spitfire backfiring

Technical topics related to machines powered by Kasasaki motors
Post Reply
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

finally got all of the parts to put my 82 spitifre back together yesterday after i burned down the pto side the past winter. however, when pulling the flywheel off something wrong happened and all the magnets broke and came off. i didn't pull it, my dad did. anyway, i had an extra free air flywheel laying around and installed it. i believe it is from a TB340A-A202, and the engine it went in is a TB340A-C202. (that could be backwards). i put the stator back exactly where it was and put the engine in the sled, but i won't start. it seems like it might go, but then it backfires and shoots some flames. i don't have the timing light with me either because i was going to try and do the timing test for a 76 liquifire on it to check and see where i am at, i think for some reson i'm a quater off so it it firing when the pistons are halfway. i habe no idea what is wrong, the only reason i have is that the engines had differences in the ignitions and the magnets were placed different in the flywheel to charge a different type of stator. i could really use some input because i am so close to having all 15 of my sleds going. thanks.
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

got the timing light on it today and located where i'm firing. i'm 180 off. but when i tried switching the plugs to get it to run right, it still backfires and doesn't start. i know that it is firing backwards but i don't know why it won't start now. my next theory is that twyhen the wires cross, they are screwing up eachothers spark and still causing it to backfire. is this possible? could my coil be bad even though it was in perfect runngin order when i took it off? should i try and switch the wires going into the coil and see if it makes a difference? i'm not too much of a fan trying to start it with the backfiring because it caught some gas on fire the other day and gave me a scare. thanks for some help.
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

i was just looking, is a coil off of a trailfire 340 model ta340a different than that of a tb340a?
User avatar
guitardude081
Posts: 989
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: Jack Durand
Location: Brainerd, MN

spitfire backfiring

Post by guitardude081 »

Do you have your coils in the right place? The best thing you could do is check the wiring diagram in the tech section, and re-wire you coils. Check the output. Also make sure your stator is on correctly. If you're firing 180 degrees off, it may be on upside down. My guess is that it is much like having your distributor 180 off, or you cam gear upside down in a V8. If the magnets break off, you won't have spark, and they may have knocked your stator out of position. This is my educated guess. When I blew the PTO on my Spitfire, the motor locked up, and all hell broke loose in the coil area, my stator was knocked almost 90 degrees retarded. When I did the test fire, it was firing with the piston at BDC on the power stroke according to the local shop. It doesn't hurt to double check everything.
~Jack
Owner, Durand Motorsports
1980 Trailfire 340 (Grandpa bought new)
1983 Trailfire LX
1982 Spitfire (Grandpa bought new)
(3)1974 295/S
1975 340/S
(2) 1978 Liquifire
2003 Ski Doo Renegade 600HO
1993 Polaris XLT Special with AAEN pipes
2020 Polaris Indy 600 XC 129 40th Anniversary Edition
1980 Liquifire (currently in pieces)
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

i just rebuilt the entire engine and put the stator how the sm told me too and whre it was before. i think the broken magnets was a disassembly thing but it was replaced with a mechanically sound one. i also thing that it might be somewhat impossible to put those stators on upside down, they are pretty much idiot proof and the wires can only hook up to the coil in one way because the ends are purposely made different. it is just the single coil igniter with two plug ends coming out of it like most later deere sleds. sleds has lots of spar kas well and i'm pretty sure everything is hooked up and grounded like it should be.
User avatar
400brian
Posts: 5610
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: James T. Kirk
Location: South Central Wisconsin

spitfire backfiring

Post by 400brian »

If you are sure everything regarding the stator and coils are hooked up correctly, might it be the CDI box? I know it was running when it blew, but?

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

i don't know if this is right but i think that the cdi is part of the coil ignitor itsself. stator plugs directly into coil and then goes directly to plugs, no box like on kohlers and cyclones. could someone expain how that works?
User avatar
400brian
Posts: 5610
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: James T. Kirk
Location: South Central Wisconsin

spitfire backfiring

Post by 400brian »

Ryan

I'm not familiar with the CDI Kohlers, and my SM doesn't go that new.

What I was suggesting, was that if you are sure that everything is correct, it must be something else. Does the Kohler have just one triggering device?
Something controls the ignition timing of the two cyls. even if it doesn't have the box like the CCWs.

I'm intrigued by the fact that the flywheel internals blew up as well as the engine.
That seems too coincidental to me.

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
JDFanPa
Posts: 1334
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Mt. Cobb/Scranton.Pa.
Contact:

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDFanPa »

Id bet you need the correct flywheel. If theres no cdi box like you say it seems that the flywheel maybe unique to that motor since ever kawi motor Ive ever seen had a box but Ive never worked on a spit with a kawi. The trigger has to read off the flywheel and if its the wrong flywheel the timing will be off most likely.
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

ok, dk trader had stuff cheap so i figured i'd get new trigger coils and coil ignitor so i can say thats its not the electrical itsself and i will get a new flywheel when i got to the junkyard. also, is the spit engine the c202 or the a202? i could have put the part with the wrong tag back on it as it says its c202. thanks.
sporty440
Posts: 127
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:00 am
Contact:

spitfire backfiring

Post by sporty440 »

your kawi 340 free air uses a cdi/coil assembly, shaped like a mail box. when they finally go bad they start by backfiring and then just wont start, i bet if you shut off your fuel, pull the plug wire off and put a spare plug in the boot and lay the plug on the cyl head and pull over the motor (do this for both plugs one at a time) youve only got spark on one side and the spark you do have is probably very weak. this is common on that style, I have had it happen on my snowfire with the 340 free air same coil/cdi setup as you have. If you need to replace your cdi box Image enterprises stocks nos and rebuilt. they are not cheap. Last one I bought 2 years ago was 165.00.
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

i'm pretty sure that this will fit, if anyone could tell me. 4636497181 ebay number
JDXsand00s
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:00 am
Location: Tustin, MI

spitfire backfiring

Post by JDXsand00s »

is there any chance that it could be firing at top and bottom, I need my timing light back to check but I was wondering if it could be a possibility. thanks
Post Reply