2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

[WestBoundFishSociety]

The problem is that there is no spark generated to the spark plugs when the engine is cranked. Verified with inline spark tester. I have manual(s) in hand for this motor.

I'll try to be brief as this problem is extremely similar to this thread:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=142256&highlight=starter+slow

I probed the Pulsar Coil, the Low & High Charge Coil, all Ignition Coils. I'm going to say that these are fine cause their resistance lies within the specs and because you guys agree 100% that they don't go bad (well usually anyway). There are no ground faults either.

The kill switch works because the horn sounds while cranking if you activate it. I'm going to double check the ignition switch, but pretty sure that is not the problem. That leaves the battery, cables, and starter, and CDI for the culprits of no spark, Correct? I know that the starter is not turning the flywheel near fast enough with compression, but it seems to turn it fast enough with the spark plugs out. The "Average" voltage for the low speed charge coil is 38 V DC when cranking without compression. I don't have the DVA that you guys insist must be used when diagnosing the CDI Ignition System, but a quick check to see if any voltage is generated should be sufficient, for now.

The history of this engine is that it died on the water, due to a slow turning starter that would not engage the fly wheel. That was 1.5 years ago. A new 1000 CCA battery, with short new cables directly to the solenoid/starter only increases the cranking rpm slightly. So I've ruled out batteries and cables, (hopefully).

1) What should be the minimum cranking rpm's be to produce the correct voltage to be supplied to the CDI?

2) What's the proper way to test the CDI for output voltage or proper operation?

3) I've looked in the parts diagram for this "Drive Shaft Bushing" that could be retarding the rpm's but I am unable to find it in any of the older models you stated in older post.

I'll double check the voltage drop at the starter and other connections, but I recall it only being less than 1v.

I know this is a simple Ignition System to work on but somtimes those trees get in the way of seeing the forest. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Capt Chuck

 

[turn2]

Re: 2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

Check the wires going to the coils for cdi output
You will definately need the DVA to check output voltage

 

[99yam40]

Re: 2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

Using a DVA will help your troubleshooting a lot. Just using a DMM will not give the readings you need
Here is one I found in the forums that seems to work well with my Fluke DMM if you want to build it or just buy one one line.

http://forums.iboats.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44252&d=1265324912

 

[WestBoundFishSociety]

Re: 2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

I rechecked the voltage drop at all connections, from the battery to the starter, and had a drop from 12.5V to 8.5V. The connections were clean, but the battery was a lemon. It would not supply the correct amperage to turn the starter fast enough to produce enough lowside charge voltage to produce spark. I hooked two different, known good, batteries in parallel to produce a low spark on the in-line spark tester. The voltage drop was still too much, 12.8 to 9.8, so I'm replacing the battery cables and the battery. I did not need a DVA to tell me that the voltage out of the charge coil was much higher with the new battery. The old battery was producing 35V AC Average whereas the new battery produced 110 V AC Average out of the lowside charge coil. I could also tell that the ignition coils had voltage to them, without the DVA on the DMM with the increase in voltage from the charge coil. That told me the CDI was not bad, which was the last item to be ruled out good or bad. So, the no spark problem was basically the result of a brand new bad battery and crimped battery cables (a weak spot in the cable)

Instead of a DVA, use an Oscilloscope if you want to know exactly what what is happening under the hood. In this case, I did not need to know exactly what the voltages were. I just needed to know that there was voltage, and then an increase in voltage, by measuring it using the same method.

 

[ken52]

Re: 2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

Thanks Yam99 for sharing the dva schematic.

 

[turn2]

Re: 2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

 

[99yam40]

Re: 2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

The manuals give minimum voltages for the different components that need to be taken with a specific type of meter (peak reading volt meter or DVA) to compare.
Readings with other devices will give some values, but cannot be compared to the specs in the manuals.
Oscilloscope would be nice if we all had one, and if we all did have the money to buy them, but we would still have to find out what a good or bad reading was because these specs are not in the manuals.
You can troubleshoot like the manuals tell you to or you can do it your own way, it is all up to you, just do not knock others help, when you ask for it.

If you follow the troubleshooting procedures correctly(using the proper equipment) and in the proper order the the problems should be easy to find. Never take for granted that this or that cannot be the problem and skip that part of the sequence.
Battery and battery cables are normally the first and the easiest things that need to be looked at and are the most over looked. Costing you lots of extra time and money.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: 2001 Yamaha 150TXRZ No Spark

and if its used in saltwater dont forget the bushing in the midsection, if it collapses due to corrosion it will bind the drive shaft and create slow cranking and excessive voltage drop.