2008 Yamaha Raptor 350 intermittent spark/no spark

[Daniel Gibson]

Have a 08 raptor brought to me a couple months ago. Got it on a trade for house remodel. Bike has around 30 hours. No that's not a typo thirty verifiable hours. The main Yamaha tech has put hands on this bike. Always Been reallyhard to start. If it does it runs really good. That's the kicker...IF! It started out intermittent now it's no spark at all. Everything ignition related is brand new. It all checks out good but still won't do it. Please help

 

[06kfx440]

Did you verify no spark? Or your assuming that’s the problem. My kfx was out of time and acted the same way. What did you do so far to check?



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[Daniel Gibson]

I've checked and rechecked for spark by a spark tester and by removing plug and grounding it out to the motor and frame etc... I've adjusted valves,re-timed it,replace all ignition related parts. They were under warranty and at request of customer. Those make the 4th time they've been replaced. Cdi,stator,regulator/rectifier,coils,wiring harness,relays,hell i even changed out the damn light bulbs. You never know lol. Yamahas head tech flew here and couldn't get it right either after 4 days of turning wrenches. 

 

[06kfx440]

Is the flywheel right? Clean and such?



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[06kfx440]

Is the flywheel right? Clean and such?



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[Daniel Gibson]

Yes

Had my friend bring over his oscilloscope to triple check everything. Nothing!

[06kfx440]

Hmm. You did everything you could. Even most of what I would have. It seems like reversed wires. I know Yamaha has the same plugs with same connectors almost the same wires too. Try that. Even new quads and be assembled wrong. Confirm your wiring.



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Hmm. You did everything you could. Even most of what I would have. It seems like reversed wires. I know Yamaha has the same plugs with same connectors almost the same wires too. Try that. Even new quads and be assembled wrong. Confirm your wiring. Even a pinched wire would do that.



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[Daniel Gibson]

I have looked the wires over so much i named the bastards!

[06kfx440]

Did you change the pick ups on the stator mount? Something isn’t adding up.


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[Daniel Gibson]

Every ignition/electrical or mechanical is brand new..again!

[Frank Angerano]

Have you opened up the kill switch to check for water ? Also wiggle the ignition switch, sometimes the contacts are bad inside the switch?

[Daniel Gibson]

Yes I have to no avail I think I've tried literally everything that's ever been posted online or in any kind of books or anywhere

[Daniel Gibson]

Just an update on this @$*%!%# bike. Jiggled the wire harness going to the stator and trigger coil and got it starting and running beautifully. Started over 50 times for over a week straight. The customer came to pick it up. He was 10 foot away watching as it happened. Ran for about 30 minutes continuously perfect. Went to push it backwards to turn around aaannndddd guess what?!? Yep the hunk of junk dies and back to the same B.S.! WTF IS THIS BIKES DEAL?

forgot to say i found a terminal end was crimped on to the trigger coil wire but they did not strip the insulation off before they crimped it! 

[Daniel Gibson]

@Frank Angerano any ideas? 

[Frank Angerano]

Have you checked for spark now that its not running? 
 

I would check/inspect the stator wires going directly into the engine. I've seen instances where wires at the entry point on the engine  lose there insulation and short out against the engine housing.  
Wiggle the wires as you crank the engine and see what happens.  

In addition to that the fact that you wiggled wires and it ran great tells me there's a short exposed someplace. 

Could be wires rubbing against the frame sie to rubbing, OR ... maybe a wet cdi that has dried out and got wet again.   
 

Take the cdi off of the bike and put it in the oven on 200 deg for 10 minutes and put it back on and try that.  
Sounds crazy but it works.  

[MarkinAR]

New OEM harness is $150 on Partzilla.  That's probably a lot cheaper than hours spent tracking down an internally broken wire or sheared insulation causing a ground short.  On ATV flips I nearly always undervalue my hourly rate and assume that as long as selling price is higher than what it took to get it ready to sell then I'm good and making a buck.  But I rarely figure in cost per hour for my time.

Assuming that Frank's suggestions above don't resolve the issue anyway....

Edited March 24, 2020 by MarkinAR

[Frank Angerano]

Agreed with @MarkinAR as far as the harness but i always go oem used.   
Go through the steps i mentioned and see what happens first.   

[spock58]

Boy, this is a tough one! Reminds me of a snowmobile I worked on once. The small wire that fed the external ignition coil was breaking up inside, while the insulation looked perfect. Intermittent issues are the worst!! Hope you get it figured soon.