Will not start!

[eyhonda]

All good ideas! But still nothing. The condensor works. I put 12 volts and a volt meter. After disconnecting the 12 volts, I watched the voltage drop slowly. It did have old plugs that I cleaned up. So I bought new ones. Murray has them for $2 each! I got 4. I rechecked the float level. I made an adjustable gauge shaped like a square U so I can check it fast. Then I checked the plug caps. An unmarked one was 15kohms. The HM Honda part was 8kohms. I found a spare NGK that was 5kohms. Reinstalled the 8k and 5k. No go. I'm still dumbfounded. Maybe bad coils? That's the last thing not really checked. Any idea on measurements for the caps, primary coil and secondary coil?

[eyhonda]

Well I think I have bad/shorted coils. Here is what I measeured:

right-
prim 3.7
sec 13k w cap
cap 5k
coil 8k

left-
prim 3.9
sec 18k w cap
cap 9k
coil 9k

can someone measure their coils and caps to give me an idea where they should be. I'm thinking if the rectifier was bad, an overvoltage condition would fry the coils. So I'm going to get a new Oregon rectifier, new caps and new-used coils. One coil is non-stock anyway. Are their any high output coil options? Dyna, Accel?

[e3steve]

OK, step-by-step, ey: have you pulled the plugs and spun the motor to check for a healthy spark?

With the plugs out, remove the dynamo & points' covers, clamp the rotor bolt head with a vise-grip and rotate until the right points just open; then back off 'till they close, attach the plug to the cap, wedge it against the motor, somewhere, turn on the key and move the rotor back & forth so that the points open & close. You should have a good, meaty spark at the plug's electrodes.

Rotate the rotor to 'just open' the left side's points and check that ignition system also.

[Scram64]

Eyhonda, The last motor I worked with would not start with the E starter button. But it started first kick with the lever. Have you tested both? Scram64



Oh, the voltage drops to 9 or 10 volts while cranking. Is this normal? Pulling the plugs, they are wet and the oil smells like gas from so much cranking. I went ahead and changed it. I think the spark might be weak.

[eyhonda]

I've had spark since the beginning of this problem. Yes it sparks by rotating the rotor with vise grips. The question is if it's healthy enough. I suspect the coils based on what I've measured. I also used a timing light and the timing is dead on.

I need someones measurements to be sure. It's easy if you have an ohmmeter. I want to buy a set of coils on eBay now.

I don't have a kickstarter. I did try disconnecting the solenoid and connecting it to a separate jumper pack so the voltage wouldn't droop. I also tried push starting it in 2nd gear. Nada!

[e3steve]

Well, you're obviously on the ball with diagnosis methodology!

I'll measure my coil(s) tomorrow and post my findings in 24hrs or so.

Try pulling the plug on the side with the AM coil, jump the battery from a car and see if it will run on just the right. Clean & dry the other-side plug before trying. Drying the plug over a gas flame works well, as it flashes-off any gas and warms the plug. Try without using the choke and by working the throttle; if the plugs are getting wetted then the choke could impede a successful first-time fire-up if the carbs are over-rich -- use of the choke would exacerbate this.

[Gunner_CAF]

From your other post:

http://www.honda305.com/forums/viewtopi ... ght=#23615

You have a different left coil. It might be a good idea to find the correct matching coil set.

Gunner