Maybe this post will give us a break from the intake saga thats got us scratching our heads.

Was out riding the 200X today and it would run good and just die, did this a couple time finally wore my self out kick it (the kickstarter not the machine, although I was tempted to kick it!) Anyways I walked to the truck and got the plug wrench, did know I was getting fuel since I could smell it. Got back pulled the plug and it looked good,nice and tan. Checked the spark and it looked pretty weak. Put it back it gave her a kick and she fired up. When I got home I started checking electrical stuff figuring I had an electrical problem.

Going by the Honda manual everything electrical checked out great except the coil;

Honda say
primary coil test 0.2-0.8 ohms (mounting flange to primary terminal)
secondary coil test 3-5 ohms

My primary tests fine on the one I'm using and spare.
My secondary tests at 8.88 testing from mounting flange to spark plug boot and
tests at 4.20 with the plug wire removed.

In the Honda manual it just has a sketch of where to test and it shows the secondary as from the mounting flange to the end of the plug wire with the boot end removed.

What is the correct way to test the secondary on the 83 200x. When it comes to electrical I'm an IDIOT unless everything is crystal clear on how to test.

Jeff


After I posted this I dug out my old Clymer manual that covers all 185s and 200s and it says

Secondary coil test should be 8-15 ohms and on all models except 200M the test should me done with sparkplug lead removed even though the sketch in the clymer manual shows the test with the sparkplug lead connected.

So now I'm really confused, what is the right way to test and which ohms resistance values are correct?

 

Hey Jeff.

I have always tested coils 3 ways...and go by the specs given in the manual I have at the time.

[1]Test with the plugwire and plug cap on it
[2]Test with the plugwire on, but the plug cap off
[3]Test with the plugwire and cap off

This eliminates all 3 as being a problem and by testing in this order...you aren't removing parts for no reason.

Keep in mind that some plugcaps will cause a false reading. I have ran into this several times on bikes with the cheapo sparkplug caps that look like something you would find on a lawnmower. I try to stay clear of them whenever neccessary.

The only manual I have around at the moment is a clymer as well and it lists the same specs as your clymer did. This book was updated last from Clymer in 2002...just in case there is any doubts of updates or anything.
Maybe someone else who ran into this before regarding the conflicting specs will post here and give ya some info on it. If I had one assembled around here right now, I would just go out and test it and give ya what mine reads...but I am X-less at the moment...lol
Hope you get it figured out.

 

Wow thanks for the quick answer.

Next question, which is better for a stronger spark, a reading of 8 ohms or a reading of 15 ohms?

Thanks again Jeff

 

Considering that we are talking about the coil here, the higher the number, the better.

 

Hey Patrick

I was searching for coils on the net and realized that the old 200X coil is discontinued but one site gave me a superceeded part number of 30500-KE4-650 and had one in stock pretty cheap.

After looking at my Honda product code list I couldn't find the code of "KE4", I remember you said you dealt with codes at work. Any idea of what machine that was? I wanted to check the microfinche to see if that coil mounted the same way as the OEM 200X did?

Thanks Jeff

 

Hey Jeff

KE4 ???......I have never heard of that code. Must be something from the past couple years as I have never ran across that code anywhere at all. That or it was on something not that popular.

If you don't find anything on it between now and Tuesday, I will post back what it is that night.

Patrick

 

Well Patrick after doing a TON of searching on the world wide web I have found some more sites that have Honda product code lists and even one from France that gave me the same superceeded part number with the KE4 code but no luck finding out what machine it came from, hope you had better luck.

I actually found quite a few places that had the coil with prices ranging anywhere for $56-$114, what a difference in prices! I kinda thought $56 for a new coil for an old wheeler was a pretty good deal if it mounts the same.

Jeff

 

Hey Jeff.

Sorry, but I completely forgot about this matter regarding the part number. I will make a note to check into it first thing tomorrow.

Patrick

 

Hey Patrick not a problem, just came on here to post this for you.

I just found a site that stated 'KE4' is the product code for Honda CT 185 and of course I can't find a site that lists a CT 185 on their 'microfish', must not have been a very popular model.

What do you think? Thanks for helping me out with the codes, above and beyond man!

Jeff

 

Hey Jeff. Great research. I think I found the same web-site that you were looking at. You are right. According to that site, that code belongs to the CT185....which I never knew existed. There was also a CT200 listed there. Actually...I noticed ALOT of motorcycles on there that I have never heard of in my life and I have been working within this industry for well over a decade.

My theory........
The CT185 and CT200 were models sold elsewhere in the world..but not in the U.S. through Honda deealer network.

I know that American Honda never distributed a CT model larger than a 125cc and that was in the late seventies.
Every other CT during that time period...and all the way up to 1993 were smaller than a 125.
A U.S. dealer could get such a beast at the time if a customer requested one, but he would have had to buy it from a DEALER in whatever country that model was distributed in and that would have cost a bundle to the customer.

Now...I could be wrong in assuming that, but if I am, this bike was so rare over here that American Honda doesn't recognize it because I have alot of useless info lying around here that makes no mention of such a model and the CT185 or the CT200 is not on the master parts catalog listing either for U.S. dealers. If this thing was sold here...it is indeed a rare thing.

Just how rare is it? Very. Check out the pic here....or the lack of a pic I might say... CT 185

I am still going to do some more digging into this tomorrow. You have me intrigued at the moment...which doesn't happen often....lol