Sudden, No spark issue, any advise???

[juicefer]

I asking for some advise on the Electircal System?

Riding down the road today, all was good. Engine died out, thought I might have hit Reserve, switched the petcock, no luck...

Quick investigation showed no spark, Pushing home...

Started going through everything, at first had no spark anywhere.

Friend had a CDI, Changed that but could only get sparatic spark, usually at the begining of turning it over. then nothing.

Thanks

[juicefer]

XR 650L 1995

Rebuilt last fall, got about 600 miles on it, 20,000 total.

Did the work myself, know the bike but never had electrical issues.

Thanks for any advise.

[SpudRider]

Are you sure your friend's CDI unit is good? You bike is exhibiting some of the classic symptoms of CDI unit failure.

Spud ?

[juicefer]

He says that it was working when he changed it out. ???

I have no way of knowing for sure, but I do get better results with his though.

[mitchn06]

He says that it was working when he changed it out. ???

I have no way of knowing for sure, but I do get better results with his though.

makes you wonder why he changed it out then.

[SpudRider]

makes you wonder why he changed it out then.

X2. Before it fails entirely, the CDI unit behaves exactly as you described. The XR650L employs an AC CDI unit, which gets very hot during operation. As the solder joints alternately heat, and cool, the thermal expansion and contraction weaken the joints until they fail. If you rap the back of the CDI unit, you can frequently get the joints to reconnect for a short while, until thermal expansion separates them again. Sometimes the joints will reconnect if you just wait a while, and let the CDI unit cool off. ? However, the situation will gradually get worse unit the CDI unit doesn't operate at all, even intermittently.

If you wish, you can learn to repair you CDI unit by reading the following thread.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=980248

If you don't wish to do your own repair, you can buy a new CDI unit, and have someone else do the repair for you. For the last two years Brian Hare has been graciously repairing CDI units for the members of these forums. ?

Spud

[juicefer]

Ya, I read ur post about repairing the CDI box. Very Nice!

Ultracool that Brian will repair all the these. ?

If I buy a new one, can't I just plug and go ???

[SpudRider]

Ya, I read ur post about repairing the CDI box. Very Nice!

Ultracool that Brian will repair all the these.

If I buy a new one, can't I just plug and go ???

Yes, I encourage you to buy a new CDI unit, and go riding! Then you can get your original CDI unit repaired at your leisure, and use it for a spare. Incidentally, Brian Hare just posted the definitive tutorial on CDI repair at the following thread!

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=980822

Thank you, Brian! ?

Spud ?

[brianhare]

Yes, I encourage you to buy a new CDI unit, and go riding! Then you can get your original CDI unit repaired at your leisure, and use it for a spare. ? Incidentally, Brian Hare just posted the definitive tutorial on CDI repair at the following thread!

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=980822

Thank you, Brian! ?

Spud

Pftttttttttt..... no problemo:lol:

I did this for selfish reasons though.maybe more people can fix their own,and i can drink more beer with the free time:smirk:

Actually i`ve been putting this together for months,taking photos,writing down my procedures.....i`m not a good author i`m afraid..

B

[SpudRider]

Tried a Third "working" CDI, Still no spark.

Back at it.

How do I check the pulse generator, coil, and swithches? Can I just use a contentinuity tester??

Crap, this suxs!!!

I totally appreiciate everyones help.

I'm sorry to hear the CDI unit was not the problem; your bike exhibited the classic symptoms of a CDI unit failure. ? I would start troubleshooting at the spark plug, and work my way back to the ignition coil, et cetera. However, I will defer to others concerning the specific procedures you should follow.

Spud

[brianhare]

A quick easy test to be sure the ignition coil isn`t the problem when you have no spark is to unplug the wires ging to the coil......and attaching them to a 12volt test light..........if cranking the engine makes the test light flash......you have a bad ignition coil......

Get a DVOM and ohm the pulse generator out.....should read 423-517 ohms at room temp..........if it`s off,it`s toast..

B

[Srad600]

Aside from the possibly bad parts others mentioned, have you checked to make sure all your grounds are tight? That can cause the same symptoms.

[juicefer]

Thanks guys.

I was going thru everything again last nite, rapped on the cdi box a couple times, cleaned all the connectors...

Figured, what the hell, I'll try it out. Wouldn't you know- Sparked right off!

So I rode it tonite, everything seemed OK.

Whats the possiblity that the Pluse Generator had a bad connection where it mounts to the frame?

When I unclipped it, it was saturated in oil (from the last time I changed oil, I spilled a little).

Anyway thanks for all your help, I'll keep u posted on the outcome!

[SpudRider]

Thanks guys.

I was going thru everything again last nite, rapped on the cdi box a couple times, cleaned all the connectors...

Figured, what the hell, I'll try it out. Wouldn't you know- Sparked right off!

So I rode it tonite, everything seemed OK.

Whats the possiblity that the Pluse Generator had a bad connection where it mounts to the frame?

When I unclipped it, it was saturated in oil (from the last time I changed oil, I spilled a little).

Anyway thanks for all your help, I'll keep u posted on the outcome!

The pulse generator is inside the engine, beneath the right crankcase cover. The ignition coil is located at the the end of the spark plug wire. Did you spill oil on the ignition coil? If the ignition coil had a bad ground, it would certainly cause problems.

Spud ?