No Spark

[RM250'er]

Looking for some ideas...

Last week, I raced and the bike (97rm250) ran great... (second place).

I shut the bike off using the kill switch and now I can't get any spark.

I have tried a new plug and disconnected the kill switch.

From what I can tell, it's problem is either in the Stator or the coil pick-up. Looks like all wires are OK. Would either one of these "just go bad" without any prior hints... (misfiring...)?

Is it possible that it's just a connection that needs to be cleaned?

I am at a loss when it comes to electric problems...

I have a big race this Sunday so I don't have a lot of time to mess around with this. I'm leaning towards taking it to a dealer tomorrow. He typically gives me a break on my parts because I'm #3 in the district but I have never had him do any work on my bike and don't want to spend big bucks on this bike. When the 03's come out I'll be getting one but until then, it's this one.

Thanks for your help and ideas...

 

[Jaybird]

Very possible that corrosion at a connection could cause this. Many times a kill switch that has crap in it will be the culprit. I'm not much of an electrical man either, but I wonder if by disconnecting the kill switch you haven't messed the circuit up as if it were being pressed? If I'm not mistaken, a kill switch is a link in the electrical line and by pushing it you in effect create a gap in the circuit. Perhaps disconnecting it would be a bad thing...not quite certain on this.

 

[RM250'er]

I thought the kill switch worked the other way, By pushing it creates the connection which kills the bike.

It what you say is true...then by me cutting it, I still created the problem (if that's where it is).

Anyone know if this is true?

 

[Jaybird]

LOL...see what I mean, it just may be the problem. I'm fairly certain that electricity needs a closed loop to function, the only way to stop the loop is to open a gap in it.
Take the kill switch apart and see if you don't find the problem.

 

[IrishEKU]

To add to JayBirds comment check for a grounding problem by puting the kill switch back on and taking a multi meter setting it to the ohmns scale. Insert it into your plug recepticle and see if you are getting continuity. If you are pull the switch and retry. Same result will tell you if you have a ground fault somewhere else. If not you just isolated your problem. Another thing to check closely is your plug lead, by wrenching it off the wires may have seperated. But to just have it not start up after running fine, my vote goes to faulty kill switch.

My .02
Phillip

 

[RM250'er]

If the kill switch is bad, would I get any electrical output from the coil pick-up (off the stator)?

As you can tell, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to eletrical stuff... (I can replace a top end in about 10 minutes though... ;) )

If I cut both leads on the kill switch and connect them together, that should tell me if it's the switch. right?

 

[Jaybird]

If you are gonna cut the leads, you may want to have a spare first. I don't know that I would feel comfotable with spliced kill switch leads.
Can you find someone with a continuity tester? Radio Shack probably has those for a couple bucks.

I bet K-mart or Wally World has them too. It will look like an ice pick with a clear handle and a lead w/clip comming out of the handle end.

 

[IrishEKU]

That's a rather drastic way of doing it but you can. Before cuting into the wiring I would check everything, excitor coil, pick up coil and CDI. Seince you are close to my old stomping grounds otherwise known as the "Land of the Frozen Chosen" or Maine as most call it, I would check the CDI closely ofver time and cold weather can make the boards inside brittle and then snap.

 

[RM250'er]

At the track, We checked some wires with a multi-meter and it "appears" the pick-up coil doesn't have juice coming from it when trying to kick it over (following output #'s from the manual).

If the kill switch is bad, would it kill the juice from the pick-up coil?

In my head, it would seem to me that if any of the major ignition pieces went bad, It would have had some type of problem along the way... The bike ran absolutely great up to the point I hit the kill switch.

I'll have to get a multi-meter and further test everything as IRISH suggested.

What a pain in the :moon: this is...

 

[RM250'er]

Jaybird, I found this from an Eric Gorr post:

Why the Kill-Button Won’t Work?
If you’ve ever experienced a bike with STC your first reaction may have been to push the kill-button, and perhaps it worked. But were you ever surprised when it had no affect? Its possible and here’s why. The kill-button interrupts the ground to the igniter box. But when the engine is revving so high there is significant energy flowing through the box and electricity will arc to the point of least resistance. A common cause of an alternate ground path is when anti-freeze is spilled around the igniter box to the frame. The filler cap and overflow vent tube are located close to the igniter box on most bike. It’s easy for overspill to splash the initer box and frame.


Looks like you may be right, by me cutting the switch I did exactly what the kill switch does... :scream:

 

[Jaybird]

You will have that bugger figured out real soon. I commend your investigative method. Get er fixed and give em hell! :)

 

[Rooster]

My YZ did that to me once, and it turned out to be a corroded kill switch connection. I would just check for continuity in those wires. Hopefully that is all you have going wrong.

You can do a top end in 10 minutes? :eek: OK, I'll fix your electrical problem if you'll throw my YZ together :) I hate doing top ends, I can't sleep until I have it all back together and running...........

 

[RM250'er]

Well, it doesn't look like the kill switch... I have to get the bike ready for my race on Sunday and don't have much more time to fool around... so, Time to take it to the dealer :scream: .

I'll let you know the problem and the real damage..$

 

[Joepro9]

I had same problem with my 2000 cr250, turned out to be the CDI.

 

[RM250'er]

It was the CDI. (nice call Joepro9)

 

[Rooster]

So, how painful was that ($$$$)?

 

[IrishEKU]

Originally posted by IrishEKU
CDI. Seince you are close to my old stomping grounds otherwise known as the "Land of the Frozen Chosen" or Maine as most call it, I would check the CDI closely ofver time and cold weather can make the boards inside brittle and then snap.

*cough* I said it first *cough*


LOL, glad you chased it down :thumb:

 

[RM250'er]

Yep,

You're right... Nice call. :)

The dealer only got me for $60.00 to find the problem for me.

They wanted $418.00 for the new CDI.

Believe it or not, I found someone with a brand new one still in the box for $75.00

 

[Joepro9]

dealers are outragous with stuff like that, I got mine from a local race shop for 160 form the factory I think my dealer wanted 3 something. Crazy isnt it.

 

[RM250'er]

It is nuts...

I called electrex usa in CA... They wanted $219.00 but said they were out of stock for 3 weeks :scream:

So I went nuts calling people and found one.

 

[RM250'er]

A little update guys...

Friday I rec'd my new CDI, Hooked it up all excited to get my baby fired up, big race on Sunday... Still no spark :ugg:

But the dealer said "it's the CDI" and I know he can't be wrong ;)

Anyway... Finally brokeout the multimeter and spent about an hour messing around and decided it's the stator. I make a mess of phone calls and can't find one. I finally find one on the West coast and ask if it can be delivered to me the next day (Saturday). They said yes but it will cost $40.00 just for the delivery. ($160.00 for the stator)

I tell them to overnight it to me because I need it to race on Sunday.

Saturday afternoon, I get it, run to the garage, splice the new one in, put it in, hook up everything... No Spark :scream:

Sat there staring at the bike for an hour and can't figure out what happened.
Then it hits me like a brick... I crossed the kill switch plug with the coil plug. (exactly same connection - you would think they would make it so you can't do that)

I straightened that out, mad with myself but laughing at myself at the same time.

Checked everything out, hooked everything back up, kicked it and my baby fired up!!! Brought back to life. :)

Well, it was pouring all day Saturday and expected to pour Sunday so I decided not to race anyway.

All in all, this mess cost me an extra $60.00 labor from the dealer (which was wrong anyway)
$75.00 for the CDI
$40.00 for the overnignt I didn't need
Total $ 175.00 extra in the :uh: