Coils do seem to be quite susceptible to failure on these bikes.

@@memybikeni9931 as do the regulator/rectifiers :-) Nice looking bike by the way. Very similar to what I have done to mine, except I have gone for satin black, instead of full rat look.

@@Sideshowgaz5779 Thank you. I’ve done a few more mods since, including welding my own bars made of chain link. I’ve currently got the engine out stripped it down and am rebuilding it if you check out the recent videos. All good fun.

Yeah I’ve had constant issues with coils and leads arcing, I think it’s aftermarket parts that’s the issue.

Got mine from yambits. A bit more expensive but it fitted straight on with no hassle. The bikes only done 5000 miles but they are 25 years old so I guess that time and the elements gradually gets to them

@@garyconstant4234 very true

It’s Goblins From Mars.

What issue do you have ?

@@memybikeni9931 when I presss the throttle... cuberator look firing and the exhaust have a back firee

@@lukisanmistikch3861 maybe a rich mixture, needs adjusting.

@@memybikeni9931 yeahhh I have clean the plug coil ..and check before change...it look fine..now I adjsut the main jet size...

Thanks, this bike is the bane of my life, forever fettling running issues. Good luck with your’s.

@@memybikeni9931 Gawd, have it running, just, on 2 cylinders now but coughing and spluttering, backfiring etc, having tested or replaced everything but the cdi unit I got a cheap one off eBay which upon fitting produced no spark at all, so that's been sent back .. and so it goes on ............

@@ThePidge1953 so you have both cylinders running but poorly ? Could be just fuel air mix needs adjusting.

@@memybikeni9931 I have fitted a new aftermarket carb on the bike (eBay) and just set the mixture screw to 2 turns out so far but that's all I've done to be honest?

@@ThePidge1953 ok, so as ridiculous as it sounds, if it’s still running poor when you have new coils, HT leads caps etc, do pull the plugs and give the electrodes a clean as fuel getting thrown into the cylinders unburnt will leave them in need of attention too. Could be just that. did you go aftermarket with the coils as I don’t think they are up to much but the Yamaha ones are bloody expensive.

Okay so in you view as I’m looking at it, which do I need to switch ? Cheers

@@memybikeni9931 Hi At 2:41 the coil on the right is wired correctly which is the rear cylinder, the wires on the left coil need switching over, thats the front cylinder, after market coils for the Virago are the same coil for left and right, the original coils that Yamaha used on Viragos were left and right specific (wired as you have them here), hope that helps, nice sounding bike by the way

@@OldBiker thanks, I’ll get them switched over. I have had one of the aftermarket ones fail so I wonder if that’s the reason.

@@memybikeni9931 Thinking about this there are two types of coils and both are wired internally different, as a test place a multimeter on each terminal in turn with the other lead going to ground, if there is no circuit made on either terminal then you can put the live and ignitor wires any way round.

@@OldBiker thanks I’ll test that 👍

As long as the resistance is correct and the cap fits, shouldn’t have an issue. I put NGKs on at the time. I’d go direct to Yamaha.

I’ll be honest I don’t recall as I got them second hand, and I can’t check as I wrapped them. You can get drag pipes fairly cheap compared to normal systems as there isn’t much to them. These do still have the baffles fitted, they just come out on one screw. I’ve never taken them out as they are already so loud.

Not that I recall, just normal temperature, with the front uncharacteristically cold, due to the misfire. It may be the difference in temp which makes the rear seem too hot possibly, but they are independent of each other in that sense, so one should not affect the other. If you’re running a single carb even, the rear should still get the same fuel and air mix, so can’t see any reasons for your issue being due to a front misfire. You could try testing it with a digital thermometer laser pointer type and see what that reads.

@mę mŷ bïkë ń ì I will try the digital thermometer thank you , it will interesting to get the temp as it has melted the battery box.

@@seanpatchett-smith9726 sounds like the battery box is fouling on the exhaust manifold on the front cylinder ? Have you taken it out and re fitted it ?

@@seanpatchett-smith9726 Rear cylinder I meant.

Yes this has totally resolved it, dodgy coil and HT lead, but if you have no spark on both then that will lead back to the CDI I guess, it’s still worth checking all the plugs, caps, leads etc as they could have both failed at the same time still a bit unlikely. Get the coils off and check them for continuity etc and ohms resistance too. I would suggest unplugging the cdi and checking the readings from your stator for pulses and power to it etc. Not sure if that’s in the Haynes for those so may need a bit of digging.

@@memybikeni9931 don't think is the TCI on mine as I've tried another and it's still not starting, definitely got fuel and air, just no spark. I'm heading towards the stator or pick-ups being knackered. Definitely need to get it running properly again, I kinda miss the v-twin thump, although the neighbours would probably disagree........

​@@digga1667 yeah it sounds like you need to go back as far as that then.

It an Hitachi off an XV750. I guess any pump fed carb will do. This one delivers really well coupled with the 2:1 manifold.

can’t remember mate, too long ago but an easy eBay search

So the grey wire is going to the front cylinder. Number 1 Rear, 2 Front yes as per firing order. So assuming your drivers side is the same as mine in the U.K. ? As you can see on mine, right side of bike as sitting on it, grey wire to the right side coil, goes to front cylinder. It is quite easy to mess it up, so quick test, take the cam cover off the front, and watch the dot on the cam sprocket pass the timing mark, while turning it over, pull the plug, see if you are getting a spark for that cylinder at the right time. You should get one every 360°, one will be redundant, but at least you’ll know the spark is timed correctly therefore you’re connected up right. If it sparks 90° early, you have the rear coil in your hand, and then know to swap the wiring. A bike of this age, can’t trust the wiring colours really.

@@memybikeni9931 yeah my right side coil goes to front cylinder but I had the grey wire and red/white going to the rear cylinder, which I'm learning is cylinder 1... I'm going to have to pull plugs and check and get a timing light on it. I'd think it wouldn't start with the wires backwards. But I've been wondering why it's not seeming right like fluctuating idle and just bad running. I thought when I did the timing I did it right but I'm going to have to check this out. And the manuals have it showing the same wiring for US and UK grey to cylinder 2. Haynes says 2 Clymer doesn't have any # or F or R. It's showing like you're saying grey goes to front or cylinder 2 or the right side coil...

@@memybikeni9931 the 750 has it opposite like I have mine plugged in.

@@memybikeni9931 so I can take the cam cover off while turning over? And only pull the front plug and watch to see if it's on time with spark every 360° I didn't know you could start it with that side cover off. Could I do with a timing light instead.

@@memybikeni9931 Before when I tried fix timing with covers off bc they were both a 1/4 tooth off but learned from others that I couldn't get a quarter tooth to change. I heard it won't start if coil wire is opposite but mine is but he had a 750 too. Idk. I wish I was as smart as y'all!!

So if you have original coils, then just follow the manual, these were aftermarket, so unlikely to matter, if you see OldBiker’s comment below he is a bit more clued up on it. Rule of thi plumb, follow the service manual 😊 I believe I had the left one incorrectly wired, but it made no difference to the running.

@@memybikeni9931 yeah but what gets me is one I didn't take a pic before taking off but two the Haynes manual shows it weird were I can't understand it. It shows the ignition coils and spark plugs on the top instead of by the headlights then it's says number two has the the grey on the outside then the red and white then the orange for number one spark plug and red and white one on the other side. It makes no sense bc mine looking at it the left one I know goes to number one cylinder and had the grey on the outside then the red and white then the other side has the number two cylinder and I can't remember but in the book for that side even though it says one it's a orange and red and wires. I don't know what to do bc I can't remember which ones the second on had on it I think it looked like yours and I looked at the manual and was like nope orange should be on the other side. Old Biker is saying your number one should be changed so that would mean nothing on mine was hooked up right idk. I also found a wiring harness that didn't have the connectors attached only female connectors coming off the wiring assembly.

@@memybikeni9931 it also shows number one on the right side and number two on the left.. do you have a Haynes manual?

@@memybikeni9931 bc for number 2 it shows the grey going to the ignitor unit the red and white going to the starter relay and for number one for the orange it goes to the ignitor unit and the red and white goes to the starter relay too.

What brand coils?

Very true. The HT lead was arcing on the front coil however, so a break down in the insulation I guess. Old coil needed replacing.