Electrical Malfunction

[CRaMer]

Hi there guys, could anyone shed some light please. I have a mk 2.2 that seems to not like me much when she warms up. went green laning this weekend, and just as she warmed up, I lost spark. this problem has been intermitent for the past 2 years. I transfered the following onto my other mk 2.2: CDI; Coil; Rectifier; Magnito, and she starts up first kick. what are the chances of the pick-up's "going" when the bike gets hot. I'm at the end of my teather. Please help!!!

PS. Kill switch is fine, have tested it on sister bike!

[knackeredMk1]

Pickups can go. Just recently on this forum an intermittent problem with 'no spark after she warms up' was diagnosed as a faulty pickup.

[CRaMer]

Thanks knackered, any idea where I'd be able to pick up a pair, it's extremely difficult to get hold of parts in South Africa, all parts have to be brought in from Japan through Honda SA and cost an arm and a leg. Do you perhaps know of any other Honda Bikes that might use the same pick ups?

[knackeredMk1]

The part no. for a Mk2 pulse sensor is 30300HA0033, they are not unique to CRMs.

[CRaMer]

thanks a mil mate, I really appreciate it.

[AlanH]

Just to add that when pickups start to break, the bike will start but they tend to cause problems as the engine warms up. When they stop working, you lose the spark until the engine cools down again. They gradually get worse until the bike won't even start. These are classic symptoms.

On the CRM there are two coils - both identical. Wait 'til you lose the spark then measure the resistance of each one. Measure the resistance again when cold and hopefully that will show you which one is the culprit.

[CRaMer]

thanks mate, but unfortunately it's now totally given up the ghost, it wont start at all. Honda South Africa has quoted me R 600 each, which equates to roughly 50 Pounds, it ridiculous, but I suppose I've got no option. Dont suppose anyone has a spare set that they're will to put up on ebay for about 20 Pounds?

Thanks

Jules

[rich1960]

A similar problem on my MK2 was diagnosed yesterday as a faulty/loose connector block from the ignition barrel in to the loom as well as slightly damamged red wire going in to the block.

The problem has been intermittent for 12/18 months, and seemed to fix itself when I fiddled the wires at the back of the headlight, two people including myself had gone through all the wires trying to find any damage, but yesterday we evetually found it.

The tell tale sign which I should have spotted earlier was when it died, all the electrics failed - lights/neutral light etc immediatley, if it had been the kill switch that seems to just cut the engine and the lights/neutral goes out/dims as the engine dies. Just try reving your engine in neutral and flick the kill swicth on/off, and then do the same with the key, you'll see what I mean.

Hope this helps someone else in the future.

Rich

[CRaMer]

Thanks Rich, problem is that the bike wont start at all, but I'll most definately check out whether I have any faulty and/or damaged wiring.

Jules

[CRaMer]

Hi there guys, sorry its taken so long to reply, was out of the country on business. just a quick update, I've mentioned that I bought the new stators, but still no spark, huh... but, if I unscrew the spark plug from the head, and then earth it, I then have spark. So this tells me that I'm not getting spark under compression/load. any ideas as to why I've got such weak spark???

Thanks a mil

Julien

[AlanH]

You say it loses spark but also say that when you unscrew the plug from the head and earth it, you get a spark. I was just wondering how you can tell there is no spark when it's screwed into the head?

[knackeredMk1]

I don't think your spark goes away when you screw the plug into the head. There must be some other problem .... like the engine is flooded or the carburation isn't correct. Or may be fust that you haven't got the 'knack' of starting it yet.

From completely cold and no flooding. Turn fuel on. Leave for 30 seconds. Put choke on. Ignition on. Kick with NO throttle - tweek throttle if engines fires.

Others swear by putting the bike in gear with the ignition off and rocking the bike forwards and backwards for a few seconds getting the engine to turn over and suck some fuel in. Then put into neutral before you put the ignition on and kick.

Some engines will start if you use throttle when you kick but only a little bit. If you use too much throttle you will flood it.

The above is general advice not necessarily related to this case.

[SkidMark]

All this said is is perfectly possible to be able to see a spark when you ground it outside the engine but when under compression the spark is too weak to ignite the mixture. When we test our aircraft plugs there are always tested in a test box that shop air is put on to simulate the compression in the cylinder - you get a much different spark under those conditions.
If this is the situation you may have internal damage in the plug (through it being dropped or over tightened), which is quick and easy to check by putting in a new plug, or your high tension lead or lead cap is not good.

Having said that I don't think this is your problem as the bike was starting fine then dying after it warmed up. Did you follow AlanH's advice and actually measure the pickups to confirm they were dead - it is also not out of the realms of possibility that the new pick ups are dead .

I would:
change the plug and ht lead and cap (fairly quick and cheap), check carburetor - plug getting fouled because of incorrect mixture (when you were pulling the plug before was it wet with fuel, ie flooding), compare resistance of old and new pickups and see if someone else on here can give you the resistance of their known working pickups.

Will keep thinking...

Regards,
SkidMark

[briangoo]

hi have a look at kramer's posts on the same sort of bother we ended up swapping the pick ups from my working mk2 to his ar 1 at a time. that solved his problem. it only cost him around £20. a friends working bike may help

[Mudfacetony]

My Mk 2.2 developed a problem at the K2 rally over the weekend. I ran ace on the Sat put in the special test it started missing then after the special it eventually died. It looked like it was not giving a spark and after a while I got a tow and bumped it and it then started so i finished the event (best trail, third overal). It would not run at full thottle or most of the time at less than half throttle. I cleaned the carb this week and there was muck in it but now it wont start (it almost did) and i have no spark again so it looks like I may have a similar problem. Thanks for all the hints, looks like I will be busy tomorrow.