[How to check your electrical system] - ATV Riders Forums - Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Polaris, CanAm, Arctic Cat, Kymco ATVs

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How to check your electrical system
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Posted by: beerock

This is for everyone trying to figure out there electrical problems, like no lights, or no spark.

enjoy

you need to check all the electrical with a digital or analog meter,

check the coil, standard : 0.1-0.3 ohm
(test where the wires connect to the coil)

secondary coil, standard: 7-11 K ohm
(test where one wire connects to the coil and the other end by the spark plug cap)

If the secondary coil test is out of spec then take the cap off and measure the secondary directly where the cap screws in
the resistance should be in thisspec, Standard: 3-5 K ohm

check the stator, Standard : 50-250 ohm
(86-88 disconnect the black/red wire check the resistance from the blak/red wire to the ground)
(89 disconnect 2piece connector and check the resistance to the ground)

check the pulse generator, Standard: 50-200 ohm
(disconnect the pulse gen and check the resistance with the blue/yellow and green/white)

check the AC regulator, Standard: 86, 13.0-15.0 volts@ 5000 rpm
87-89, 12.0-14.0 volts@ 3000 rpm
(start the motor and hook up a tach, measure volts between the white/yellow and green wires at the wire harness side of the connector, if this reading isnt in spec check the alternator lighting coil, if the coil is ok, replace the regulator)

check the alternator lighting coil, Standard: 0.1-1.0 ohm
(86-88 disconnect the white/yellow wire from the stator
89 disconnect 2piece connector, check resistance between white/yellow and ground)

Replace any of these components if they do not measure in specifications

Posted by: wilkin250r

Beerock gave the measurement points for the coil primary side and secondary side. All other measurements should be to a solid chassis ground, like an engine mount bolt, or a bare spot on the frame.

Posted by: dober250R

beerock is bustin out the good threads tonight!!! everyone that has been sticky'd is definitely where it needs to be, at the top.

Posted by: JTRtrx250r

quote:
Originally posted by dober250R
beerock is bustin out the good threads tonight!!! everyone that has been sticky'd is definitely where it needs to be, at the top.

theres probably gonna be 12 diffrent stickies, glad to see someone finally stepping up so the same questions wont get asked weekly

Posted by: beerock

not 20, then there wont be nothig for us to answer.

Posted by: Pappy

quote:
Originally posted by wilkin250r
Beerock gave the measurement points for the coil primary side and secondary side. All other measurements should be to a solid chassis ground, like an engine mount bolt, or a bare spot on the frame.

id like to see you do a thread to teach folks how to properly use a multimeter!

Posted by: slamdak8782

Good stuff beerock

Posted by: wilkin250r

quote:
Originally posted by Pappy
id like to see you do a thread to teach folks how to properly use a multimeter!

I can do two, I suppose. A thread and a tech article. I'll get on it.

Posted by: Outlawracer

I could have saved myself time money and trouble had i known what beercock just posted. However does anyone know the specs for a cdi box???

Posted by: wilkin250r

You can't test the CDI box with an ordinary multimeter. The function of a CDI box changes with varying input voltage, timing, and frequency. You can't reproduce those signals with an ordinary multimeter.

The method for testing a CDI is rather simple. Test everything else, if they all check out OK, then by process of elimination, the problem must be the CDI.

Posted by: Outlawracer

I have replaced my stator and pulse coil. I have tried a brand new ignition box . I cant see any broken wires or shorts , but i am only using a test l;ight. So my next step is to use a multimeter and check for opens. I already bought a soldering kit to repair the already mangled wiring harness , but i would rather buy a new harness altogether. I just cant see spending $70.00 on some wires. Does anyone know where to get cheap harnesses or even the plugs to make a new harness? If anyone sees can think of something i am overlooking let me know , but there arent really any other components outside the wiring. thanks

Posted by: Outlawracer

When my 250r first quit running the first thing i bought was a new cdi box. It did the exact same thing as the other one still no power to the coil. Now with every other possible item being brand new , I went and got the exact same box back from the cycle shop. Now before even installing this, I am noticing some differances. The number on the actual plug is HA8 and underneath that number it has a CI-91. The old one has HB9 and underneath it has CF552. The box the new one came in has a part #on it . The number is 30410-HA8-003. Is this even the correct box? When I test continuity accross the main power" in" to the killswitch "out" on the box itself i have to reverse polarity from one box to the other for it to even read anything, and when it does read the resistance is around double for the old one ( 5.2 Mohms) . the new one reads around 2.5 M ohms .
the plug is exactly the same for both boxes.

Posted by: 250R-Dee

Here's a wire schematic...

Posted by: Outlawracer

Thanks for the wiring info. It looks like my wiring was wrong to my cdi box. I wonder why it ever ran? Anyway I'll probably get another aftermarket box. Instead of buying the one from dennis kirk I will try to get the same one from C&D since they sponsor this site. So anyone got a good wiring harness for cheap?

Posted by: beerock

supposedly the 86-87 cdi is different then 88-89

or it might be the 86 is different then 87-89 i forget but supposedly the bike wont run right with the wrong one?

this is off the top of my head so im not really positive but i do remeber reading something about it.

the coils are different too.

Posted by: Outlawracer

I just talked to a guy that says the cdi boxes are all the same as long as they have the same plug and number of prongs . He sold me one with a part number that does not match the part number for a 250 r . I really dont believe him that htey all interchange. one small test i did do was checking the kill to power in on the new box to the old one . Polarity is different and so is resistance , but the old box could be bad. Anyway I think in parts catalogs the oem box for 86-89 is the same part number , as well as the aftermarket one in dennis kirk. This guy also says wiring them wrong will fry your stator and other parts, is this true?