I have an xv1600 there is a electrical feed to the coils but not getting a spark at the plugs

Here is a diagram showing the spark plug leads attached to a coil pack:

Ignition coil
Spark plug lead
Spark plug
In this diagram, the ignition coil is at the center and is connected to the spark plug leads, which are in turn connected to the spark plugs. The spark plugs are located at the end of each spark plug lead and are responsible for igniting the fuel in the engine's cylinders.

In a typical engine, there will be one ignition coil for each cylinder, and the spark plugs will be connected to the ignition coils through the spark plug leads. The ignition coil generates a high voltage electrical current, which is transmitted through the spark plug leads to the spark plugs. The spark plugs then use this electrical current to create a spark, which ignites the fuel in the engine's cylinders and powers the vehicle.

is it the 2.3l. has it had modified ignition to electric or is it still the coil and distributor type.
original coil and distributor you first need to see if it has voltage to the coil and do this with a 12 volt bulb.. feed is on the coil. this is feed from the ignition. if there is power. this is fine. now you need to check the rotor arm in the distributor. should be clean on the output and no nicks in the end. any white res on it clean off with some wire cloth. now check the contacts they should be clean. rotate the engine by hand until the timing marks match up and check the gap on the contacts before top dead center https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W94iksaQwUo
spark plug gap 04.
if this model has the coil pack fitted. remove the coil pack and check for cracks in the casing this would cause no spark. as water will of gotten into the coils and damaged the wiring. also check the fuse box for the ignition relay and fuse. check them and you should be able to borrow a relay from another system to check if you get a spark with the replaced relay.

By power to coil do you mean spark comes out of coil tower or only the feed wire to the coil has power ? If only the feed wire has power the coil may be bad. Which engine do you have ?

Try using one of the old plugs and connect it to #1 and a good ground then try starting to visually confirm if spark is/is not present. Its much easier to see the spark in the dark. If you get a spark the problem is not electrical and could be a bad ground between the plug and the block, rarely happens, but not unheard of.

Left coil feeds 1 and 4...right coil feeds 2 and 3...as long as you stick to this it doesn't matter which lead goes to which plug. Left coil will have one short lead and one long...short =1...long = 4. Right coil leads will be about even in length...doesn't matter which goes to 2 or 3.
It's a wasted spark system so plugs 1 and 4 fire together...2 and 3 fire together...only 1 cylinder in each pair will be compressed and ready to fire when the spark happens, the other will be empty and coming on to it's inlet stroke...

older post.
how many miles, how many miles for the last tuneup.????

The PCM CREATES spark. on all cars since about 1991.
the only changes are where they hid the IGNITOR.
or how may spark coils you have.
my guess, is your enigne is 3.8L just like my 08
where is the coil pack, well see those spark plug wires.
the go directly to the top mounted coil pack. see that?

the PCM monitors the rail coil , the 3.8 has a 3 COIL pack.
and each coil runs 2 cylinders. like this.
so what is the first thing to do here.
easy , put in new spark plugs.
try doing the tuneups. in the glove box guide.
page 433 , at 102,000 miles. spark plugs and cables.
mine has only 60,000 miles, and they both were bad.
spark plugs and HV, wires so I upgraded to NGK mag wires.
and new NGK plugs.
if it still fails, then try a new coil pack.


HV= high voltage wire sets.

Check for blown fuse, check kill switch and ignition key switch

There are two coils on the bike. The pickup coil inside the flywheel and the high tension coil with the spark plug wire attached. If you can see arcing at the mount bracket where the high tension coil mounts to the frame, either the coil is bad or the plug wire is bad. Some coils allow replacement of the plug wire, some don't. Chances are you will need a new coil.

start simple, check fuses if okay check solenoid to see if its feeding system power. coil is bad or rectifier is bad check for spark from coil if none get a new one

you take the electrical feed connector off the their is a small bolt which holds the coil in place ,Well most modern vehicles are like this but i havent worked on a petrol version as yet as all the ones i get are diesels .