New Member with a problem Honda 5518 No Spark!

   / New Member with a problem Honda 5518 No Spark! #1  

Ragtop

New member
Joined
Nov 9, 2011
Messages
3
Tractor
Honda 5518
Greetings forum members!

I came here to attempt to get some advise and help on my Honda 5518.
I have owned it for 6 years, and it has never once failed to start after sitting all spring, summer, and fall. I use it only for snow removal, mostly because
I felt it was way too much to work to transfer from the deck to the blower, so I just bought a second tractor for summer needs, enough of that.

Here is my problem, we just had a huge dump of heavy snow, and I after many attempts, the tractor won't start. After checking some, I'm not getting any spark at all. nothing coming out of the coils, and according to my meter, nothing going to the wire that fires the coils. Keep in mind, I am not a mechanic, just like to at least attempt to fix gthings myself.
I only have a downloaded version of the owners manual,. and the wiring diagram is barely readable. Does any one have a link to a download of a better wiring chart for the 5518?
I can barely read mine, but do see that the wire to the coil comes from the CDI, not sure where that is on the tractor, but the wires go up under the dash.
Any help would be greatly arrpeciated. Is it possible there is just some interlock that has gone bad, such as the seat switch? I can't read my diagram enough to even see that on there, can I just jumper it?
Any other interlocks I should be looking at? I have fuel, just no spark.
HELP!!
Sorry for the long post, and all the questions!
Have a great evening!
Larry A.
 
   / New Member with a problem Honda 5518 No Spark! #2  
Larry,

I have a Honda 4514 and from what I have been reading and experiencing with mine its the CDI. Mine is on the slow burn to failure, as it's starting rougher and rougher when cold each and every time. Once it's hot, she starts just fine, but when cold it just misses, coughs and gags, but she still goes at least for now!!

I would remove it and see if you can take to a dealer for some testing. I hear they are expensive, but so is having the tractor broke down!

Good luck..........

Craig
 
   / New Member with a problem Honda 5518 No Spark!
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks for the reply.
I have ordered a service manual, also found the parts on boat.net.
They have pics of the locations of the parts, it made finding them easier.
I've read about every post on 5518's on the net, and have found a lot of bad CDI on these machines, as well as the combination relay as causing the no spark condition. Some of them say the CDI's are subject to a cold condition, where you heat them up and they start working. Must be some cold solder joints somewhere in the CDI. Saw a pic of one that someone removed all the rubber surrounding the module, and there isn't much in there!
In my years as a computer tach, I found many problems to be cold solder joints.
I'm hoping the service manual will have steps to troubleshoot, and check the components to see what is actually bad before spending lots of $$ trying to
parts swap the problem.
The parts are pretty pricey, listed as follows..

38500-769-003 RELAY ASSY., COMBINATION (Honda Code 3691243). $198!!
31750-769-003 RECTIFIER, REGULATOR (Honda Code 3690989). $130
30580-758-801 MODULE, IGNITION CONTROL (CDI) (Honda Code 3508371). $157 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<the culprit?
Possibly could it be the pulser coil on the flywheel?
30400-ZG8-003 COIL ASSY., PULSER (Honda Code 3508348). $36

I will post my progress as I get it sorted out..
Thanks
LA in NH
 
   / New Member with a problem Honda 5518 No Spark!
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I heated up the ignition module (CDI) with a heat gun, and put it back in, guess what...It fired immediately!
At least I know where the problem is now, I might try to strip off the backing on the etch side of the module, and resolder the components in case there are any cold solder joints in there. This makes sense becuase I read where lots of people just push on the connector and get it running.
It might be as simple as a cold joint where the wiring connector is soldered to the circuit board.... if that doens't work, it's $157+ship for a new one..
I was so happy when it fired, I was doing yahoo's in the barn HAHAHAH
Peace
L A in NH
 
 
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