Honda atc 200 problems

[caldera]

I was given a Honda atc 200 awhile back, rode it around for awhile until the engine locked up on me. The camshaft bushing got hot and froze to the cam. I got an entire cylinder head off of e-bay for real cheap and I've rebuilt the engine. The problem I'm having now is I'm not getting fire to the plug. I've traced all the wires and everything is in good condition. Cleaned the magnets and stator contacts and still no go. I'm thinking it's either a timing issue or the cdi box junked out while I had it laid up. I can rebuild a lawnmower engine with my eyes closed, but these trike engines are fairly new to me. Would anyone have any ideas of what could be the problem. :confused:

[bigreddaddy]

Did you rebuild the entire motor or just the top end? Have you checked for voltage using an VOM meter? You can check for juice right where the stator wires come out by the pull starter. If you have it there then work your way down the line. What model atc200 do you have, 200e, 200s?

[lndy650]

theres a pin in the cam that locks the spark advancer in place if thats not there the spark advancer wont spin and youll have no spark take the cdi cover off and see if its spinning...just a thought

[84honda200s]

sounds like a timing issue of some sort. but it could also be the ignition coil wire is lose. it happened to me. i worked and trouble shot for a few hours till i said to my self "hmmmm ill check the plug wire" so i pulled it off cut some off and put it back in and she fired up. also make sure the coil is grounded well. id check the wire and grounds first then if that do it something in the motor is to blame.



ooo i just thought of this....did you set the gap in the pulse generator ?

[caldera]

I'm not exactly sure what model this atc is, I'd have to look at the numbers again to be sure. The timing advance cage is locked on the camshaft pin so that's not the issue. There's no electric start on this particular trike, so I've been trying to pull start it instead of pulling my arm out. While pulling it I can grab onto the spark plug and wire and get nothing. I may retrace the groundwire again b/c it has to be somthing killing the fire.

[DeePa]

most trikes will fire without the ground connected. all the ground is for is to turn the motor off.

for instance, my triz started fine, but the lights didnt work and the kill switch didnt work because i forgot to hook up the ground wire from the run/headlight switch to the ground which is bolted to the frame.

[84honda200s]

my 200s or 200x wont fire without the ground. the pulse generator has to be grounded to work properly. i know this from first hand experiences. i tryd bench testing a 200 a while back and it wouldnt fire without them ground wires hooked up.now on a 2 stroke (sled motors anyway) i always tested em without any wiring hooked up what so ever...well except for the coils and plug wires lmao.

[caldera]

I've triple checked the timing and it's all in order. I've set the gap on the pulse generator and made sure the coil was well grounded and I still have no fire. Does anyone know how to troubleshoot the CDI box to make sure it's in working order. That's the only other electrical componet I haven't checked out.

[bigreddaddy]

You can check it with a VOM.

[Trimotomike]

a cdi box for your trike can be found pretty cheap (brand new) on ebay. i had a similar problem with a 82 200s i have , and the cdi box was the last thing replaced then it ran . not saying thats your problem but it could be .

[caldera]

I just ordered a new CDI box on e-bay for a steal. This particular trike was running like a dream before it locked up on me. When I broke down the top end, I found the camshaft bushing frozen to the cam which leads me to believe no oil was getting to the cam. What would cause this? I found and unusually thick coat of paint on this air cooled engine, which I've started to clean off. Could this be the cause of it overheating or just the wrong weight oil? I do believe 10W-30 was put in this engine. What is the recommended oil weight for a 200 ATC?

[tullier855R]

Im pretty sure thats not your problem. I think your prob is on the head, where it bolts to the valve cover. There are oil ports on the head that push oil directly to your cam shaft bearing and then to your cam shaft and then to your timing chain and so on. And then again, it could be as far down as the bottom of the cylinder where the port starts at the top of the bottom end where the oil is first forced through. Then it follows up the anchor bolt that has the o ring at the top of the cylinder to stop the oil from going into the chamber, and from there it still goes up and is ported directly to the back of the cam shaft bushing.

[tullier855R]

So what i am saying is that if anyone else has been in the motor, they may have use the same gasket to put it back together and was probabuly messed up, broke off and clogged the oil ports... or it could be that they used rtv to seal the gaskets and used to much and clogged it up. You need to really check out those ports. Try blowing them out with high pressured air, it usually work great and gets out all the junk.

[tullier855R]

One more thing, also check your switch on your handle bars.

[Erics350x]

Take your cdi and slam it on the drive way about 5 times and then see if you have spark. I know it sounds crazy but it works.

[oscarmayer]

one thing i did ws i accidently had the peice with the magnet that rotates and signals the pickup that it's time to fire was it was 180 out. yes i can be 180 out.

check that first before you do anything further. set the timming to be exactly tdc, next, install the cdi parts. ensure the pick and the rotation rotor lines are ligned up exactly. pointing at eachother.

this could be the issue.

also did you clean the carb? if it sits for long peroids of itme, it coudl have tarnish and buildup in it.

[Jonpin]

i had a similer problem but mine was firing 180 off and it was the spark advance was on wrong the thing underneath the cover that says cdi if i remember right

[Erics350x]

180 out would not keep it from sparking

[oscarmayer]

^ it did on my 200. would not even pop. flipped it around and 3 tugs and POP! went the weasel!. ;)

[Jonpin]

yea mine was sparking but just at the wrong time when it was 180 off was very frustrating trying tofigure it out it was my first rebuild i didnt know it could go on wrong lol

[3wheelrbust]

I have a 1983 Honda 200E that I recently purchased. It started fine when I went to look at it although the owner stated that he sometimes had to "tap" on the CDI module to get it to start. I rode it, loaded it and brought it home, it started fine. I rode it around the yard, my son rode it and I was sitting still, idling and it started reving up as if out of gas. I cut it off at the key and it hasn't started since. Please help!!! I have since replaced the CDI module but still no power at the plug wire. I'm not reall good on electrical (not good at all actually) and I cannot find a good electrical trouble shooting guide for this bike. I suspect possibly the pulse generator but not sure.