2001 GTX RFI No Spark

[oldbugger]

I have been trouble shooting a "hard starting in the water" problem and after a compression test (150, 155) and resistance testing all sensors (TPS, CPS, ATS, WTS, APS) I hook everything back up to find NO SPARK. 5 Vdc at ignition coil when I depress start button with no lanyard attached. Primary resistance check of coil shows resistance readings within specifications. I double checked MPEM connections, I get 2 beeps on lanyard install, engine cranks fine, battery is at about 12.5 Vdc, I have plenty of fuel going into cylinders and have verified no spark at plugs oh and I tried new plugs since I had a set.

5A fuse in MPEM is good, all fuses in in battery box are good

Also checked battery ground, coil ground and mpem ground...all good

It was starting just fine on the trailer...now no spark. Is there a way to test if the coil is receiving signal from stator/mpem to spark the plugs? Or any other tests that anyone recommends?

[Technical Support]

Re: 2001 GTX RFI No Spark

There is no good way to test the mpem except through the scan tool and that may or maynot tell you there is an issue, if it cant read it then there is a problem and if it can it might point you in the correct location for trouble shooting.

[oldbugger]

Re: 2001 GTX RFI No Spark

Are you telling me that there is no way to test if the coil is receiving a signal to create a spark?

[Technical Support]

Re: 2001 GTX RFI No Spark

Not that I know of, you can force it to trigger if you use a buds system, if you have continuity between slot 2 on the coil plug and pin 7e on the VCM your wiring should be good. If you have 12 volts from 7e through to slot 2 on the connecter with the key on the post your good if not replace the VCM.

[oldbugger]

Re: 2001 GTX RFI No Spark

I am not clear what you mean by VCM. Are you referring to the rectifier or the box mounted below it, or something else?
I have 3 wires at main coil connector, center wire is red and outer two wires are white. Red wire has a little over 4 Vdc with no key on post and start button press, 12 Vdc with key on post and start button depress.

I am assuming the white wires are what signals either the mag or pto plug related coil to fire? If this assumption is correct I thought I could somehow test that these wires were delivering signal.

According to the wiring diagram the whte wires come from plug 4 on the MPEM which allows me to test continutiy to the corresponding terminals on that plug.
What provides MPEM with information to send signal to the coil, is it the crankshaft position sensor? Is it possible that there is a magneto stator issue I should bre looking for?

[oldbugger]

Re: 2001 GTX RFI No Spark

It turns out that when I inserted my test leads into the pin holes in the MPEM plug (to perform resistance tests) the test lead probes were slightly larger than the pin on the MPEM and they expanded the socket just enough to not allow proper connection be tween the socket an d the pin. I though that I had addressed this by using a small screw driver to "squeeze" the end of the socket into a smaller diameter but it turns out that I had to take the face of the plug off, exposing all of the sockets and then push the little tabs of the socket (that are designed to "grip" the pin) inward to tighten the contact to the pin. I used the shank end of a #55 drill bit (.052" dia) to test the "grip". After checking all of the sockets and putting the plug back together I have spark back!

Kudos go out to the guys at CanDooPro for suggesting the procedure for checking the sockets and their grip!

[Technical Support]

Re: 2001 GTX RFI No Spark

Thats great news.