300/440/550 550 help

[kevin2965]

Just bought my first stand up. Got it real cheap because its not running and the guy i bought it off of bought new skis. It a 87 550. I know you guy are very knowledgable. What should I look for, it turns over fine, new spark plugs, the compression is around 150 in both, the previous owner said it work fine untill the middle of last year. Any help would be great. Thanks Kevin

 

[Mark Gomez]

Re build the carb if it hasnt been done in a few years, make sure the ski's cooling system isnt blocked up, check to make sure the prop isn't damaged severely or the pump veins, and that the starter and battery is good. other than that dont put too much into that one just ride it like you stole it.
Practice practice practice :headbang:
welcome to the X
-Mark

 

[jetkid]

a couple more things to add, you might have done these already. check to make sure you r getting spark, new gas, check for loose nust and bolts and have fun.

 

[kevin2965]

Checked the compression agian 170 in both, checked the spark that was good. Took out all the old gas put new in. I think its the fuel filter reservior emptied that, the gas in there look real dirty. Filled up with new gas. Put some gas in the carb and it started and ran it for about 15 seconds. I then had to find my hose and after about 10 mins it dosent want to start agian. Any clues what it sounds like the problem. Thanks for all the help

 

[kevin2965]

after messing around some more now theres no spark. The guy I bought it off of thinks in needs a new coil. Dose anyone know how to tell if it needs a coil and how much that would cost. Or anyother ideas

 

[ger87410]

It ran and then died and now you don't get spark?

Can you verify that there's no spark? Sounds funny to me...

Check the voltage (AC) going into the coil while the engine is turning...

I dunno. Sounds funny about the spark. Otherwise it sounds EXACTLY like mine.

Choke or primer?

 

[kevin2965]

Yeah when I first checked it I checked for a spark and it was good. I put the new gas and it ran a couple times. Then after 10 min of sitting it wouldn't start. checked for spark agian and theres no spark. How do you check the AC going through the coil? And it has a choke to answer you.

 

[ger87410]

Alot of people complain about the choke and recommend switching to primer ASAP. I bought mine with primer installed.

U should see 2 relatively thin wires coming out of the stator going into the coil. Measure the AC voltage across those 2 wires while the engine is turning.

I'd blame the stator before I blame the coil, just because I've had a stator go out.

 

[kevin2965]

I took a couple pictures now just to be sure is that the stator in the middle of the first picture. And yes i dont have a stand so i use an old couch.

 

[Scraggly]

stator is behind the flywheel. i think your talking about the ebox

 

[kevin2965]

Is there an easy way to get to it or do you have to take off the flywheel.

 

[ger87410]

U may not have to crack the box for those tests.

Make sure to disconnect the wires before checking for resistance.

 

[Scraggly]

Is there an easy way to get to it or do you have to take off the flywheel.

you should be able to spec it out with an ohm meter without pulling it.
i dont know what they are for that, if you can get a manual it should
have all the directions in there to do this.

 

[ger87410]

The 2 green wires goto the charging unit and the grey and red wires goto the CDI.

According to my manual.

 

[D-Roc]

my 550 did the same thing last year, it would fire up and run until the motor warmed up a bit then no spark. i figured it was the coil so i swapped entire e-box out with a spare and it was fine after that. my guess is the coil is bad and it cuts out after it warms up.

 

[kevin2965]

I disconnected the wires form the stator to the ebox and tested it. The 2 green and the grey wires were showing up to around 8, when I tested the red it would only get up to .1 .2. would this sound like I need a new electrical box?

 

[ger87410]

Sounds like your stator is good.

Try firing it up again or see if it has spark when cool???

So far the general consensus is the CDI. I'd check to verify voltage is going to the CDI and none is coming out.

 

[kevin2965]

I was still not getting spark so I rechecked the wires going into the electrical box. It showed 8 on the green and grey and .2 on the red. I hooked everything back up and it then started for around 10 seconds and died out. And again no spark now. There is 3 sets of wires coming out of the box. Two on top and one on the bottom. The one on top closest to the back of the ski (the blue wire) shows very little, the other two sets are around 26.