How would you chase down a no spark and a back story.

[Morsoseth]

Okay, so I own a Polaris Ranger that the kids have hijacked. I bought my 1998 gas DS from a neighbor at my fishing cabin. It ran well but she was ugly missing the original seats and using 2 fishing boat seats. It did however run like a top. I ended up selling my place at the river and brought it home where it sit outside in the weather for 2 years.

A wild hair bit me so I charged up the battery and it cranks but won't turn over. I really want to get it running before throwing money at new paint, seats, and a lift though. I can't seem to get spark at all. Also, there was no cover for the electrical box but I do have one now.

How would you go about chasing down a no spark issue personally. I'm assuming many of you have and would appreciate any suggestions you may have. I'd take it to a mechanic but it the motor doesn't seem that complicated. I just feel like I'm missing something simple.

[Fairtax4me]

Two first steps. Assuming you've verified with a good spark plug that you have no spark.

One is to disconnect the rev limiter ground wire. Rev limiter box is on the bottom front center of the engine right above the drain plug. It's the brown wire grounded to the bracket right next to the rev limiter.
Crank it and see if you have spark.

If not, find the White and black stripe wire that comes down the belt side of the engine. It meets the black wire at the rev limiter and that's the ignition kill circuit for the coil.
Unplug the white/black wire and make sure it can't touch anything metal. Make sure the black wire from the rev limiter can't touch anything either. Crank it and see if you now have spark. If you still have no spark the coil has failed. You'll want a new Kawasaki Coil. Aftermarket coils are garbage and that thing is too difficult to get to to be worth changing over and over again.

If you have spark with the white/black wire disconnected, then there's a problem with a microswitch of the key switch keeping the kill circuit grounded. Those can only be narrowed down by disconnecting or bypassing each one.

[Morsoseth]

Thanks Fairtax, would using an old key not designed to turn the ignition have any effect on spark as long as it's cranking over?

[CP241]

No. The key is just a switch. IT doesn't care if you turn it with a key, a screwdriver, or silly putty. If the switch turns to the "on" position, then it's on.

If it was parked for some time with the cover off the box, I would suspect the microswitches inside the box may be corroded. But check as fairtax recommended above. Be careful with the white/black wire disconnected, it may not shut off :)

[Morsoseth]

I'll be checking it out tomorrow. Have the new micro switches, igniter, solenoid, and cover. Thanks for all the information and help. I keep hearing it's a great cart with the fe290 and for less than. $250 I couldn't pass it up. I just wish I had taken better care of it and kept it in the shop or barn.

[Fairtax4me]

No the switch doesn't need the key as CP said. I have a bunch that will turn with anything, they all work fine, but that doesn't mean the switch may not be bad. But considering the cover was left off the electrical box, I'd think one of those micro-switches is bad before the key switch.

Since the key switch delivers power to the solenoid via the FnR micro and the throttle micro in the box, key switch stands a chance at being OK.
There is another Micro in the box that is for ignition kill, and that one could be bad.

Here's a wire diagram that should help.

[Morsoseth]

Does anyone have a better diagram of the electrical box and where the wires go than the diagrams in the stickies? When I click on them it says I need to pay for imageshack. I found this broken orange wire that goes into the top microswitch but no clue where the other end connects.

[Morsoseth]

Thanks again Fairtax. With your help and some luck, I may have her running again today.

[Fairtax4me]

The orange wire is supposed to go to the solenoid. Small terminal opposite side from the blue wire.
If that's broken the solenoid won't engage. Crimp a new eyelet terminal on the end, it should be plenty long enough to reach.

[Morsoseth]

Yeah, got the blue and orange on the small solenoid terminals and the orange back on the (right side connection) microswitch as it tries to crank itself when it's connected to the left side connection. I have intermittent spark as in maybe a good spark once a minute. Looks like it's time to install the coil igniter.

On a side note, I have the same intermittent spark with the rev limiter connected or disconnected from the black/white wire.