650/X-2 2 good hot sparks...then nothing

[scallywag]

Hi all,
89 X2, all stock. Ski sat for a year or so with broken engine mounts and drive coupler. Finally got around to putting it all back together and now it won't fire. Turns over fine and when I check the spark, it gets one or 2 bright blue sparks, then nothing...just cranks over. If I stab the start button again, same thing, a couple quick sparks and then just cranks over with no spark? I didn't mess with any electrical stuff so I'm unsure what is different, but gremlins are alive and well in my garage. Before I throw a coil at it, is there anything I should check? Start switch maybe? Thanks a ton for looking! It's hot as balls here in the State of Jefferson and I wanna get in the water.

 

[Vumad]

Switch is not the problem unless the stop is closed. The start is good if the ski is cranking. The stop can kill the spark.

Battery could be weak, or the connections corroded and its loosing amperage as it cranks. Make sure the battery is good or try it with a charger on the start setting.

Bad connections from the stator / ground could cause this as well. For me, it was the plug inside the ebox that connects the stator to the box.

It could, of course, be parts like the coil, but you cant test the coil, only replace it, so test the testable things before you throw parts at it.

 

[Old_Skool]

Last week my 89 suddenly lost spark. Checked the pickup coil and it was fine. Had power at the ebox but it would only fire at the end of cranking when I let my thumb off the start button. I knew the bearings in the starter were going bad and it was pulling more electrical load than normal. I replaced the starter because it needed one and threw a spare known good igniter in it and it fired right up.

I sent the original coil to JSS for the wire upgrade and the bench tested it to 7k and all is good. I'm told the 650 igniters have a very low failure rate and it's usually just the ignition leads that need replacement.