Lost spark while riding....

[latheboy]

Just as the title says. I was riding in town, and the old vmax coasted to a stop. Checked the fuses and they are good. All other electrical works, lights, starter, signals, ect. Will look at it closer tomorrow, but it seems like sudden loss of spark while running isnt very common. Ever happen to you?

 

[jfeagins]

Kill switch take a dump?

 

[wildweasel_pt]

TCI? If fuel pump primes its not the kill switch...

 

[latheboy]

Fuel Pump primes. I will check connections tonight and possibly test the pickup coil. Otherwise leaning toward TCI.

 

[sdt354]

+1 to the pu coils, then the easy stuff first before the TCI. Switches ect. What year?

 

[sdt354]

Fuel Pump primes. I will check connections tonight and possibly test the pickup coil. Otherwise leaning toward TCI.

There is an error in the Yamaha manual identifying the right colored wiring to test, for pick up coils.

 

[latheboy]

My problems persist. A few days ago I checked resistance in the pickup coil. It was within range. I plugged it back in and the bike started. Moving wires and connections while it was running would not make it stall. I rode the bike and it did loose ignition again. All connections toyed with and still not running. I unplugged the sidestand switch and that did not cure it. Actually, if it is plugged in or not, it didnt matter. If I unplugged the sidestand switch, and clicked it in gear it would stall. That is puzzling to me.
The latest time the bike was alive, I let it idle in the driveway. Within two minutes it shut off. No spark again. It is intermittent, seemingly from a poor connection or bare wire or something, but I have surely not found it yet.

 

[latheboy]

The sidestand switch is puzzling to me because it functions like it should ( kills the engine when the stand is down and bike is in gear) no matter if it is plugged in or not.
More than once, the bike lost spark while idling in the driveway and noone touching it.

 

[alorio1]

I would check the Pu coil resistance as soon as it dies..........

 

[alorio1]

That should not happen. I would unwrap the wires going to the side stand switch and look for an uninsulated/schaffed wire touching in the harness.

The sidestand switch is puzzling to me because it functions like it should ( kills the engine when the stand is down and bike is in gear) no matter if it is plugged in or not.
More than once, the bike lost spark while idling in the driveway and noone touching it.

 

[latheboy]

It is still dead and the PU coil shows no continuity. Looks like I will be ordering a PU coil. Are they really $320? Ha!

 

[latheboy]

Final update on this....It was the pickup coil. I took it out, tested it again, showed no continuity. Ordered one from servicehonda.com ($320), had it in three days. She is back on the road.

 

[wood1]

I'm dealing with a very similar issue. Max fires up and runs great until it gets warm then it gets a real case of the runslikeshit. Pickup coil is within specs so I am borrowing a CDI from Sean to try. Idles and starts great, but once the temp gauge begins to leave the pin it starts to pop and die.

There is an aftermarket pickup coil available. Regulator rectifier.com has a replacement that you will have to rivet to the old bracket but at $50 I would give it a shot. Sorry I didn't see your thread before you bought an OEM.

 

[Matt427sohc]

Your problem is the magnet triggers on the flywheel. Their are 3 wires and one is breaking down when the bike is hot. Check the 3 wires that go to the flywheel not your wires for your charging system. I had this problem a few years ago I will save you a lot of time & money. Note check these wires when the bike will not start and hot. This is the only way you will know that one of the wires is breaking down. When the bike is cold the wires will check O.K. Let me repeat when the bike is cold the wires will check O.K. You must check when the bike will not run the coils will check O.K. but one of the wires going down to the flywheel magnets will not be right. This piece I am referring too is over 200 dollars but you can find one on bike bandit.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

I'm dealing with a very similar issue. Max fires up and runs great until it gets warm then it gets a real case of the runslikeshit. Pickup coil is within specs so I am borrowing a CDI from Sean to try. Idles and starts great, but once the temp gauge begins to leave the pin it starts to pop and die.

There is an aftermarket pickup coil available. Regulator rectifier.com has a replacement that you will have to rivet to the old bracket but at $50 I would give it a shot. Sorry I didn't see your thread before you bought an OEM.

Have you noticed if that failing happens when the fan kicks in?

 

[alorio1]

Have you noticed if that failing happens when the fan kicks in?

I know what you are thinking Weasel and that thought was the first thing that ran across my mind also.......I don't want to Hi-jack this thread but I will ask

Wood1 have you checked your voltage at the battery at idle and then at 2500 RPM's. If you don't have a healthy charging system your bike will run like crap. read this thread, it may or may not be related to your problem..........

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=19108

 

[wood1]

Crap, I didn't mean to hijack your thread letheboy! Want me to start a new one?

I checked the pickup coil cold and hot, it was within spec and checked fine even after the bike started backfiring and running like crap. Resistance went up a bit with some heat.

While doing my troubleshooting I had the battery charger hooked up.

Just checked battery voltage, 12.81 not running, 12.73 at 1,000 rpm, 13.5 at 2500.

It didn't like starting when hot but I changed to the larger battery and that seemed to help. I also soldered the crimp a couple years ago.

The bike doesn't get warm enough to kick the fan on. Starts backfiring etc. I flipped the fan on while it was running good before it warmed up to see if that made any difference but it didn't.

I'm left thinking CDI issue.

 

[wood1]

Matt, the '93 and newer use one pickup coil so there are only two wires. In the manual it tells you to find a five pin connector that doesn't exist. One two pin connector, orange and black wires. I was thinking p/u coil but now....

 

[motox909]

Your problem is the magnet triggers on the flywheel. Their are 3 wires and one is breaking down when the bike is hot. Check the 3 wires that go to the flywheel not your wires for your charging system. I had this problem a few years ago I will save you a lot of time & money. Note check these wires when the bike will not start and hot. This is the only way you will know that one of the wires is breaking down. When the bike is cold the wires will check O.K. Let me repeat when the bike is cold the wires will check O.K. You must check when the bike will not run the coils will check O.K. but one of the wires going down to the flywheel magnets will not be right. This piece I am referring too is over 200 dollars but you can find one on bike bandit.

When you say the magnet triggers are you talking about the pick up coil? or the 4 pieces of metal on the flywheel that pass the pu coil. I don't want to hijack the thread but my bike runs bad when hot and my pu coil was out of spec when hot. Sean M. sent one and I changed it but it still runs bad at idle to 1500 rpm.

 

[jfeagins]

When you say the magnet triggers are you talking about the pick up coil? or the 4 pieces of metal on the flywheel that pass the pu coil. I don't want to hijack the thread but my bike runs bad when hot and my pu coil was out of spec when hot. Sean M. sent one and I changed it but it still runs bad at idle to 1500 rpm.

Yours sounds like a voltage issue - voltage dropping too low whenever the fan is kicked on. ??