Honda Cr500r full rebuild no signs of spark

[JDM500R98]

Hi everyone. I pick up a running road legal Cr500r supermoto. First day I had it I got the kick process bang on all ran fine, decided to rebuild the engine after I sore the state of the cylinder and rings. It's been rebuilt with 99% Honda parts and now it's all together I have no spark. Been trying most of this year to find out what's happening. I done all the tests by Haynes and it come back fine. After a clean up of grounds (frame wasn't repainted) and connectors different sparks I decided to replace the ignition parts cheapest thing first. Now I've had a new ecu, stator rewind (shop test shows it needed doing), new coil pack, new spark boot, new plugs and got the pick up tested while it was rewound and it's still coming back ok but I don't seem to be getting any spark. I closed the air gap between the pick up and stator to .01" so it's definitely picking up. My hour meter is reading the starts but I still have zero spark. If anyone can give me anymore advice as I'm about to pull my hair out. All ohms tests are in the middle of where they need to be and it was sparking before the rebuild, weak but still good enough to run the bike. I've been on the Cr500r riders forum but not had many responses so I hope some one on here can give me some ideas of what to try next. 

Edited September 6, 2017 by JDM500R98

[S.O.A.N.Z]

Did you check / replace the kill switch ?

no wires shorting out anywhere ?

[JDM500R98]

Yes I tried with and without and tested for continuity on the killswitch all fine. All wires seem fine. I'm really stumped at why it won't spark. Waiting for new coil pack to see if it's that but ive tried a few already. Been switching old with new parts to try to figure out what's wrong but no luck yet.

[S.O.A.N.Z]

all wires are color coded ? - so no chance of plugging the right wire into the wrong connector ?

the pulse pickup tested ok ?

so im guessing its somewhere between 84 - 89 ?

[JDM500R98]

Yeah all colour coded and it's impossible to plug in wrong. Pick up come back fine, I had it checked when I had the stator rewound. Only thing I can think of is I had the bottom end powder coated and maybe I didn't take enough paint off the bottom engine mounts. My hour meter seems to pick up starts so I'm getting something through the ht lead just not out the boot or plug 

[S.O.A.N.Z]

it sounds like a grounding issue - weak spark at first - then no spark after rebuild - powdercoat

[JDM500R98]

I'll have to drop the block out and make sure I got enough paint off. It was so long ago the engine was the first thing I done. I'm hoping it's something stupid like that because it's all new.

[Sycamore]

It's going to end up being something stupid.  Assuming you have a shop manual with electrical schematic.  If you have a close friend ask them to look over your work.  I used to do trouble shooting at work and every once in a while you dont see something right in front of you.  Happens to everyone.  I had a pack with a workmate and we did this and it works.

I had a few issues with my cr500 that were electrical.  I used an after market stator that blew out coils if you kicked it over with the spark plug not grounded properly while checking for spark. Ironic eh?   Another time the sparkplug boot wasnt making a connection and it was brand new.  I cut the tip off the wire and screwed it back in and that did it.

[JDM500R98]

Yeah I have the shop and Haynes manuals. As you know it's a pretty easy and simple electrical system, pretty fool proof the way it's put together. I know it really helps having fresh eyes look at it but unfortunately my friends aren't as technical minded as me, I'm the guy they turn to. I've rebuilt the whole bike then get stuck on one of the most system electrical systems going lol. That's where these forums come in handy. Pretty sure it's the powder coat on the bottom end though I mustn't have sanded it down enough or missed one out. I'll let you know if I get any where this weekend!

[JDM500R98]

Got the engine out yesterday and I'd missed one of the mounts not sure how probably just over excited about my fresh engine lol. I've tried to crank it with my spark actuator got it sparking a lot more than before through that. I'll check it in the pitch black tomorrow when I come back from work but fingers crossed that was the problem. 

[JDM500R98]

Sanded down all mounts again to be safe. Cranked her over and got a massive blue spark! ?? thanks for the input dudes. 

[S.O.A.N.Z]

thats great - would have been such a relief  ?

[JDM500R98]

Yeah can't wait to get out and ride now. London weather stopping me though lol thanks again gents 

[S.O.A.N.Z]

it always rains there and freezing as hell

[Sycamore]

Congrats on the fix!  BTW another GREAT site to go to for tech is CR500riders.com

[JDM500R98]

Thanks mate yeah I'm on that pretty slow at the moment though. Fired a few times today just need to set carb so it latches on. But I'm happy enough now it's sparking. Missed the decent weather here now.