total loss dramas hellp

[bigo]

hey guys well this is my 1st total loss 2nd hand unit analog msd.
gets it all in there, and it fires sweet down to the water.
had a 5min go then a mate had a 5min go after that no starty.

pull it out play with the wires, check spark only very weak not hitting all the time.

so i've come home had a look on here & a similer problem was not grounded properly, so i've add a big ground st8 to the mounting plate from the battery then thinner wires to each of the bits. (before i only had a few bits going to the intake manilfold and my main -neg was on the back of the starter motor)

now still no sparky not even a weak one.
i have one green trigger wire spliced to the stop switch/lanyard the other from the stop switch goes to ground, if i hit the stop button (same as hitting the two greens together) i get a hot spark.
so the coil works.
the led on the brain flashes as i crank it so the pickup must be working.

i have to admit i haven't checked the air gap its nxt on my list, but im pretty sure its right.
would the brain still flash if the air gap was wrong?

any1 have any other things i might try (i know go check the air gap)

 

[Matt_E]

1. Check grounds
2. Double-check grounds.
3. Triple-check grounds.
4. Check the air gap for the trigger.
5. Check your wiring connection quality

 

[bigo]

thanks matt, should i change the stop switch wires?
part number of the unit is 4270
the manual says to put both kill wires to the both green triggers.

curently its got one stop wire to ground and 1 to the trigger.

would that do anything different? it was setup like this when i got it so i assume it works this way to.


edit" from the manual"
Conecting the Factory Stop Switch
PN 4260, PN 4262 and PN 4270:
To retain use of the factory stop switch located on the handle bar, attach the two wires coming from the stop switch
to the two Green wires from the MSD Ignition.
PN 4271
Connect the Brown wire from the PN 4271 to one side of the ignition kill switch and the other side to ground.
Note: Sea Doo uses factory Lanyard Switch to kill the engine. See Lanyard Switch hookup below.

 

[grahammy]

If the air gap was wrong, it wouldn't have fired in the first place.
Check the low tension wires going to the coils, the copper wire itself can fracture within the sheath and be very difficult to find, give them a gentle wiggle while cranking the engine

 

[grahammy]

weak spark is unusual, tl is normally a strong or no spark... check its not the spark plugs!

 

[Matt_E]

If the air gap was wrong, it wouldn't have fired in the first place.

If the clearance is marginal, there could be problems. It isn't an on-off kind of problem.

 

[GIL]

been there, done that, listen to Matt


GROUND WIRES

 

[bigo]

thanks guys im stuffed, cant be the plugs or the ht leads as i get a good spark when i hit the two greens.
the brain led is flashing to say its getting the signal. (& it worked to start off with)
im not getting any spark now, just charging the battery see if that makes a differance.
i've added a fat ground that didn't help either.
just going to go back and redo all the connections as matt said.
or pull the bloody thing off and put the stock system back on so i can ride.
the 5min i got on it seemed nice though.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

What kind of spark plug boots,spark plugs and coil are you running,you should be running non resistor plugs and boots,if you are running resistor plugs and or boots you are effectively cutting the spark,if the coil is weak or marginal it may not fire with the added resistance of resistor plugs and boots,if its an MSD coil throw it in the trash and wire in an OEM coil with MSD spark plug boots.I learned this the hard way so you don't have to.

 

[Waternut]

or pull the bloody thing off and put the stock system back on so i can ride.
the 5min i got on it seemed nice though.

I think most of us have been there in the past. Keep at it because you know how it runs now and you'll only go back later and create more work for yourself. Everyone I know that tried it out and only had it work for a short time wasn't willing to go back to stock. :fing02:

Easiest way to the system for spark capability is this: Turn the fuel off and lay both spark plugs attached to the boots on the cylinder head. This way you can watch for a spark and it'll make troubleshooting wires much easier. Check the switch to the total loss system and also check your start/stop switch. If either of those are acting funny, it will create a nightmare for you.

 

[Matt_E]

What kind of spark plug boots,spark plugs and coil are you running,you should be running non resistor plugs and boots,if you are running resistor plugs and or boots you are effectively cutting the spark,if the coil is weak or marginal it may not fire with the added resistance of resistor plugs and boots,if its an MSD coil throw it in the trash and wire in an OEM coil with MSD spark plug boots.I learned this the hard way so you don't have to.

MSD instructs you to use resistor plugs. FYI.

:clown:

 

[D-Roc]

i had the exact same problem, it ran for 5 minutes and then it would spark once on one cylinder then nothing. Guess what.....It was the ground to the coil. i have the latested version with dual coils. I didn't have a ground on the proper mounting eye on the coil. don't go back to stock, stock sucks.

 

[bigo]

dam it, looks like it was the battery thats the problem.
what battery are you guys running? amp hours.

i've added extra grounds aswell & still had no spark, the battery took all day to charge up from the otherday now i have a mega spark sweeet so im sure the battery was the problem.

just need some recommendations so i can go get a new one cheers

 

[WFO Speedracer]

I recommend Jetworks batteries,they are specifically made for this application and will last for years if you keep them properly charged. MSD's draw a lot of juice at least compared to the other TL setup I am running. Matt you may be correct on the resistor plugs although I see it nowhere on the MSD website or in the MSD instructions,I am correct on everything else,been there done that.:stups:

 

[D-Roc]

i am going to get a Deka ETX12. you will have to look up the specs but it is sealed agm that is under 10lbs and lasts more than i ride in an afternoon. If probably won't last all day but 4-5 hours of riding without a bilge pump and average amount of starts. My buddy ran one all summer with these "specs" and i ran a 7lbs sealed battery that lasted 2 hours of run time, not long enough for the rides when your at the beach all day.

 

[bigo]

forgot one other thing when we were at the ramp we cut the orginal spark plug boots off and used some screw in ones (its working now) i assume its alright to use screw in ones with these leads?
cheers

 

[WFO Speedracer]

forgot one other thing when we were at the ramp we cut the orginal spark plug boots off and used some screw in ones (its working now) i assume its alright to use screw in ones with these leads?
cheers

Ummmmm no not really ,what kind are they? All NGK boots are resistor type and all stock Yamaha boots are resistor type,now what that means in laymans terms is that they have a resistor built into them,means extra resistance means that you are cutting your spark which is not what you want .Check those boots with an ohm meter that will tell you if they are resistor type or not,if they have a large resistance they are resistor type boots,non resistor boots will have very little measurable resistance.MSD boots all the way!

 

[Matt_E]

Terry, regarding plugs: I may be confusing MSD instructions with forum lore.

 

[bigo]

so how many amp hours battey do i need to look for? 18 22? i only ride for 4-5hours.
need to get one localy.
the boots are prob resister ones there sparking great so i'll leave them for now i just not sure there there ment for those lead wires, on normal leads the copper spreads around them as they screw in?

 

[WFO Speedracer]

so how many amp hours battey do i need to look for? 18 22? i only ride for 4-5hours.
need to get one localy.
the boots are prob resister ones there sparking great so i'll leave them for now i just not sure there there ment for those lead wires, on normal leads the copper spreads around them as they screw in?

Yes that is correct,what kind of wires are you running?