1985 honda 250 es big red no spark

[Keegs]

Well I have a project and the first thing I did was check the spark and there wasn't one. We are kick starting it because the battery has sat for 3 years. Would a new battery give spark? What all do I need to check?

[3wheelers]

Battery would not have an effect on spark. First thing I would try is replacing or cleaning the spark plug. If that doesn't work, take off your gas tank and check out your ignition coil and make sure it's plugged in. If it looks good. Follow the wires from the CDI (left side on the top end of the engine) and follow the wires from it to your wire harness and make sure they are plugged in. Also. Un-plug your kill switch from your wire harness, as it can malfunction and make it as if you have it turned to "off" at all times.
If that all seems good, I would order a new ignition coil, CDI box, and spark plug. That should fix it. If they don't work, your gonna want to pull the CDI apart. Sand down surface of magneto and make sure it's not rusty in there.
Once you've done all that, you should have spark for sure. My guess is that you need a new coil though.

[Keegs]

Okay thanks you. What is the cdi and what does it do?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[350for350]

It takes the place of points. Basically an electronic ignition. I'm not sure that you can pull the cdi apart on these. On the 185/200 engines, there is a cover on the end of the cam that says cdi on it. You can remove it and sand the magneto underneath that.

[Keegs]

Okay yeah I wanna check the magneto

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[dustrunner]

Pull apart every connector....put a dab of diaelectric grease on them . Even the ones under the headlight . always works 4 me.

[edizzle89]

also maybe have someone wiggle the kill switch around while you kick it, i have seen some finicky kill switches that dont always allow ignition in the 'on' position. I also found on my trike that the kill switch is wired backwards so 'off' is on and 'on' is off haha

[Chopsaw]

just had the same trouble with my 85 . It was the kill switch .

[big specht]

Most of the ones we found like that have been the neutral wires on the pass side of the engine. Remove that cover its held on with a 10mm bolt and clean and check those two connections they normally get corroded cause where they live down low and behind that cover that gets packed with mud and what ever else they drove it thru

[Keegs]

Is it possible to wire bypass the kill switch to check it?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[big specht]

Should be able to just to unhook it I'm pretty sure it just grounds out the black and white wire