No Spark!

H

Hath91

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I'm hoping someone can help out with an issue I just recently experienced. I took my SX-R 700 with 3300 miles for a ride to Canada, stopped for a bite to eat and drink, went outside, sled would not start(turned over, could smell fuel). Changed the plugs as they were loaded, sled started after about 5 seconds of cranking the engine. Crossed back over the border, stopped the sled and restarted no issues. About a mile from destination, pulled over on the trail to tap the kidney, before the engine could drop to idle speed, the headlight went out completely and a second later the engine died. Went to restart, no issues, sled started, however, again, before sled dropped to idle, head light went out and then the engine stopped! The sled restarted, arrived at destination, again, before the sled went to idle, the head light went out and the engine stopped. Had troubles restarting, finally got sled restarted after about 60 seconds, drove to snow bank, went inside to have a drink, came out about an hour or so later, could not start the sled. Tested spark...with key start, no spark until the key was released and that exact moment of releasing the key there was spark. No spark when pulling the sled over manually. Called a local dealer, they said it could be the ignition switch at first until I explained the whole problem, then they were like it could be one of two relays or I believe they said it could be the stater? Something on the engine...sorry can remember the component on the engine. Something I needed to hook a OHM meter to and check the readings.

Early in the season, the sled was backfiring every now and then, didn't think much of it until trouble shooting the issue on the snow bank that night and it was back firing quite frequently then.

I might note that while I was in the process of removing plastic to get to the ignition switch disconnect connector, I noticed that the wires where run very tight and briefly checked for worn wires and cracked wire insulation...not sure if it could be something as simple as a wire grounding itself out?!?!?!?!

Any thoughts on how to trouble shoot this issue methodically would be GREAT. I'm hoping someone has run into this issue before....here's to hoping :)

Thank you in advance!
 

Welcome to the site, use the "search" feature should have multiple threads with same/similar issues and resolutions. Year of sled in question would be helpful as well as where you are in the "united states" as sometimes certain years/ geographic area has their own special circumstances.
 
Unplug the key and see if it will start.
I have a 96 giving me the same fit. It will start with key switch unplugged and run for 5-10 seconds and then die. No headlight when running either.
 
Thank you for the quick responses!

It's a 2001 and I ride in Maine. I did unplug the wiring harness which didn't help/resolve the issue.
 
on a 2001 you cant just unplug the key switch thats only for the single headlight sleds that it will run with no key switch.

on your 2001, youll need to jump the brown to the red/yellow wire, and see if you have spark then by manually pulling it over.
 
OK, I was told differently...I'll will have to give it a try.

I think the word I was looking for earlier was a 'Pulsator'...located somewhere on the engine? I was told by the local dealer that it could be this and if the ignition switch wasn't the problem, then to start here before dropping money on parts trying to fix the problem.
 
OK, so I finally tried to unplug the key switch and jump the brown and yellow/red wire, no spark when trying to pull start. I tried unplugging, one at a time, the white and black (interior/exterior) connections from the CDI box, same symptoms, no spark until the key is released. I could not find a white relay behind the left foot-well that others have spoken of on my 2001 SX-R 700. Does anyone else have any suggestions?
 
There is a relay by your left footwell that sometimes goes out. Also you could have a rub thru in your harness under the engine. Search for harness rub and you should find posts.
 
The "pulsator" your talking about is actually the Stator. Behind the re-coil (pull start housing) is the fly wheel, behind the flywheel is the stator. Search stator for threads in what to and how test. As far as the white relay this would be the load control relay. Designed to re-direct power to ignition system only while starting. I have heard of them sticking, especially in extreme cold. I have heard of SRX having relay issue where they will run with headlight in HIGH beam but not in LOW beam, haven't heard of HI/LOW in SxR, worth a try. Go to Port Yamaha (one of the venders listed, scroll down the forums page) and look at the part fiche, has rough black and white diagrams of parts and round about locations.
 
@sxr70001 - Thank you, I hope it's not a harness rub through! I found a blue and black relay on the left foot well, disconnected one at a time and tried to start, same symptoms. I even tried unplugging a harness connected to what I can only explain as some sort of metal cooling plate/radiator, some sort of heat disapator, same symptoms.

@Devilin - Thank you, I did not see a white relay; I will research the forum you suggested. I did try the Hi/LO switch and even unplugged the dual head lights, same symptoms. The headlight does not come on during cranking, so I suspect the headlight relay is working by design.
 
you need to check the pulse coil , its down under the recoil. . youll need a multi meter and check to see if you have varying voltage coming from it.

also check to make sure the flywheel magnets on the outside are not all rusty,blocking the signal to the pulse coil, youll need to remove the recoil to get to it.
 
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@mrviper700 - What type of readings should I be expecting from the pulse coil and is this different then a stator? I guess what's a good reading vs a bad reading? When I go to pull the recoil off, is there anything I should be careful of, like flying recoil springs? I do have a multi meter, however, when it comes to working on sleds/vehicles, electrical is one of my weak points. Having said this, I know quite a bit about house wring and have installed a few car stereo systems in my day. I'm not completely ignorant with electrical, just know enough to be dangerous! I do not have a manual for my sled either. Thanks!
 
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You can get most of the specs including wire colors to test from the Tech Pages (look for a link at top of most pages). However, for where and how to test you will need the appropriate Service Manual for your sled (or at least one that covers the ignition system you have)
 
Hath91 said:
@mrviper700 - What type of readings should I be expecting from the pulse coil and is this different then a stator? I guess what's a good reading vs a bad reading? When I go to pull the recoil off, is there anything I should be careful of, like flying recoil springs? I do have a multi meter, however, when it comes to working on sleds/vehicles, electrical is one of my weak points. Having said this, I know quite a bit about house wring and have installed a few car stereo systems in my day. I'm not completely ignorant with electrical, just know enough to be dangerous! I do not have a manual for my sled either. Thanks!
Click to expand...

you dont have to pull off the recoil to check the coil, just follow the wires coming out of the case down there by recoil and check the pulse coil wires for varying voltage, meaning, if you pull the sled over, it should show you varying voltage that is sent to the cdi box, this means the pick up coil is good, usually around .58-.70volts or so,depends on what scale you use on your meter.

the stator is seprate wires but come out of the same place on case. you want to follow the path from the source.

wire colors are: white/red, white/ green
 
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