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[Frank]

You could also try connecting a temporary test cable between the battery positive and the TCI fuse. That will bypass the ignition switch, kill switch and all the wiring and connectors in between. If it then sparks the fault must lay somewhere there. Just be careful not to short it out to the frame.

[tedmunds]

Ok latest update... soldered in two new blade type fuses and fuse holders, that made a big improvement to the bike turning over now reading 12.3 volt at fuse , now feels much stronger turn over - but still no spark. Pulse coil resistance (green/white to white wire) is 185 ohms. Coil resistance between brown and red/white 5 ohms and brown to ht lead is 17.2 kilo ohms. Took kill switch apart again and the kill switch reads 11.6v across the red/black and black/red wires to kill switch. Ocassionally when i press the starter it won't turn over but i can hear the starter solenoid click very quietly when pressing starter button.

[Norm]

Ok so we have to dig deep now, go back to the coil and check that you have 12 volts in the brown wire to the coil with the ignition on. It isn't easy because of the plug connection on the coil wire,I won't suggest cutting the plug off the coil but it is probably what I would do,(easy to solder and heat shrink it back together later) and I would connect a wire from the brown to the battery positive or a fused live point, I would then connect a wire to the red/white wire. Put a spark plug in the lead,hold it against the head in the normal manner, and then touch the wire from the red/white onto the motor on and off and you should get a spark, this will prove the coil.

[Norm]

As Frank says run a temp wire from bat + to the TCI fuse, that will bypass completely the ignition circuit. You do have the sidestand wires disconnected. Don't confuse the intermittent starter problems with the no spark, they have nothing to do with each other. Has this been fitted with a starter delay, I can't remember exactly how it worked but from memory it just plugged into the TCI

[papasmurf]

tedmunds, your are pulling the clutch in when you operate the starter aren't you?

[Norm]

Clutch only needs to be pulled in if it is in gear

[Norm]

We are really shooting in the dark, but have you pulled the primary case off to check the pulse coil is in position, and nothing wrong in there, the pickup not dislodged from the rotor or something weird like that, we are really clutching at straws now

[Frank]

Can't quite figure out why it would turn over more strongly after the fuse holder change. Unless you weren't getting full power to the solonoid. Perhaps I confuse the issue but have you looked for a spark whilst kicking it over, to date it seems all tests for sparks have been done on the starter motor. Don't want to confuse things further but in addition to the other tests suggested it might be worth a go with the kick start.

[papasmurf]

Norm, an Electra X will not start on the electric start unless the clutch is pulled in. (Been their done that and how my wife laughed.) It won't start on the electric start with the side-stand down either.)

[Frank]

Right, we have made a bit of an error here. Studying the wiring diagram the feed for the starter solonoid is taken from the same brown wire feeding the ignition coil and TCI. Turn the kill switch off and there will be no starter or spark. I've confirmed this with my own bike. Therefore if there is only 11.6v at the kill switch it will be insufficient for both the solonoid to operate or the TCI/ ignition coil. So there is a link between the symptoms. Faulty kill switch, ignition switch, ammeter, or wiring between them are all possibilities. Put a temp feed from the battery positive to the TCI fuse to prove and I bet it will work...I think!...and hope