Not quite BEC related but I couldn't think of anywhere else to put this!

My neighbours son has left his KTM 50 in my garage (for months) as it won't start and he thinks I know something about bike engines!

I'm not getting a spark off the generator thing (having a blank moment and can't remember the name!)

Any thoughts?

It's like one of these btw
Rescued attachment KTM.jpg

off the top of my head.

check that the "kill switch" is'nt shorting out by accident.

that happened to me during a trial once

p.s. im no expert

Thanks Meany

That's the first thing I checked! I disconnected it from the generator (magneto?) !

Does it have a battery and is it flat? It doesn't need one for lights but it may need one in the circuit somewhere and is the HT lead coil connection in good condition?

electronic or points ignition?

It looks like thisthis


There's no battery so presumably the two parts on the spinning thing on the end of the crank are magnets and they generate a current in the dirty red thing?

The cable arrowed is the plug lead.
Rescued attachment ktm.jpg

Have you tried a new plug?

bad earth? Broken coil? Damaged HT lead? Damaged stator/rotor?

Start with the cheap ones first - especially if it isn;t yours - next tell them to get their hand in their pocket for some parts, or take it to a mechanic who might have access to spares to test.

Oh and did you get my PM lsdweb? I'd be interesested to hear back, even if your not intertested with some feedback as to why not. Maybe so I can be more realistic or change my add or whatever.

Cheers

[Edited on 5/10/08 by Dangle_kt]

I've tried it with a bolt in the end of the lead and got nothing between that and the chassis.

Dangle_kt - the kid's a really nice lad and he and his brothers are really good with my son so I don't mind! I'll U2U you.

Wyn

Should'nt there be a wire on that spade terminal on the coil?
If no batt and just magneto there will probably be points too, but possibly not !

See http://cmrmx.co.uk/CubeCart/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=147

[Edited on 5/10/08 by ReMan]

As ReMan says - That should be connected to either the ECU (I use that term lightly) or earthed through the kill switch. Open circuit is off and closed circuit is on.

ReMan - the spade terminal connects to the engine kill switch (which switches to ground) so I removed this as the first part of the 'diagnosis'.

The won't necessarily be a CDI/ECU as it'll be a self-generating ignition as per a Motoplat, though in this case all of the gubbins look to be in the coil. Do you have a resistance between the HT lead and ground? I'm not sure what the resistance should be as it's not listed in the owners manual (found it easily ont t'interweb).

Maybe speak to these chaps? - Click me!