Yamaha Bear Tracker with No Spark, Part 1

Alright Alright This is a 1999 Yamaha Bear Tracker with a YFM250 and I was having problems with the CDI Box and the pickup coil was out of spec. In the past, I could heat up the CDI box and get it to work intermittently, but the pickup coil was still out of spec. I tried some aftermarket parts and I still got no spark. I checked the resistance on the "new" pickup coil and it was out of spec, worst than the previous one.
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[@aroundthecounty1139]

Thanks for the video. I have been chasing a no spark on my Moto 4. Your tip on heating the CDI with a heat gun was the answer. Thanks.

[@vadadofthr3357]

"let's see if we have any spark" he says as we watch the steady stream of gas pouring out behind the plug whilst you try to fire the plug against the block 🤣😜. Possibly lucky you didn't! Buy your guardian angel a beer 😝

[@TrollfaceJoe]

Love your videos man! Im from up north Ontario Canada and have a 2001 Yamaha YFM250 Bear Tracker and I can't get the electrical start to work for the life of me. I've done a whole whack of replacements on the carb, oil filter, Battery, spark plug, oil seals, starter AND starter solenoid and she still won't start. The main thing I cant get my head around though is that the neutral light goes green when I turn the key but as soon as I flick the engine stop switch to "run" the light goes out and still have no power to anything. This video does shed some light on parts like the CDI that may have something to do with it but I'm no pro and just like leaning about these things so if anyone has any pointers I am all ears! Thanks for the video 👍

[@owenbevans6062]

I have a 29 year old Yamaha Timberwolf, the ignition switch is bad. I have to turn it to an exact spot to get it to fire. It will crank over but not fire until you find that spot. Just ordered me a new one after dealing with this for many years.

[@smokingsolder39]

I would probably check the resistance to ground on the spark plug. It might be grounded at the switch to shut the engine down.

[@henryeldridge6612]

I am going through the same problem I just changed the whole stator and pick up coils

[@AnJelloP.]

Hey I need some help where do you find the scamatics to olm out the cdi. Regulators etc

[@kentuckycornbread8502]

Anytime I buy aftermarket for my 98 Honda foreman, I comb over the reviews of the part in depth. If has less than 10 reviews I pass on the part until I find one with more reviews. As far as no spark, maybe something deadening it from the ignition or rectifier would be my guess. I really enjoyed an atv video.

[@bevis226]

Those old Yamahas were known for the Voltage Regulator to over charge after a few years. It would cook the CDI and the pickup coil.

[@jmancilla4339]

Hi, Where did you buy your aftermarket cdi box? How is it running now?..I have a 2009 Big bear 250 and it has the same engine and spark plug placement and carb looks the same too. Im also having issue cranking. I can hear it turning but thats it..It sporadically cranks but after 20 or 30 seconds after it does,it revs up pretty high.I shut it off after it revs up too high and when I try to crank it up again it just turns..im thinking its my cdi box too but not quite 100% sure.

[@donnierowland3677]

Would be nice if people updated these videos. What was the problem?

[@dennisparchman1384]

I got the exact same one for a Timberwolf 250

[@SmallEngineDIY]

👍👍

[@armyvet4081]

Check the kill switch

[@boots7859]

Yeah, its always one problem to start with, then suddenly it turns into 2, then 3, etc. You seem to know your way around electrical, so aside from the bad parts it might be further up the chain as Smoking Solder says. You might want to try to find a forum for better suggestions on where to buy parts than waiting for someone on YT. So, a couple fuel system issues, and at least 1 bad pu coil that needs to be replaced, plus maybe a stray ground somewhere or do those things have a neutral-safety type switch inline? Prob worth it to buy the Yamaha OEM parts. I buy a lot from Rock Auto, but had a couple cam sensors that were crap and not worth returning, bought the economy versions instead of the mid-range... didn't end up saving much money after going back and buying the mid-range for like $1-15 more.

[@SmallEngineDIY]

It has been tough to find the parts (pickup coil) that are within spec. I've tried two of them and they were both out of spec right out of the box.

[@snowball1465]

@@SmallEngineDIY I have a 2008 Yamaha tw200 that the pickup coil measures out of spec but works fine. Replaced the cdi 4000 miles ago and haven’t had a problem since. Still the same original factory pickup

[@bigjimbo560]

@@snowball1465 where did you buy the cdi?

[@jasonbentley6079]

I worked on many ATVs and I've learned from off-brand parts electrical go with the name brand parts from Yamaha but like for carburetors and stuff I've learned carburetors work good but electrical go with your name brand

[@gillesbernard5406]

c est tres bon

[@TravisCadello]

Ever figure issue out? Mines been running fine and left us stranded on a trail 15 miles out…. No spark

[@dirtbikewrecker4475]

Did you get your fixed? How?

[@timrussell1559]

Fought my 99 beartracker for 2 weeks trying to trace down the exact same issue. It turned out to be the ignition switch was sending a constant ground to the cdi box(the ignition switches are a known problem with the beartracker, timberwolf and big bear due to water inclusion) i clipped the wire that grounds the cdi and have never had another problem in 2 years of use. I left it this way and just shut the engine off with the kill switch

[@SmallEngineDIY]

Thanks, that's good to know.

[@gettindrunker]

Could you please share which wire that is? I have a 2002 I saved from the scrap yard with no spark! Thanks in advance!

[@AJRay-db1dr]

Yamaha is mostly Japanese parts and product got mine runing ran good set for about a month it started popping and backfiring when I went to start an engine went into a stuck position got it unstuck an now it just backfires want start lol who knows

[@SmallEngineDIY]

Maybe check the valves and the timing chain

[@stayonit8026]

Valves need adjusted my guess

[@AJRay-db1dr]

@@SmallEngineDIY timing chain

[@AJRay-db1dr]

@@stayonit8026 timing chain an vavles was it

[@pierluigimancuso1225]

You probably have a bad stator.

[@donnierowland3677]

That was my thought, the whole video. Or a short in the off/run switch

[@MLGtroll365]

Sounds like these bear trackers stuck ass!! Lol

[@SmallEngineDIY]

It's running great now...

[@ZillaThe5_0]

@@SmallEngineDIY what was the issue

[@bigjimbo560]

@@SmallEngineDIY what was the problem? please let us know

[@donnierowland3677]

These are the best machines you can find

[@rickdacus1818]

tRY REPLACING THE SPARK COIL, TRACE IT BACK FROM THE SPARK PLUG. pLEASE TURN OFF THE AIR COMPRESSOR WHILE MAKING THE VIDEO.

[@markdooley4047]

Check all wires

[@markdooley4047]

I have the same beartrcker having problems with tunning carb

[@mrgoldendeel]

@@markdooley4047 same here, did you get yours running?

[@phil463]

man, you would have been so much better off with a honda recon. Yamaha's and their electrical bs. smh