[mrlmd]

Last week I had an electrical problem that was resolved with a new battery.
Then this week I developed a sudden no start problem, caused by a no spark problem.
So you do the research and start looking for the cause of the problem.
As soon as I took the tank off to get a look at the ignition coil, there it was staring right at me. The tab on the coil where the exciter wire attaches had totally rusted through and broke off so there was nothing triggering the coil. Should be an easy fix, just ordered a new coil on Ebay and wait 'till Tues. for it to arrive.
The main problem I have with my bike is rust, because I live right on the Gulf of Mexico and the humidity and probably salt in the air attacks everything I own and it's almost impossible to keep up with it. I used to joke that I clean my bike with sandpaper to get the rust off, then cover it with Ospho and painting it to try and control it, but it's a lost cause.
Here's some pics of what I found. That metal probe is through the hole on that tab that snapped (rusted) off.

 

[TWBigBlake]

Good find, rust sucks!

 

[JimmyD]

Rust sure does suck. That's why I tore mine down to the frame. Here's a pic of a 5 year old bike that lived outside on the Atlantic coast during riding season ...

The factory frame paint is also very thin. My pant leg wore the paint off down to the metal near the left footpeg in layers. I'm glad I did it when I did because it was starting to get hairy near the foot peg mount.

Always clean your toys before you put them away kids!

 

[salabim]

Yea, rust never sleeps. Looks like you need a big jar of electrical grease.

 

[Ski Pro 3]

That tab on the coil is STEEL?! I thought mine was brass. Gonna go check.... Yup, brass or at least brass colored.

 

[Ken]

Good catch. +1 on put dielectric grease all on your new one.

 

[JimmyD]

That tab on the coil is STEEL?! I thought mine was brass. Gonna go check.... Yup, brass or at least brass colored.

I think it's a coating. Mine seems to have been scraped away in the middle where the harness clip attaches 🙃

 

[Coconut Tree Inc]

Dielectric grease simply is used to prevent contaminants from entering the contact surfaces. Never put dielectric grease on the contact surfaces. Conductive grease is only for sliding electrical contacts. I just watched another video that claimed the exact opposite- which is to say that it should be put in the electrical connections to help conduct the electricity all the while protecting from corrosion.some say Dielectric means non conductor. Not insulator. If you put it on two metal terminals and plug the together they will not be insulated by this nonconductive material .My wife wants to use this stuff . Keep it in the nightstand.I'm just curious

 

[mrlmd]

Ski Pro 3 asked "That tab on the coil is STEEL?! I thought mine was brass. Gonna go check.... Yup, brass or at least brass colored."
The broken off piece of mine is steel, is strongly attracted to a magnet, brass and copper are not. Yours is probably made the same. Mine looked like this after wiping it off with sandpaper.

 

[mrlmd]

Dielectric grease is not a conductor of electricity, it is used to keep moisture or contaminants out of the contact area, not to help them keep or make contact. You could slobber it on the plug after the connection is made, but do not put it into the plug before making the connection, you may get a bad connection.

 

[salabim]

NO-OX-ID compound is a conductive electrical grease.
When I played choo choo for metro rail we used it by the bucket. Its good stuff and will stop corrosion on metal. Should work well in the Gulf of Mexico too.
But it is like I said electrical grease. Not the silicone base Manny Moe and Jack auto parts product.
I see you can get it on amazon in a small container, enough to last a life time.

 

[mrlmd]

NO-OX-ID = good suggestion. Ordered on Ebay, don't want to do this again and will coat all my accessible electrical connections. Fckn rust.

 

[Hazcat]

Dielectric Grease is your friend.

 

[arbolmano]

ATV rental places do a complete frame off paint and re seal once a year here at the beach just to combat rust and sand.