www.zxrworld.co.uk

Hey guys, just posted this on BCF but thought I'd copy it here as I'm really stuck and there's some knowledgeable people on this site.
I recently purchased a cheap non running '93 Kawasaki ZXR 400 as a bit of a project and to save some money. Day before yesterday the bike was starting and running fine on all four cylinders, but it intermittently drops down to running on two cylinders, or not sparking at all and failing to start. I've tried various things like cleaning high and low tension connections which seemed to solve the problem momentarily, but it seems the bike changes it's mind frequently. For instance I've just removed the exhaust and changed the sump, before which it was running perfectly and now I've got it filled up with oil and ready to go it won't start, and I've got no voltage at all in any of the four HT leads.
Does anybody have any idea what I should try next? How would I go about testing coil packs or the output from the CDI unit? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Okay, managed to find a wiring diagram for the bike which has got me a little bit further. I'm really not familiar with this kind of set up but I'll explain it briefly. Two coil packs, one for 1-4 and the second for 2-3, I'm guessing it might be a twin/wasted spark system or controlled by the CDI.
Each coil pack has two low tension wires going into it, a red and green on one side and a red and black on the other. All four of these wires have a constant 12v supply when the ignition is switched on, then during cranking it seems like the supply falters, possibly being switched on and off faster than my multimeter/test lamp can display. However I'm only getting HT voltage out of the coils on ONE lead, number 2 cylinder and even then only intermittently.
What sort of signal should I expect at the coil packs from a working CDI? Would the fact I've got consistent LT power in but next to nothing out indicate the coils are knackered, or could it be the CDI being 'out of time' or something similar? I'm really at a bit of a loss now and if any mechanics or electricians could lend me five minutes i'd be forever greatful.

have you looked in the manuals to see how to check the coils and what you should expect from them?

I have downloaded what I thought was a workshop manual but is actually more like a parts film just containing exploded diagrams, but no testing procedures or specifications. It did have a wiring diagram which has proved useful, I'm now downloading a separate electrical manual I've found in a link on this website that hopefully will prove more useful. Thanks for the reccomendation however

have you tested the pick up coil ? all the test info is in the online manuals but i would test the pick up coil the test the suply to the igniter then if all is ok i would test the igniter unit trial and error im affraid let us know how u do