97 sx PROBLEMS!

97yamsx

New member
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
6
Age
37
Location
New York
Hey guys. My name is Stan and im a new user. I have a 97 SX 700 and a 98 SRX 700. I have some serious issues with my sx and i was wondering if anyone could help. It all started about two years ago when it started dropping a cylinder when i was riding it. Seemed like everytime it got wet it would do it. I tried everything. We sent it to a dealer and he went thru it and cleaned the carbs and did eveything. We put a spark tester on it and it would idle on three cylinders but everytime it we gave it gas one cylinder would lose spark. Switched the coils and did same thing. Bought all new coils and put a stator in it and it still didnt run. So i got sick of it and rode the srx. Got it out this year and its doing the same thing. Got a new key and kill switch to rule that out and checked the T.P.S and frozen throttle censor and there both ok. Only thing i can think of is the CDI box because there is circuits literally sticking out of the back of the box. Went to a salvage yard and they sold me one off of a 99 sx 500. Made the sled do even worse things. Im outta solutions. Could it be as simple as bad gas or plugged carbs?? ANY help would be appreciated. Thanks
 
Clean those carbs and get the right CDI. That will give youa good start....Read Mr viper post on carb cleaning if you have any questions.....
Good luck welcome and get ready for some answer to your questions because you will find them on this site...

Nick :wel:
 
Problems cont.

Forgot to mention I did a compression test and all three cylinders were at 125. And i have always run NGK plugs in it. Thanks again guys. :letitsnow
 
Boy if you got a new stator and coil's eather you need a cdi or check for worn through harness wires under the motor..
 
Usually the stator and coils will fix this issue. I would check the wire harness for rub through. I highly doubt that twin 500 cdi will work on your tripple 7. When you put the new stator on did it come with a new pick up also?

When its missing is fowling plugs or just dieing? If its not fowling plugs it could be a fuel issue. I would change the gas for some fresh stuff also.
 
Check your reeds and spark plug caps. Caps should be around 5000 ohms, when they go bad they end up in the Meg ohm area. Reeds may not be sealing well.

Tod
 
I can not remeber but I would have to look it up. Do the coils get power through the voltage regulator?

I'm with Todd. That is a madening experience trying to trouble shoot the caps. I figured the new coils came with new caps.
 
few questions:

1.) a 2 cyl cdi box isnt going to work on a 3 cylinder engine!

2.)Are the sparkplug caps new? I have seen caps drop spark on one or 2 cylinders before, if you reused your old ones check them with a ohm meter, they need to read 5000 ohms, if those are good go to 3.)

3.)have you ever had the wiring harness out from under the engine?
 
WOW! quick responses i love it!!! The coils are from a salvage place. They all have different plug caps too. One of them i noticed is a lil loose where it meets the spark plug. I havent check them yet but i will with the ohm reader. I havent taken the motor out either. I will do that and check the harnesses. I told the lady at the salvage place that they were not the same CDI boxes and everyone else but they wouldnt believe me!! thank god someone knows. I took the reeds out and they are sticky when they are closed. didnt no if that was good or bad. kinda brownish too cause i ran bad gas thru it but we cleaned the carbs and put new lines on it and new fuel filters and flushed the tank. It was also fouling plugs last year but i thought we might have had a bad batch of plugs. Thanks ALOT guys this is awesome. My dad tried to junk the sled the other day but i refused cause i love this sled alot and im stuborn. Any more questions ask and i will do my best. THANK YOU!!
 
Is it a different cylinder everytime, or the same one? Make sure the coils are cnnected properly. If you get me your email i will send you a shop manual for the sx sleds. Maxdlx
 
A friend of mine had the identical problem. Ran fine in the garage, but when we hit the trail it would start to stumble. Turned out to be the spark plug caps were not sealed properly. When the powder hit them the melted water would get inbetween and make it stumble. 3 new caps and the problem was eliminated...relatively a cheap fix.

Hope taht helps.
 
You don't have to take the engine out to get at those wires......
Once you have them out you can re-route them near the carbs.
 
Was in the shop all nite tonite. I took the wire harness from out of under the motor. The eletrical tape had fallen off and it was rubbin, but there was no bare wire so i retaped the whole harness. Including the ones running to the CDI box and everywhere else to make sure it wasnt that. Cleaned the whole fuel system to make sure it wasnt that either. Started right up but still only goin on two cylinders and wouldnt pick it back up. Thinkin that it is the caps (well hopin) cause that would be much easier. It seems to be only one one of the coils so lets pray that it was that easy. GOnna get all new caps in the mornin and throw them on. hopefully she will rip cause were suppost to get a nor'easterner here in new york on sunday!!!!! Thanks alot guys. If it is as simple as the caps im gonna kick myself in the butt.
 
Try changing the caps from one cylinder to another and see if the miss switches cylinders. All of the coils fire at once so it is an easy check. Maxdlx
 
@97yamsx,

look here at this chart find your 700 coils and do the Ohms check on your coils and your caps...

'97 SX 700
scan000126.png
 
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Put all new plug caps on this mornin. Ran on two though. Took the plugs out and one was wet so i switched them around. Ran on three for about ten seconds then droped the cylinder. Switched the coils around too. It was the outside cylinder closest to the can everytime. We replaced the stator last year but it still wouldnt run. im still running the old CDI box on it. Thats pretty much the only thing we havents replcaed eletrical. Cold that be doppin the cylinder?
 


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