Questioni have a 1986 honda goldwing aspencade with carbs ,i did a resitance check on the coils and the clymer book says 2.4 to 3ohms resistance on the primary side of the coil. my meter shows continuity but no resitance, the secondary side is in spec with the book.i had the coils checked with a coil tester and was told they were ok,but the book says if the primary side has no resistance the coil is defective and should be replaced,the bike misfires under a load,should i replace the coils due to no primary resistance .
AnswerHi Gary,
I've seen three defective ignition coils in my 25 year MC tech career.
Your MC's coils are fine. The reason you are not getting a reading is because of VOM ohm scale setting, meter zero adjustment, or general variation between your VOM and the VOM the factory used in the service manual.
If the coils were tested with the factory tester, they are good to go. This trester puts them under load in a working condition.
A couple of things to consider:
The 1985-86's had the stator recall. Did your GL get the new stator? The charging system could be a source of the misfiring.
I suspect the problem is in the carburetors. If the MC was stored for the winter (or other) maybe the carbs have some varnish build-up. IF so, clean them.
Describe the color and condition of the spark plugs. They tell what is happening inside the cylinders.
Respectfully,
Mark Shively
