Hi, hopefully someone can help as i have run out of idea's.

I have a 2004 DS650, purchased just before Christmas as an early present for myself. The bike is / was great, but now it just will not start.

Since buying it i have had trouble starting it, the bike had a new battery ( or so i was told ) when i got it but it just keeps going flat, even when i charge it up it will only start once then it seems that the battery just doesn?t have enough juice left to turn the bike over but it still reads as having 12 Volts...!

But that?s not the problem. I started the bike a week ago and left it running on choke to get warmed up before i went out for the day. About 2 -3 mins in running it just stopped, looked like an idle problem because of the cold so just went back over to it to try and start again and nothing, turns over fine but will not start.

I have taken both plugs out and there is no spark on either, i have now stripped the plastics off the bike and everything seems fine but still no spark. The bike did have a tether kill switch which i have taken out of the loop and this still makes no difference. I have also checked both fuses and they are fine.

The bike has a Big Gun CDI unit on which as this is the only single point that controls the plugs i am starting to think it has died... is this common ? .... can't believe both plugs or coils have gone as it was running fine and has always started with no problems at all ( when the battery was good )

Could the battery problem be part of this problem, at the moment i am jumping it off a spare car battery.

Any ideas from anyone would be a real help as i don't know where else to look.

Thanks....Pigsfoot

 

I had this problem on my 05...no spark not the battery issue. I changed plugs and bingo it fired. It was explained to me that the choke fouled the plugs.
-Matt

 

Hi Bombaman, thanks for the advice, I have ordered a couple of new plugs which should be here tomorrow... hopefully...

But is it really likely that both would go at the same time when the bike was running fine and now refuses to start...?

Also, up date on my first entry really... i have seen on other threads that it is common to think there is no spark when it is just hard to see it. I have checked both plugs on the bike in the dark and there is definitely 100% no spark... which seems weird for both plugs to go at the same time. I have also re gapped both plugs to 0.24 as per the manual.

Does any one know if the plugs could be checked in something else, i have a 250cc Buggy, could i check to see if the plugs spark on that ?

Thanks for everyone checking the thread... i can see from other posts that members of the forum here really do try to help...

any suggestions will be very much appreciated... at the moment the other half does not think the purchase was such a good idea...

 

I think something else is at work here like the charging system isn't providing the juice needed.

My machine did the same thing. Was running fine and popped and died. Wouldn't restart and since the machine had about 3 hours of time on it I took it back to dealer and they switched plugs and the bike fired right up. It happened again and I switched the plugs and it fired right up...never had the problem again.

 

I would think that you could see the spark, at least I have always been able to regardless of the machine. I will say this, I fouled the plugs on my DS. Took them out, cleaned them up real good, still would not run.
Put new plugs in and it fired right up.
And yes, battery could be the problem. If my battery is even low it will spit and sputter until fully charged.

Do you have any aftermarket items on it other than CDI?
Stock carb?
Good luck, keep reporting if you are having issues, everyone on this forum is very helpful!

 

i would start by changing the cdi box with somebody with another ds ,just to make sure your cdi is not the problem,if you find the spark problem and it fires up make sure your voltage to your battery is at least 14 volts, when running to keep battery charged,if you find the spark issue and just cranks but wont fire up tray jumpercables and if it fires it could need a valve ajustment, had that problem with my brothers ds ,it would only start with jumpers,letus know what you find

 

check your rectifer.sounds like the same thing that whent worng with my 01.

 

Thanks Guys for all your help so far, very much appreciated.

As far as I?m aware ( other than a few cosmetics ) the bike is stock apart from the CDI. Only other thing is an Acewell 3100 Speedo but I have taken that off while I?m testing bits just in case.

I will get my new plugs today and give them a try. Is it possible to test the rectifier or CDI without a replacement ?

Here in the UK Quads ( for recreation ) are not that popular yet and it often very hard to find someone with a similar machine nearby to chat to and test parts.... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] If there is anyone out there with a DS650 near Leicester in the UK and don't mind helping out please let me know.

Will post my reply once I have tested the plugs.

 

Hi, everyone.

An update really, just bought a new pair of plugs and tried them both with no luck... Still no spark or even hint of..[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

I suppose the next step will be to try the Rectifier or CDI unit. Is it possible to test them to see if there is a problem without borrowing someone else?s. Unfortunately I don't know anyone locally or nearby for that matter with another DS650.

I have service manual on it's way from Ebay should be here in a couple of days hopefully it will have a wiring diagram I can check as the bike was originally off road only and the last person converted it to road legal and some of the wiring has been tapped into for lights, Speedo Etc. However I don't think this could be a cause as I have mentioned previously the bike was running fine.

I know where the coils are and also the CDI box is, can someone give me a pointer for the rectifier please. Also noticed on other threads that there is a switch on the clutch to stop the bike starting when in gear? I think? could this be faulty, the green light is on to show neutral and the bike is definitely in neutral also. I have tried testing the plugs with the clutch in? or am I starting to clutch at straws a little?

Once again thanks for all you help, I?m sure I will get to the bottom of it at some point, just want to get back on the bike, I have only ridden it twice since I bought it..

Thanks...Pigsfoot

 

The rectifier is on your airbox in the back.I know there has been many posts as
to how to test.If you do a search.Good luck. I found this in a search hope it helps.

On the bom (and most everything else made in the last 10 years) the regulator and the rectifier are one in the same unit, black box with fins located under the air box. You may have a problem with it over charging and causing the CDI to cut out.
I'm not sure if this CDI has overvoltage protection but most do and its why it cuts off.
Sometimes if your battery is bad the voltage regulator will overcharge to compensate for what it sees as low voltage and it may be just fine
My suggestion is to charge your battery at 2 amps for about 6 hours then have it load tested at your local auto parts store. If its bad, replace it first. Then, using a voltmeter, check the voltage output with the engine running around 2000 RPMs. It should be ~14.8 volts max. If its higher and goes even higher with RPMs then your regulator has failed and needs to be replaced.
Always check a charging system with a good battery.
Hope this helps