1981 Honda 185s. No spark. Please help a newbie.

[StangLX302]

I have a honda 185s I picked up this spring. I am getting a no spark condition.

It has a brand new primary coil. Which is testing OK.
It has a brand new CDI unit (Honda OEM).
Brand new plug.
Brand new plug wire.
I've done a continuity test on every wire in the harness, all check out OK.
All grounds are very clean.
I sent my ign coil to www.atvparts.com, and they say it tested OK.
I checked the gap on the pick up unit (I think Honda calls it an "exciter"), it was OK. I also ohm tested it, it was fine.

Here is the weird part: Every once in a while, I'll go out there and pull it, and it starts right up on the first pull, then dies after maybe 30 seconds. Then I pull the plug out and NO SPARK again. Every time I check, I am ALWAYS getting 12+ volts at the input wire on the coil.

Could the coil still be bad and just working intermittently(sp?) even though they checked it and said it was OK?

If I somehow bought a bad CDI unit, would I still be getting power to the coil, or nothing at all?

Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!

-Matt

[hondaATCman]

Do you have the "run" switch on??? :D just kidding. When you pulled the plug out, did you ground it against the motor?? If you didn't, it won't spark because it has to be grounded. So, try pulling the plug out again, ground it and see if it sparks now. If it does, then it sounds like you've got a carb problem, maybe the wrong needle settings or it's just plain dirty. Hope this helps.

[J.D.]

Maybe a new plug?

[Andrew]

its your coil,i had the same problem with a motorcycle i owned a while back,it would run for about 30 seconds then it would die and there would be no spark,check if urs gets hot(the coil),because mine got very hot after running for about 30sec,but im almost positive thats trailprotrailpro problem,good luck with it

[StangLX302]

Do you have the "run" switch on??? :D just kidding. When you pulled the plug out, did you ground it against the motor?? Absolutely positive the plug is grounded when I pull it out.

Also, I'm 100% positive it's a spark problem and not a carb problem.

Thanks for responding anyways though. :)

[StangLX302]

Maybe a new plug?As I said in my original post 'brand new plug". Thanks anyways though. :)

[StangLX302]

its your coilI think I'm going to try that next. I hate spending $85.00 though, if it does the same thing. What the heck though, I've tried everything else. Thanks. :-D

[Andrew]

your welcome,hope that turns out to be the problem,let us know what happens! -D

[StangLX302]

Will do.