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Thread: 185s no spark, stator?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    Worcester, MA
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    185s no spark, stator?

    I have a 1982 185s.

    It has no spark. I took a full working pulse generator/spark arrestor assembly off my perfectly running 200s. I saw spark, albeit weak, for every pull. Put it in the plug hole and it wouldn't start.

    Now it has no spark at all. Tried different plugs as well.

    Then I took a working coil and plug wire off my other bike, it didn't fix it. Then I took a working cdi/regulator? (black box) and that didn't fix it.

    No wires are cut/pinched, and none look to have been re-soldered or anything of the sort. Green wire connecting to coil is cleaned, still no spark at all. I disconnected the killswitch wiring to be sure. Nothing.

    This leads me to believe it's the stator. Could it be anything else? I also thought timing, but wouldn't that spark sometimes if it did when I first put on a pulsar assembly?

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Pacific NW
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    4,255

    spark no spark

    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealFatShady View Post
    I have a 1982 185s.

    It has no spark. I took a full working pulse generator/spark arrestor assembly off my perfectly running 200s. I saw spark, albeit weak, for every pull. Put it in the plug hole and it wouldn't start.

    Now it has no spark at all. Tried different plugs as well.

    Then I took a working coil and plug wire off my other bike, it didn't fix it. Then I took a working cdi/regulator? (black box) and that didn't fix it.

    No wires are cut/pinched, and none look to have been re-soldered or anything of the sort. Green wire connecting to coil is cleaned, still no spark at all. I disconnected the killswitch wiring to be sure. Nothing.

    This leads me to believe it's the stator. Could it be anything else? I also thought timing, but wouldn't that spark sometimes if it did when I first put on a pulsar assembly?

    Thanks
    There are a few of us in the same boat.

    Swap every part you can think of with KNOWN WORKING stuff and it doesn't help.

    Be glad you have an S model wthout all the charging battery circuits and safety neutral cut off switchs and inhibitor relay and reverse cut out...but the song remains the same.

    NO spark, or just enough to drive you crazy, eh?

    Conceptually, there is no ON.
    ON means ABSENCE of kill short to ground.

    there might be a ground to the cdi that NEEDS to be there and another ground to the cdi that KILLS it

    on purpose.

    *I've got 3 different models in my head right now and they're ALL different.

    The 84 es's for instance, WANT a ground thru the kill circuit..crosses over with the key switch and light circuit but the no battery trikes do not, for instance.

    the ignition stator gen coil ..flywheel voltage provider should ohm out at 200-400 or something but that means nothing if it isnt throwing voltage.

    It's supposed to throw 30 at least or 100 volts AC AC AC so check that output when yu spin it

    THAT juice goes to the cdi and is amped up and dioded or rectified to (maybe) to DC to run the cdi

    The cdi send a signal to the coil BECAUSE of the spinny thing behind that "CDi" cover at the top of the engine running off the cam where older bikes have the points. (ahhhh the good old days)

    Now that should ohm out at 30 ohms between the 2 wires but I think one is supposed to have a ground or BE a ground. so check them to ground too

    That spins and throw a really fine rust dust over the years that can short out stuff but it's the easiest thing to clean and check.

    Correct ohmage does not necessarily mean anything it will work.

    grounds, grounds everywhere

    do you need a wiring diagram?
    and some colored pencils? and a 2$ voltmeter?

    man. I'm just so tired of this yes no, on off, spark no spark crap

    reminds me of an old girlfriend and which is why I got a new big red yesterday for cheap that RUNS!
    I got farm work to do and excuses dont get the cows fed.!


    (see recent post about origional owner to lighten the mood_

    good luck and hang in there.

    yer not the only one going through this right now, and if you DO find an answer?
    PLEASE let us know

    thanks
    Last edited by tri again; 03-18-2010 at 09:04 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    georgia, USA
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    13
    Very common for the stator winding to go out. There is a guy selling new aftermarket windings for less than $20 including shipping on ebay, I just bought one. You must solder the one wire after cutting off your old one. Manual says 254 ohms, but mine at 200 fires fine. One at 150 will not crank but you can see slight spark, but can't feel shock with your hand. I'd bet on that being your problem, it was mine, and several advised me of this. Good Luck.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Tionesta, PA
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    5,744
    I just replaced a cdi unit on a 185S not 1 hour ago that had no spark. All is good now! If you can find a known good one to test with - try that first!
    RIP - Yamahondaman!! You will never be forgotten!
    RIP - Sam Brehm!! Gone but NEVER forgotten!
    RIP - Sandpuppi101 - You will live on in my mind - I miss you friend!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Worcester, MA
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    1,117
    I just swapped the stator with one I got from Xfile - member on here. That did not fix it.

    Still no spark. The CDI / Pulse generator assembly is off my perfect 200s, as is the regulator. Kill switch/all handlebar wires are disconnected. Coil and plug wire are also off a running bike.

    I thought perhaps timing, but even if it were off, I would still expect to see spark - just not necessarily at the correct time.

    Any ideas?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    100mi west of Chicago
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    3,582
    Is it ok to have the killswitch disconnected or does the cdi need that input?? I'm not sure. I was trying everything to get spark on my Big Red, pulling my hair out. Finally I look at the killswitch and it was to one side in off position. DER!

    Rob

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Rome,NY
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    1,046
    i've had trouble with the plug wire off the coil but you probably changed that when you swapped coils... these are so simple yet can be tough to figure out some times
    Last edited by KILLER; 54 Minutes Ago at 06:17 PM. Reason: beer

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Worcester, MA
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    Yea it's really pissing me off. I may just part out the good parts from the engine - piston.cylinder/head, and the frame/plastics. It's really frustrating.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Pacific NW
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealFatShady View Post
    Yea it's really pissing me off. I may just part out the good parts from the engine - piston.cylinder/head, and the frame/plastics. It's really frustrating.
    hang on (in) there...

    I got 2 of them right now
    swapped KNOWN working parts from a good bike, spark and NO spark

    so i gave up m disconnected the battery to put on another. bike and the s.o.b. started.

    There was some kind of cross up between the battery circuit and the ignition.

    I have spark withOUT a battery.
    Put the battery in and it spins great, neutrallight great but NO spark\\WTF?


    some people get new wiring harnesses and admittedly say that the old one was prob ok but just by touching, reconnecting EVERYthing the lil suckers run.

    the point is, they now run and no one cares what the problem, really was since it almost impossible to figure out when we change everything with known working parts..and it STILL wont spark.

    We're all with you on this one

    My favorite is when they have spark, then no spark, and then restart right away,,,or 2 days later

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Pacific NW
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdlsz24 View Post
    Is it ok to have the killswitch disconnected or does the cdi need that input?? I'm not sure. I was trying everything to get spark on my Big Red, pulling my hair out. Finally I look at the killswitch and it was to one side in off position. DER!

    Rob
    some guy convinced me that part of the ground in the kill switch is also part of the ground that the CDi NEEDS to run. and it really looks like it on the wire diagram

    the other ground to the cdi kills it

    When he told me to make sure the kill switch had a good ground I thought that is the LAST thing I wanted
    to be working correctly since all I cared about was GETTING spark..

    but there is some little bit o' crossover with the ground circuits that are apparently critical

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Worcester, MA
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    Hmmm maybe I can try another set of on/off switches, but I am fairly certain I ran my 110 and 200s without the switches/headlight connected at all....Wish me luck guys

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    glendive, montana
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    I also have no spark on a 200s, have swapped all electronic parts to a friends running 185s, and they all work. I am thinking it is my alternator and stator I have the right voltage, but maybe there is no amperage, I think a simple light test will do the trick for amperage, also I will be pulling new wiring through the whole trike, anyone know a good way to get to the alternator and stator if you dont have the puller, just in case I need to. will keep everyone informed of my results

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    glendive, montana
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    well I did the amperage test, and it passed so I went digging deeper into the wiring and to my surprise I discovered the previous owner had messed up the kill switch off was on and vice versa, changed the kill switch to a new one and got her up and running. On another note to anyone wondering about the kill swicth yes you can have it disconnected, to run a non batteried trike head and tail light as well, the kill switch ground kills it

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