99 Sportster coil questions

[Taehome]

I recently got a 99 883 custom. As I’m going through the bike I find a wire running from both posts on the coil to a grounding spot lower on the bike.
Question, does this indicate a problem with the coil or ignition? Is it some kind of work around for a problem.
The bike starts and run fine while parked, I haven’t ridden it yet.
I’ve removed the tank and carb before finding the wire so I haven’t unhooked it and tried to see if it runs.

Thoughts?

[JBinNC]

You are mistaken, since neither post of the coil will be grounded. Look at it again.

Jim

[Taehome]

You are mistaken, since neither post of the coil will be grounded. Look at it again.

Jim

I wish I was. I just looks again and there is a wire to each terminal tied to a single wire that runs down, in a separate wire loom to a strap that holds the rear brake line to the frame.
I’m not 100% sure how to add photos from my phone but I’ll try.
Is there a reason someone would need to do this??

[JBinNC]

There must be a capacitor in there somewhere. Used for radio signal noise suppression or some such?

Jim

[TriNortchopz]

It looks like someone has attached a ring connector with a black wire on the primary post of the coil to get 12 volts, while the green wire is a ground - both that ring terminal black wire and the green ground wire are for something else, not the coil...they just found a hot lead to connect a power wire to - that black one with the ring terminal.
What is connected to the other end of those black and green wires?

[farmall]

TNC is wise. I'd disconnect both wires then start the bike. If it runs they're not ignition.

If no start then I'd follow the wires from your ignition pickup and from your ignition module. If the stock external module was removed it's quite possible a previous owner used the original rubber 90-degree connectors to hold the eyelets onto the coil posts instead of the brass nuts they should have used.

You need to physically trace that extra wiring.

Since you pulled the carb (presumably for cleaning) now is the smart time to replace the old intake manifold seals. Old seals harden and leak especially when a carb is removed and the intake shifts slightly. They're cheap.

[Taehome]

Thanks for the insights. More digging is required. I hope to get to the garage today and I intend on following the black wire.
My goal is to remove most of the wiring but I wasn’t sure if those added wire clearly indicated and issue.
Thanks again