XL185 ignition check

[cloggy]

I've got a XL185 in an Ossa frame
The ignition has packed
I've used a multimeter and to the best of my meagre ability I think all the ignition components are ok, which leaves the charging coil. Can I just check using a battery to charge the ignition and if so what voltage?

[OverTheHill]

gosh no, don't battery power it or that'll be the end of it being an ac system.  Just about bet that it'll be the charge coil [heat & vibration kills them], the rest is very reliable. In my experience 300 ohms resistance for the charge coil which is the [thinking back] 'black with a red tracer' to earth with your multi tester 300 or a bit more but not much less. Then--if you have a "peak" volt meter & kicking it over you need around 160 "peak" volts, less than 100 & might still push start. If you only have an ordinary volt meter it should show half 'AC' volts ie 80 or so. This is with it disconnected & spinning via the kick start--plug out to make it easier etc.  See how ya go & others might have different ideas but good luck--love those old motors & have a few. One in a PE250 frame for the last 20+ years. It's been hotted up--blown up--rebuilt with left over bits. By memory it's [not used it for a couple of years] a smokey 185 at the mo but had a 12to1 piston, megacycle cam & big carb [off a ts400]. Somewhere i've got a damn quick motor [revs like hell] in an xl185 frame using a 200 cylinder & 125 crank--that's where my megacycle cam went come to think of it [been trying to think. Could go on [& on] so better stop. Cheers.

[cloggy]

 Thanks very much for that. I haven't looked closely but can one substitute the lighting coil for the charge coil in order to power the ignition?
I'm afraid the wiring has been totally butchered.

[OverTheHill]

no, can't do that sorry. Lighting coil only has [guessing] a couple of ohms against 350 odd required & only puts out a small voltage compared to the 100plus peak volt required [fine windings in the cdi charge coil & lots off them]. Have a look on Ebay & might find a bargain. Just did myself but nearly steered you onto a trap i fell into where i bought an ATC185 by mistake & had wrong spacing on the screws. Bought it without taking mine off to see what it actually looked like & thought [cheap] ATC should be the same [not]
Did fix one at work 20 years ago where something had damaged it. Was the type not wrapped up in cloth stuff [just glued or whatever they use] & a coil rewind cost a lot so just unraveled many laps of wire & joined back up. Can't remember how i secured it now but a good dose of araldite glue should hold it. It worked a treat anyway but in saying that--it wasn't shorted out internally like yours might be, just had something go across the top of the windings & cut the top layer or two. I'm only guessing that's your problem of course but sounds like you've tested everything else. Pulse [trigger] coil up top on camshaft only puts out low voltage but think it should show something on an ordinary ac volt meter--maybe one or two volts but i'm thinking more like one on an ordinary meter. See how ya go. Thanks.

[cloggy]

 Thanks very much
I'll have to  look inside to see which type of coil I have and then check my general spares