need help diagnosing bad cdi or magneto

[happyjourney]

I am on my first build and have a wolfpack cdi. i am not getting any spark at the plug checking from turning it over and holding it neaxt to the engines fins. i can smell the gas coming thru the engine and its moving the piston. i'm wondering how to diagnose if it is the magneto that is the problem or the cdi. i haven't hooked the kill switch wires up and i know i have the wiring correct. i do have a mini gen max hooked up to the magneto but i don't see how that should effect it. i think i'm going to buy a new magneto and install that but if thats not it then send the wolfpack kit back for a replacement. i have a multimeter but i don't know what settings to put it on or which connections to check. is there a way to tell whats bad? on a side note i took the little cap off the sparkplug not thinking it needed to be the full size. i'm not sure if that is what it is but i'm going to go home and see if i can find another spark plug to take the cap from and see if it makes a difference. if it doesn't and i don't get any good advice i'm going to go buy a new magneto and go from there

 

[Al.Fisherman]

Not sure about your coil, but you can take a meter, or a 12V test light and check for output. Disconnect the generator first. Test on DCV @ 20V



Not the red arrow/circle but where the knob is pointing (10:00 position)

 

[happyjourney]

12volt test light. i think i've got one of those. is that the thing that lights up and beeps when you put it near a live electrical wire? i was reading through different posts and seem to have the impression that maybe the magneto isn't seated right as i took it out and then put it back in to put the generator on it. i'm gonna check with that setting tomorrow though and see if i can get a reading. thanks

 

[Big Red]

Magneto

If it ain't broke, and ya mess with it long enough, it will be. I forget who's saying ( on this site) that is but it is SO true. If you had the mag off thats the first thing I would check. Take it back off. The key may have gotten pushed back behind the mag. Al came up with a great solution for this problem. Crazy glue the key in place. Then make sure the slot is lined up with the key perfectly before you try to tap it on. I've pushed many keys behind the mag so it's not just a newbie problem. If the mag ain't lined up you may not get a spark at all or a spark at the wrong time. Before you do ANYTHING else, fix what ya just fixed, only better this time.
Big Red.

 

[Lunardog]

Here may be of some help troubleshooting if you have a working multi-meter. http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=31630&page=2

 

[Big Red]

Magneto

Here may be of some help troubleshooting if you have a working multi-meter. http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=31630&page=2

Hey Lunardog, He just said all he's got is a test light, Maybe. If it ran before he had the magneto apart and it don't run when he reinstalled it, then I've got a pretty good idea what's wrong with it. Give the guy a chance fix what he "fixed" first. Then if he still has no spark he needs to buy a multimeter. (should have one anyway.) No spark can only be a very few things wrong. Mag, field coil, CDI or F'UP'd wiring. In this case I vote that he didn't get the mag back on right. It is possible he got a wire crossed up putting it back together but they are usually color coded. But it IS a possibility.
Big Red.

 

[Al.Fisherman]

Piston TDC, key at 1:00...it can go on backwards.

 

[Lunardog]

My apologies, I thought his first post stated he had a multimeter. I had to search for the info on the test reeadings and it took a while and thought it would be helpful if he needed it. Also thought the issue with no spark was before he removed the mag. Maybe I misunderstood.

 

[Big Red]

Mag

As I understood it, He was putting on one of those "extra" field coils so he took off the original mag to make it easier. I think something went wrong then. Just trying to keep things straight bro.
Big Red.

 

[Big Red]

Mag.

Piston TDC, key at 1:00...it can go on backwards.

Another great bit of information. Thanks Al.