98 gp1200 wont start

[one1cat]

my 98 gp 1200 has a little problem, i press the start button and it cranks over very nicely bit it wont start. i checked the ignition coil and that is good. apperantly im getting the inital first spark but it wont give me the rest to keep the engine running, could this be my cdi unit can someone help on what is going on here.

[Technical Support]

make sure that you entered your code on the display.

[one1cat]

i did that and it just wont start, i tried ressetting it and that also did not work

[Technical Support]

It's most likely your battery, try a known good one. If that checks ok, it's the CDI.

[one1cat]

yeah, my battery is good it's like 3 months old. today i pulled the cdi unit and checked it with a fluke and got no readings. the service manual says i should get some kind of resistance but i have nothing.

[talon_fl]

Re: 98 gp1200 wont start

This might sound messed up, however I have a problem with my 98' xl1200 which is simular. When setting for a couple of days and I try to start it. It just cranks over. Choking won't work. The only way I get it started is to remove one of the screw inserts on the air filter which leads down into the carb. and dump about a teaspoon of fuel down there. ONce I do that I hit the start button and she fires right up and runs. fine all day until it sits again for a week. The dude at the yamaha dealer said that they usually replace the chokes on them with a primer kit which in fact just squirts fuel down into the carbs .

[1200ks]

Re: 98 gp1200 wont start

yep... GP1200's are notorious for starting hard. That is why many recommend removing the choke plates and installing a fuel primer. I've done that on both of mine ('97 & '98). Half a dozen pumps on the plunger before I start it the first time on the lake each time out and they both fire right up.

If you are getting fuel. Then I would check the fuse on the CDI unit. I had it blow once on mine.

[Deadhead]

Re: 98 gp1200 wont start

Is it possible to have Yamaha (not the dealer) bench test the CDI unit or the entire CDI, pulse coil, stator, rectifirer setup taken off the ski?

The lead tech at my dealer told me that the ohm test in the service manual for the CDI was a waste of time and that they could take a new unit out of inventory and it would test bad but would work OK when installed.

I am also concerned about a post on another thread that said that a bad CDI unit can "blow out" the charging stator. How is this possible? A Dead short in the CDI unit?

CDI Units are pretty cheap on ebay compared to the $300 new price but I hate the idead that I can buy someone's problem and do more damage by installing the used part.