3500/4500 Citation No Spark

[JustinMan43]

Have an 81 277 and a 82 377 I just picked up trying to get going. Can’t get either of them to spark.

The 377 I think I’m just going to throw a CDI box at it and see what happens.

The 277 has points and condenser on the stator. I wasn’t sure what to test while I was looking at the stator other than verifying points were clean?

Kill switch seems to be working correctly. Does have a tether and might not be jumping that correctly ? I did unplug the harness and still nothing. Not sure where to go from here.

 

[TylerG]

If you unplugged the tether and still nothing have you tried jumpering the wires for the tether together?

 

[pano-dude]

Try different plugs?

 

[brian h]

If you unplugged the tether and still nothing have you tried jumpering the wires for the tether together?

Just have to unplug tether to take it out of the system. On the one machine the condenser could act up even if points look good .Where you checking spark with same plugs you where trying to start with? Check spark with different plugs or screw driver

 

[pano-dude]

Put a Meter on the wires and coil, make sure the easy stuff is good. It's odd both sleds have no spark.

 

[JustinMan43]

I forgot to check the condenser when I was at the stator. I was confident it was going to be the points…

Tried new plugs, ohmed out the coil and its in spec.

Tried with a tether installed, wire removed and harness plug undone.

Based off the wiring diagram is this supposed to be a normally open or closed circuit? The kill switch seems to have three positions but regardless was able to verify it open and closed in two positions and no spark on either.

 

[greenthumb]

Check #3 above as well for correct resistance and isolation. There is likely a gap adjustment to the magnets on the flywheel as well.
The whole system is designed in a way that it will run by default. The ignition switch, kill and tether all ground out the ignition system to stop the engine.
If you just unplug the big plug at the engine, it should isolate the engine from the wiring and run. You will have to plug it in to kill it.
If its been sitting for years, I wouldn't be surprised if its the condenser.

 

[JustinMan43]

Plugged the hood (just head lamp) back in for shits and got it to fire up. I obviously don’t know how to read wiring schematics correctly lol

Hopefully that’s the only issue with the 377 as well

 

[greenthumb]

Plugged the hood (just head lamp) back in for shits and got it to fire up.

Great! That would mean the issue is in the wiring or kill/tether/ign sw.
You would have to go through them one by one and verify. They should be open circuit (no continuity) in the run position and connected to violet wire (ground) in the off position.
Check the wires by the exhaust for damage.

If you wish to just bypass and remove the original ign/kill/tether, cut the violet wire with the white stripe and connect the end coming from the engine to a new switch. Connect the violet wire to the other side of the switch.

 

[brian h]

The 3 position switch the middle position is run, that should be the turn style if memory is correct. Yes if main connector to engine is unplugged like stated earlier the unit will run. They where also bad at that connector for wires to not be contacting properly they will push out of connector when plugged in so look at that connector close and make sure all wires are in connector fully