new owner from missouri. could use advice

[b.boss77t]

Hey I'm Brad I just bought a 08 250 from a buddy and I have ran all the tests i can think of, I got fuel and compression but I am not getting any spark after the ignition coils, there is power going to the coils green and red on both sides but no spark at plug. Is that a simple ignition coil and wire that needs replaced? Or could it be the cdi box even though I got power going into coils? Please help me out I'm stumped, every relay and diode got power to n from. ( other then one diode I couldn't find any power but I thought maybe it had to be running) . shoot me some ideas please.
Can I get a few ideas on where to buy most reliable an reasonably priced parts too? Thanks

[Triple Jim]

b.boss77t! Glad you found us...

[snot]

Welcome

Not sure where to get parts for it in your area. I use several sites, ridersdiscount, Babbitt...etc.

[CaliGrrl]

Welcome!

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by b.boss77t

........I am not getting any spark after the ignition coils, there is power going to the coils green and red on both sides but no spark at plug. Is that a simple ignition coil and wire that needs replaced? ..........

Welcome, Brad !!!

The primary coils are normally energized while being charged as coils do.
When the sensor by the generator sends a magnetic signal to the CDI box, that energy reaching the coils is suddenly cut (by the box), which induces a high voltage in the secondary coil and a spark.

If the safety switches are telling the box not to cut the energy, sparks will not jump and the engine will not purposely start up.

Those switches sometimes fail.

See this:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Underst...afety_switches

[Snake]

Hello and welcome!

[taz]

welcome

[highvoltj]

Hello and Welcome Brad!
I too have a really nice '08 250R...Luv it!! There are so many tidbits of info on this site about our Ninja 250's to help you throw more dough into your bike! LOL
Just a shot in the dark about your no-spark issue...could it possibly be the kickstand switch? I have had this happen before after checking the obvious no-spark at the plug issue's and found that either the switch is bad or the wiring to it was damaged....hope you get er going!

[Ghostt]

@b.boss77t

Stupid question time, is the ignition switch OEM?. Or aftermarket?

Have you cleaned the caps and renew the HT leads?

Here's my write-up it might help you out.

Even bad plugs should do something, unless they are totally shot.

Did you renew the HT leads, and disassemble the caps?

Make sure you disassemble the caps, and clean them, and yes the caps get cruddy.

Here my write-up,

Short explanation: The inside of the hard plastic caps accumulate crud the can short out the spark. This can cause rough running or failure to start. Every time you do any work on the bike: remove them disassemble and clean them and renew the wires or at least the connections.

The long Explanation, Warning engineering information can cause Drowsiness.
The ancient cylinder design of the engine dictates that the spark emanate form the center of the combustion chamber. In order to get it there, the plugs had to be located down deep in a well between the cams. This well is a perfect place for dirt and moisture to accumulate. Then because there is no cooling water at this point the metal around the plug runs very hot. Surround this with the large amount of cool metal and you have a recipe for condensation. Now K did drill a drain hole between the fins to help (a little) but it often gets plugged up.

The moisture boils off the base of the plug and the vapor condenses on the cool plastic cap and the plug insulator. This moisture forms a easier path for the electrons to ground than jumping the gap at the plug to make a spark. Misfire.
This issue is right up there with Pilot jets as a cause of trouble.

Here's some pictures that might be helpful. I took these when I replaced the wires themselves, as it was a good time for a write-up, and the wires were OEM from 1998.

Wires are just 7mm copper core, with clear silicone jacket









IMPORTANT NOTICE: make sure to use a proper screwdriver, make sure it fits, as the parts are made of brass inside the spark plug caps





Important notice: the wire must be screwed on the spark plug cap, note the screw like object inside the spark plug cap?



Important notice: be careful to not loose the ferrules on the HT leads, these keep the wire from falling out of the coil. Below is an example of ferrules on a pressure fitting, looks familiar?







If you remove the non-red wire and ground that terminal of the coil there will be a spark. When you un-ground it there will be another spark. That is all the ignitor is doing but it is doing with a transistor when it receives a signal from the pickup coils. In between the pickup coils and the transistor is a micro-controller that determines the advance of the spark depending on rpm.

Also you might want to consider doing the CoPs conversation once you get it working with the OEM coils, don't want to add another problem/ variable when diagnostics is being done.

Kawasaki ZX Ignition Coil Pack modification.

Kawasaki ZX Ignition Coil Pack/ coil over plugs (CoPs) modification.