'93 Exciter SX, 8 mins of super fun then dead

bsbuggs

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Well first ride on my SX....starts with the thing having a rough time getting it started. Figured it was some less than good gas...When the weather was nice it ALWAYS started right up! Go figure. Finally I get it to the local sled area, off the trailer and onto the snow,
ALL I can say is AWESOME power...was pulling the skis right off the ground no problem. I literally drove for 8 minutes, as I move into a turn the sled goes totally OFF...just shuts down...
I get off and attempt to staart for next hour....NO LUCK...I changed plugs...NO GOOD.

I noticed that the headlight was very very dim when I pulled the started cord...sometimes the light never came on at all while pulling the rope...

Well since NO one was around had to load dead in water sled onot trailer by myself....MAN my back is killing me NOW..

Any thoughts of what went wrong here>>> SORRY for the long rant nut man I have been waiting since NOV to ride this thing.

Thanks Joe
 

LONG SHOT HERE. SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME ON MY EXCITER SX.OUT ONE NIGHT, SLED WAS RIPPING. ALL OF A SUDDEN , DIES.THOUGHT I COOKED PISTON. HAD TO LOAD IT IN BACK OF MY TRUCK, GET IT HOME, GET PSI GAUAGE OUT, 150BOTH HOLES. OK FIRST THING I DID WAS CHANGE OUT SPARK PLUG CAPS TO 98 SRX 700 PLUG. HAVE NOT HAD PROBLEM SINCE. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
Thanks Tony for the fast reply...Im really stumped at teh real real low light or NO light when I pull the starter cord....shouldnt I be seeing the headlight get bright when I really pull hard on the rope?
 
SOUNDS LIKE STATOR DROPED OUT OF IT, AND NO HEADLITE SHOULD JUST FLICKER. YOU CHECK AND SEE IF YOU HAVE STRONG SPARK ? 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
Thats what I will do tomorrow Tony...My arm is killing me from pulling the rope...I was really hoping for divine intervention to get it started so I could drive it on the trailer..
Thanks for the suggestion
 
Have you been able to get the sled started again? I had a sled years ago that would run until the engine compartment warmed up, then it would die until it cooled down. It turned out to be a bad ignition coil. When to coil warmed up, it would have an electrical open. Once it cooled down it would run again. Have you checked the electrical connections?
 
RX,
No i havent goven it try since last night. I hope to give it a shot once I get off work today...I will keep you posted...Thanks for the help
 
rx1jim said:
Have you been able to get the sled started again? I had a sled years ago that would run until the engine compartment warmed up, then it would die until it cooled down. It turned out to be a bad ignition coil. When to coil warmed up, it would have an electrical open. Once it cooled down it would run again. Have you checked the electrical connections?

;)! also excitersx.com IF YA NEED ANY PARTS. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
rx1jim said:
Have you been able to get the sled started again? I had a sled years ago that would run until the engine compartment warmed up, then it would die until it cooled down. It turned out to be a bad ignition coil. When to coil warmed up, it would have an electrical open. Once it cooled down it would run again. Have you checked the electrical connections?

x2. Once insulation warms up on a compromised electrical component,it quickly grounds out which = non conductive. Wait a few hours until the components are cool and the internal insulation has swelled back up, and your back up and running. For at least a short period of time till everything heats back up again. My problem was a coil on a JDX.
 
Check all electrical connections for being clean, dry and tight especially where they come out of the engine and also, you can uplug the kill switch and keyswitch to see it that brings her to life ?
 
UPDATE...Got home tonight changed plugs and she fired up...i took a few pics of the old plugs. 1 thing i did notice is at the Y pipe where it connects to the PSI pipe it is wet. Is this normal?

Im kinda afraid to drive it again, and the same thing happens 10 minutes and them the power goes out.

Do fouled plugs JUST STOP working? or do they give you a hint?
 
Y PIPE BEING WET WHERE THEY MEET AINT THE PROBLEM. THATS A BAD SEAL. A SPARK PLUG WILL ONLY FOUL AFTER 10 MINUTES OF RUNNING TIME IF YOU HAVE A COIL GOING BAD. ANOTHERS WORDS SPARK BREAKING DOWN. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
OK, let's narrow it down to an electrical problem for sure. Have a fresh plug ready for this test. When the engine will run again, start the sled and keep it running. Once it cuts off on you, remove both spark plugs and put the fresh one in the plug cap but don't install it in the engine. Removing both plugs will make it easier to pull over. Give it a few quick pulls and see if you have spark, no spark means a definite electrical problem. Since the problem seems to be related to engine temp., The source of the problem is in the stator. The CDI box and ignition coil (one coil for both plugs is mounted near the air box so the time constant for the stator to heat up is the shortest. The other test to run is to run it on a stand with the hood open. The open hood will not allow heat to build up in the engine compartment.
 
a few pics from today
 

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I hope not Tony......i just pulled the carbs and Im gonn give them a good going over
 
Sure sounds like a stator with the dim headlight.

YES Tony, I had a '93 SX that went like all out. They had 150 psi per hole right from the factory!! These motors were very responsive like a YZ dirtbike. I ran a 108C clutch and a Bender pipe on mine with a superlight Camoplast track. It was a real sleeper in its time. Yamaha only made a little over 1300 of these models. This was basically a consumer model of a Exciter L/C prototype Yamaha had been testing for quite awhile. It had a shorter Y-PIPE and shorter intake flanges (with flatslides) and agressive porting. Pat Hauck had been doing a similar kit to previous year Exciter's in the late '80's that were setup like this. I bought one from him before Hauck Power Sports even existed. I took the Hauck sled to a radar run when it was brand new with about 100 miles on it and turned 93-95 mph without studs in about 1000-1200 ft. Not bad for the time.
 


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