermarket one.

I'm probably out of my depth on some of the electricals, but would note that it is, as standard, a 6v system, so not sure if your higher values are related to your problem.  
06 May 2026 23:27 #2

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Replied by pabdt on topic Need help - No spark after restoration

if gap around 0.012" and stator output appears to be live, maybe you have grounded the coil during a reassembly.
Is the coil kill switch connection a black w/white wire or solid black?
________________________________________________
1969 Yamaha CT1 175
1974 Yamaha DT125A
1974 Yamaha DT360A with SP96 Exhaust
Next…196x-197x Yamaha something.


07 May 2026 01:59 #3

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