Loss of power - unusual coloring of catalytic converter?

1) Check for any fault codes.

2) Check the connections at the battery.

3) How old is the battery?

I did check fault codes after the problem - none. The battery is 4 months old with clean tight connections.

dduelin said:

Now that I know the low voltage primary circuit goes to ground through the mounting bosses I think corrosion on the mounting bosses was the problem. When I got the new used coils I examined them and noted the right hand coil had slight rust staining on the rear most boss and I noted "I wonder if the OEM right hand coil for cylinders 2 & 4 has rust stains like that?". This is what I found.....the original RH coil had a lot of rust and the rust pitting had pretty much destroyed the smooth metal finish the bosses have when in good condition. The LH side does not have the SS U-shaped clip washers and the LH mounts were in original good condition. The washer must be a different alloy of stainless and the combination of heat and electro galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals causes the RH mounts/grounds to rust.

I cleaned and buffed up the new used one before I installed it.

If you have a high mileage 1300 you might want to check the coil mounting bolts for corrosion that may cause the coil to quit working under the "wrong" conditions.

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Dave, sorry to revive an old thread but I came across this while searching. I had the same problem only, with me it wasn't intermittent. I was riding on the highway and lost power, felt like running out of gas but I had a relatively full tank. I had to use a lot more throttle to maintain speed but it continued to run that way. My instant mileage indicator dropped to between 18 and 22 mpg. When I pulled into a gas station to investigate, it wouldn't maintain idle without me opening the throttle. After I checked what I could at a gas station, I fired it back up and it ran the same way. I concluded the one of the ignition coils crapped out and I limped the bike back home.

After reading this thread, I checked the coils and sure enough, the right one was rusted just like your picture. I bolted it back on WITHOUT the U shaped washer and it fired right up and runs like normal. So, my question is, is there any harm in leaving those U shaped washers off permanently? The left side has no washers so I figure it's ok. But, if so, that begs the question...why did mother Honda put those washers there in the first place if it runs fine without them???

Anyone have any thoughts? I'm tempted to button everything back up without the washers and see how it runs on the road but I thought I'd check here first, lest I do any damage.

My short answer is that "I don't know what they do" but if Honda designed them and put them there I figure they should be there.

It's easy to clean up the corrosion - why not do that and reinstall it?

U shaped washers are designed to keep tension why its on a coil is beyond me, mostly I see them on parking brake levers on rear brake shoes to stop potential rattles. If the coil needs a good ground when bolted down look for star washers at parts store.

dduelin said:

It's easy to clean up the corrosion - why not do that and reinstall it?

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Is it? What did you use?

It would appear that the U-shaped washer is nothing more than a mechanical spacer, but the curious part is why does the right side coil need the spacer while the left side does not? Since I don't have a 1300 I can't just look at my own. I'd clean it up and put it back in place anyway, but it wouldn't appear to have any electrical purpose, and wouldn't seem to explain your problem going away as a result of it. It may be that by removing and re-installing the coil you fixed a marginal/intermittent connector issue on the coil. I'd keep a close eye on it for a while before calling it fixed though.

Take the time to read through pages 5 and 6 of the thread. You will discover that there is no electrical function for the connection between the steel plates of the coil and the frame of the bike. You either have an intermittent connection in one of the two faston terminals from the two wires on the primary side or you have an intermittent connection in one of your spark plug wires. Its also possible that the intermittent connection is inside your coil. The coils can be purchased on eBay for a few dollars...