As some of the long-timers know, we have an 83 normally aspired EA81 BRAT.  For a while, it would flat out stall, no sputtering, and then be able to start a few minutes later. I quickly determined that there was no spark.

Last year, we replaced the coil and changed the Nppo disty to the Hitachi, complete with new Ignition Control Module. Then, for good measure, I replaced the ignition switch. It ran great... Until a few months ago. Then the problem came back.

Now, I have once again replaced the coil and ICM, but still no spark. I am getting voltage to the coil, and have triple checked the wiring harness to the ICM. Clean circuit there / no shorts.

I have checked the schematic and there doesn't seem to be any other component like an ignition relay that is in the main ignition line. I must be missing something,

Edited July 6, 201411 yr by Sonicfrog

This sort of happened to my motorcycle. I had to clean the points, re gapped it and got new plugs and it fires right up.

But there's no spark at the coil going out to the disty a all.... No pulse..

I`m guessing bad replacement ICM.

You might use your multmeters diode test function to find an open junction.

Tach bounce w/cranking?

Can you make spark by intermittently manually grounding coil negative?

Test light puse on coil - w/cranking?

 

The modules can be unforgiving of very bad/loose plug/coil wires and non matching coils.

Are you using a Hitachi coil?

 

The distys seem to work even w/very bad bushings and cracked magnets.

I may have solved the problem.

First... After not being able to start the car at all with either new ICM installed, I put the old one back on... And it fired right up.  It appears that both of the new ICM's I got for real cheap are bad. They are supposed to be new, but I guess not.

The one thing i did change was adding a grounding wire to the disty body. When I installed the new one last year, I didn't ground the thing, figuring since it's connected right to the engine, that should cover it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it would probably not be as well grounded as I thought, and an extra ground never hurts.

 

So far it's running fine. Here's hoping that that was the problem.

I am new to this forum and desperately need help with ignition wiring on my EA182 motor.

I bought the complete car and removed the engine together with what I thought was the wiring I needed.  In my haste to remove the engine I  thought that it was a points / coil type system so no problem to wire up when I fit it into a Trike  that I am building.

I have attached a photo of all the bits I took from the Brat before scrapping it. Can some one please tell me how to wire it together for spark only and if I have all the bits I need.

Jed