SuzukiSavage.com - Where is the spark?

red2k1

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Where is the spark?
12/28/05 at 15:43:47

Bike is a 2002 Savage with about 12,000 miles.

Problem: One day the bike runs fine; next day the bike will not start. There is no spark at the spark plug. Fuel okay.

What I know and what I have done: The two fuses in the fuse holder are fine. I have visually checked the wiring harness and all looks okay. I have a number of electrical parts from an '03 Savage and have replaced the coil assembly, the ignitor assembly, and the rectifier assembly. Still no spark to the spark plug. I have not replaced the Control Unit because I do not have one. Could that be it? Any recomendations would be appreciated.

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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Where is the spark? Reply #1 - 12/28/05 at 16:08:03 Do you have 12v at the coil when it does this?
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Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	Re: Where is the spark? Reply #2 - 12/28/05 at 16:15:57 Try bypassing the kickstand safety switch, they have a history of going bad and causing an intermittent spark problem. Let us know how you make out, luck.
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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Where is the spark? Reply #3 - 12/28/05 at 16:29:10 that's what I'm think as well - or maybe the nutrl switch - but if you have 12v at the coil and no spark trigger seems we're into the other side of the coil - gues I try to spilt the ign system into two parts when chase'n stuff like this - the power side and the "smart" side.
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red2k1 Ex Member	Re: Where is the spark? Reply #4 - 12/28/05 at 16:29:51 Quote: Do you have 12v at the coil when it does this? No voltage at the coil.
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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Where is the spark? Reply #5 - 12/28/05 at 16:32:02 none on the bottom wire - I think it's white and orange - books at home I'm not it on the side stand ?
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Reelthing

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Re: Where is the spark?
Reply #6 - 12/28/05 at 16:39:07

I'd hookup the volt meter to that o/w wire with aligator clip and the other to a good ground - and start trying things - in gear, out of gear, bang around on the kickstand, cycle the red power switch a good bit - and of course the connectors under the seat - sure not going to run till you got 12v there - might be fun to run a jumper from there to the battery for grins

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AussieSavage

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Re: Where is the spark?
Reply #7 - 12/28/05 at 19:54:46

Hi red2k1,

I had a problem like this a week ago, sometimes the plug would spark and other times not. It ended up being the side stand relay as the main culprit.
There also was another problem, like you I checked the wiring harness, but missed something.
Just make sure the two coil wires connecting to the coil are not bare and touching the frame.

Another thing I cleaned up was the earth wire on the negative side of the battery to the right side casing on the engine. Also check the kill switch and check the coil pick up resistance.
Hope you get the problem fixed.
Cheers Gary

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red2k1 Ex Member	Re: Where is the spark? Reply #8 - 12/30/05 at 04:29:27 Thanks for all the suggestions, but still have not found the problem; plan to work on it more today.
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slavy

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Re: Where is the spark?
Reply #9 - 12/30/05 at 06:25:54

If the bike is cranking, but there is no power at the O/W wire at the coil , You should have a brocken or disconnected O/W wire somewhere. The same wire is feeding Your starting system. If the starting system is working, this eliminates the ign. switch and the kill switch. Don't think about the decompr. contr. unit- it is for the starting cirquit only / not for the spark/.

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Where is the spark?
Reply #10 - 12/30/05 at 06:39:51

Runs one day, and won't the next? Did you DO anything to the bike? Any work at all even if it seems unrelated?

It won't start in nuetral with the sidestand down and the clutch lever pulled in?

Do you have a nuetral light showing? Check the blue (covered) wire behind the engine on the right side near the clutch actuator lever.

Check that the clutch switch and the side stand switch work.

How about the battery? Starter turns over just fine, too?

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red2k1

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Re: Where is the spark?
Reply #11 - 12/30/05 at 11:44:44

Runs one day, and won't the next? Did you DO anything to the bike? Any work at all even if it seems unrelated?

DID NOT DO A THING. SIMPLY RAN THE BIKE UNDER THE CARPORT ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND ON WEDNESDAY MORNING IT WOULD NOT START. IT CRANKED, BUT WOULD NOT FIRE.

It won't start in nuetral with the sidestand down and the clutch lever pulled in?

NO.

Do you have a nuetral light showing? Check the blue (covered) wire behind the engine on the right side near the clutch actuator lever.

HAVE A NEUTRAL LIGHT.

Check that the clutch switch and the side stand switch work.

THEY CHECK OUT FINE.

How about the battery? Starter turns over just fine, too?

BATTERY IS CHARGED AND ENGINE CRANKS BUT WILL NOT FIRE.

I FIND THIS A PUZZLEMENT. I THINK I MAY NEED ANOTHER GREMLIN BELL.

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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Where is the spark? Reply #12 - 12/30/05 at 12:04:00 Okay then....Different combination....have you tried it with the sidestand up, the clutch pulled in and the bike in gear? Next step. Do you have gas? Gas in the bowl?
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slavy

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Re: Where is the spark?
Reply #13 - 12/30/05 at 13:31:22

The first thing- make sure the battery is FULLY charged ! If You are not 100% sure- charge it for 1 hr. Many of us have found out that even if the bike seems to be cranking good, there could be a problem with the battery and there is not enough power to the CDI.
Second - If the bike is cranking and there is no power to the ign coil-O/W wire- this is a problem with this wire. The power goes from the battery thru the main fuse, to the ign. switch after that is the kill switch and after that it splits to the starting cirquit and to the ign. coil. If the starting system is working , the only other reason is that there is a problem after the split/ again this is valid only with a fully charged battery!/

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torque

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Re: Where is the spark?
Reply #14 - 12/30/05 at 14:59:38

slavy wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:

The first thing- make sure the battery is FULLY charged ! If You are not 100% sure- charge it for 1 hr. Many of us have found out that even if the bike seems to be cranking good, there could be a problem with the battery and there is not enough power to the CDI.
Second - If the bike is cranking and there is no power to the ign coil-O/W wire- this is a problem with this wire. The power goes from the battery thru the main fuse, to the ign. switch after that is the kill switch and after that it splits to the starting cirquit and to the ign. coil. If the starting system is working , the only other reason is that there is a problem after the split/ again this is valid only with a fully charged battery!/

i agree. if i leave the lights on for a little while,it will run the battery down just enough so it wont fire,it will turn over, just not fire.

did u try to push start it ?

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