[Ragmas]

So,  disregarding my potentially broken sprague clutch,  my bike has been a real bear to kick start.  On a whim I started researching possible reasons. I replaced my spark plug a couple of weeks ago with the NGk plug,  and today I looked over the HT lead and coil.  Both looked fine.  I then noticed that while I was kicking the bike endlessly to start it but nothing happening that the MIL was lit.  So being a good little hands on kind of guy I sought out the code.  Turns out it is a crank position sensor circuit code.  I saw that someone else had a very long saga of dealer repair regarding this that turned out to be a frayed wire from the negative on his coil. 

Does anyone have any tips on a proper trouble shooting method for this circuit?  In the mean while I will be following wires and looking for breaks in the line.

Thank you,
 Samgar

[barenekd]

With my experience with these contraption on Triumphs, they aren't terribly reliable. I don't know if it's the same one on Enfields or not, but I did replace several of them on Triumphs. You can check the wiring to it, but I'd say, more likely, the sensor is screwed. To check it, it should have a resistance of 200+/-20 ohms
As far as troubleshooting the wires, go to each end of the wire with an Ohmmeter and see if they are broken or not. and check for extra grounds (shorts)
Bare

[Kevin Mahoney]

About the best you can do it to check it as has been outlined by others. They typically are bad  - or not. There is no reason the bike should kickstart hard with everything working properly. If the MIL light stays on then something is wrong and you went in the right direction by checking the code. A trip to your dealers is probably warranted.

[Okie Enfield]

..and warrantied 

[Kevin Mahoney]

If it under warranty that goes without saying.!!

[Ragmas]

Alas my warranty expired last month.  Also, I am not a big fan of my dealer.  (You will not be able to figure out who it is by my location. )  Now, I metered across the sensor and came up with 202 ohms.  So I figure the sensor itself is good.  I also metered the lines going into the harness for the coil.  Both lines came up with a resistance btween 550ohms and 570 ohms.  Does this sound right?


Sometimes the bike starts right up, other times it is a bear and I can kick it over and over to no avail unless I open the throttle and then it starts, and keeps running.  What do y'all think?

Samgar

[barenekd]

If you have to open the throttle to get it to start, it's flooded. If you kick it several times without starting, it will flood. When you push the kick starter through it will inject some gas into the cylinder. Kick it two or three times. If it doesn't start, then turn off the ignition and kick it through with the throttle wide open to clear the cylinder.  Then turn it back on and try again.
Are you getting a good spark when you kick it over? Did you look at it when you had the plug out?
Bare

[Ducati Scotty]

The one on my friend's Ducati got funky, would act up from time to time.  He was broke do the mechanic told him to give it a good kick when it acted up until he got sick of doing that.  He rose it like that for over a year. 

I'm not suggesting you kick it, I don't know if it's the same type.  But they can be intermittent and it sounds like yours is.  My manual says it should be 200 ohms +/- 20.  So I'd say measure it quick next time the bike won't start.

Scott

[jartist]

I threw a crank position code kickstarting my bike once. My guess is that the computer gets confused when the engine kicks back and throws the code.

[Ragmas]

Well,  I followed bare's advice and investigated flooding.  That seems to be what is happening, maybe.  Perhaps as Jartist says, the code is a glitch or perhaps as Scotty says it is an intermittent issue.  All I know is I had my tank off twice as well as fullremoval of battery and have photos of the coils and such that I will be posting in another thread.

[Kevin Mahoney]

Does the MIL stay on? If so that is a current code and is still a problem. Also try a new spark plug

[Ragmas]

Hey Kevin, No the light does not stay on.  It comes on if I sit there and kick the bike for a while without it starting, then it goes away if I turn the key off and then on again.  Does that indicate a "false" code?

Samgar

[Kevin Mahoney]

I wouldn't call it a false code. When you turn the key on the system goes into a self check mode. After a few seconds the MIL should turn off. At that point you should start the bike and not before.
If the light comes on while the bike is running it indicates that something has reported in to the ECU that it is faulty. If it stays on then something is wrong. The code will remain in the system but the light will do out

[Ragmas]

The procedure you described for starting is the one I follow.  The light has only come on if I have prolonged session of "trying" to start the bike.  The light has never come on during running operation.