Electric Madness

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Predator303

Predator303

New Member
Apr 26, 2012
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San Juan, Puerto Rico
How is it possible that the kill-switch suddenly give the spark only while pressed and when released I have no spark and it wont turn on? All I did was driving, put gas and it wouldn't turn on anymore. I already took the carb apart again but from the beginning I had a feeling about this damn button. I opened it first and all cables are connected. Then when I tried and tried, I decided to take out the spark plug. No spark.. But then I kept the button pressed and voila - it had the spark! Any ideas how this happened and how I can fix it? When i take the cable off the engine, it wont give spark neither. So right now I had to keep it pressed to get the engine running...

EDIT: I just made a testdrive with the button pressed in with a cable. Would turn on right away but it keeps turning off like without gas but its electric. Now here is what I might broke: I did wash the bike with water and a sponge for the first time. Any possibility either the CDI or the magnet thing is messed up because of that? Could somebody point me to either of one or maybe something very different?
 
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wheelbender6

wheelbender6

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Sep 4, 2008
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Welcome to the forum. I have been a few places in the Carribean but not Puerto Rico. I saw that some Carnival cruise ships are stopping in PR now, so maybe I can visit soon.
It is not uncommon for the kill switch with the China girl motor kit to go bad. I bought a kill switch from a powersports shop (quads, etc) and it cured my problems.
 
Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
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I supposed it may have been wired wrong down at the magneto.

But I didn't bother with the stock kill-switch. I bought a polished-steel old-style toggle switch at Radio Shack. It has a very exact *CLICK* to it. It is ON or it is OFF. I have used it ever since, and have had no related problems with it.
 
Predator303

Predator303

New Member
Apr 26, 2012
648
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San Juan, Puerto Rico
OK I want to make this clear again. It was working perfectly and out of NOWHERE the function of the button was switched which is simply impossible without changing the wires or button. THATS what Im trying to understand.
 
NormO

NormO

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Jun 15, 2011
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New Brunswick,Canada
There are usually metal contacts in a switch. Two of them. The last time the button was pushed one of the contacts could have broken, stuck, bent got totally messed up somehow. Hitting the button again would move those contacts apart letting electricity flow again. I can't tell you exactly what went wrong. You would have to take it apart and have a look. If i had to guess i would say one of them got bent.
 
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Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

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Feb 6, 2010
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NormO said:
There are usually metal contacts in a switch. Two of them. The last time the button was pushed one of the contacts could have broken, stuck, bent got totally messed up somehow. Hitting the button again would move those contacts apart letting electricity flow again. I can't tell you exactly what went wrong. You would have to take it apart and have a look. If i had to guess i would say one of them got bent.
Click to expand...
I think I'd bet on that too. I've had these things apart before; the kill-switches aren't complicated, and most are cheaply made. Sometimes even the little spring under the button has a poor temper and doesn't return all the way back to form. It slides off to one side in there and, after a few presses, it's making contact when it shouldn't and preventing contact when contact is intended. I don't very much trust the cheap HT kill switches.
 
Predator303

Predator303

New Member
Apr 26, 2012
648
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San Juan, Puerto Rico
Button works perfect. Cables up there are good too. If i remove the cables from the kill switch it wont spark neither. Only when the button is connected and pressed so I guess the problem is not the button but maybe the CDI box?! Carajo! Every day some other **** with this bike.
 
Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
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Indianapolis
Yep, join the fun. There's a few of us who read all this stuff, then take preventative measures. Come join the people who learn from others' mistakes and tribulations. Those mistakes and tribulations are posted throughout the forum for all to read.

When I saw what a pain the rag joint was to deal with, I bought a hub adapter before my bike was completely built. When I saw so many people complaining about the stock kill switch, I ditched it and bought the toggle switch. Each thing I read about, I consider if I want to do anything about. My bike is about as reliable as a two-smoker gets. I check her out regularly as a matter of course, but generally she needs nothing.
 
NormO

NormO

New Member
Jun 15, 2011
197
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New Brunswick,Canada
Kinda sounds like something is not grounded properly. Since that is really the only thing the switch does is ground the ignition out. Check out your magneto assembly to see if possibly it has rusted or something to that effect.
 
Predator303

Predator303

New Member
Apr 26, 2012
648
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San Juan, Puerto Rico
I did. Looks fine. All cables were a amateur mess, twisted together with tape in 50 locations. I replaced them with new ones right now and I only get a spark when I ground the white cable. It would run but would want to turn off again like without fuel so assume the spark comes and goes. Could it be the CDI box? Im getting a new spark now even though the one installed is only 2-3 weeks old.
 
NormO

NormO

New Member
Jun 15, 2011
197
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New Brunswick,Canada
The CDI is the ignition trigger. When the CDI gets voltage from the magneto. It then sends voltage to the ignition coil. The coil then steps up the voltage and sends it through the spark plug wire. These CDI units happen to have the coil contained in them as well. Sorry if i oversimplified my explanation.
 
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Predator303

Predator303

New Member
Apr 26, 2012
648
0
0
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ah the coil. I knew in basics that the timing and and electricity comes from the magnet but I didnt knew about the coil. I am about to check again the wiring on the magneto.

On the website is say:

This Sparker Wire Loop Set, also known as the Magneto, is one of our best sellers and includes:

Black Wire
Blue Wire
Ground Wire
White Wire

http://www.gasbike.net/scart/public...d=3&action=showlargerimage&pid=97&imgsize=big

Where is the ground wire? I have a tiny single wire going to the first hole for the screws but no screw. I took a macro picture of it:
 
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