New starting problem Leopard

[Marty Troup]

07  leopard

Has been Flawless for 5 years and now is having starting issues.

I was acting like a weak battery as it would start to turn over then disengage the starter

New battery and still the same but it would start sometimes very few and sometimes it would crank over fine but would not start….new plug still no run then it would start and run fine on track but in pits with low idle it would die and would not start again.

I rebuilt starter and still would act strange.. it would crank over fine but would not fire up. It seemed to try to start in the first 1/2 second but would not catch or fire like it had no spark..

1:   Is it the ignition box

2: Has anyone had the same trouble..

Thanks fore any Help!!

[Roberto Perez]

How does it start with external?

 

 

[Roberto Perez]

How does it start with external? 

 

 

[Marty Troup]

I do not have one anymore sold it two years ago..

It is always like that..

[Juan David Gomez]

Check the grounding

[tony zambos]

Marty,

+1 for the other two suggestions.  Did you do anything else besides working on the starter like pulling out the plug or removing the carb?  From where did you purchase the replacement battery?  I’ve bought some from battery stores  that were useless on a Leopard

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Marty Troup]

I have tried all above and one in 25 times it will start and then it will not start.

It will attempt to turn over than the bendix disengages or will act like a low battery

then 2 seconds later it will turn over just fine but not fire up.

Battery is new even bought 2 and same..

Strange thing is that after starting if it idles it will die and this is new..

 

Thanks for the info!!

[Jay]

I wouldn’t expect the Leopard to idle well… although if yours used to but now doesn’t that is interesting. Someone suggested the ground strap–did you remove, clean, and reinstall the ground lug to your engine block? Check the coil wire clip where it connects near the clutch cover. Clean the tab and tighten the clip by crimping it gently a bit with pliers. When was the last time that you changed your fuel filter? A dirty/clogged fuel filter can upset your carburetion.

 

[Marty Troup]

fuel is fine

I rechecked and cleaned the grounding all was fine..

same as before it seemes to start on first try but if you stop it or let it die it will not start even when it turns over fine as if it has no spark then on the next try it will pop through the exhaust or it will seem to try to start for a split second..

Waiting for a external starter..

I see where some are switching to a key start that I do not know about

I have the last couple of leopards around here and there is no support near me. just the Rotax crowd…

 

[Matt Dixon]

Wiring harness they go bad all the time. Swap it out with a known working one test before buying a new one

 

94y

[Jay]

I had a Yamaha YZ that behaved this way… it turned out be that the flywheel woodruff key had sheared and the flywheel was slipping on the crankshaft. About once in 25 tries the motor would fire but as soon as I tried to rev it the flywheel would slip again causing the timing to change. The engine would stall and refuse to start for another 25 or so attempt until the flywheel happened to slip into a close-to-correct position.

[Marty Troup]

Thanks Jay,

When it runs it runs great just like before but it will not re-fire or seemes to die at low idle

this is new..

Strange actions I am leaning to the power pack as it seems like it is advancing the timing during starting IF Popping through exhaust and hard cranking—Then it will turn over normal but not fire up..

[Marty Troup]

Well not sure what or why but using the external starter it works fine.

It starts up great but when using the push button it will not start even when it turns over fine..?????

I changed the brushes and bearings but still the same..

I have a new starter box coming but the season is ending here so I will try it on this oneas the box is for my other leopard..

 

Thanks for the help just still unclear why it came up with this new problem..

[tony zambos]

Marty,
How many hours since the last top-end on this motor? Wondering if the current problem is being caused by low compression.

LAD Specialties customer / tony kart / rotax / kt100

[Marty Troup]

Thanks Tony but the compression is great and still run strong I think it is something in the box when you pull power to the starter it fails the spark circuit..

[Oscar Biondi]

Try a new plug

[Marty Troup]

Thanks Oscar.

It is not the plug I have tried new ones.

It will seem like it is the starter or low battery and try to turn over and pop through the exhaust and other times it will turn over fine but not fire,

I have cleaned all contacts and ran jumper ground cables from the battery ground to the starter housing and cylinder head with the same results.

When I start with the external Coleman it starts fine..

Thanks for any help.

[Bob Wimmer]

I had the same problem with my pre 08 Leopard.  I tried swapping every single ignition component with no success until I replaced the flywheel/rotor.  Turns out the magnets were noticeably weaker than on a new one.  I guess the weak magnets could not create enough of a field to charge the coil.  Good luck.

 

Bob

[Marty Troup]

Thanks Bob but did it start and run fine with a external starter.

It might be that as it is older but just happened after I changed the clutch

My clutch lasted 5 years until one arm broke..

Thanks and let me know if yours went the same..

[Bob Wimmer]

Mine started giving me problems after a complete rebuild (the flywheel side bearing failed).  First it wouldn’t start with the off-board starter, but started fine with the on-board.  After a few races it wouldn’t start with either.  Tried everything and nothing solved the problem until I replaced the flywheel.

 

Hope this helps.

[John Dignan]

Sounds lime a flywheel problem. Starts fine with external because you are turning the crank and with the on board starter the flywheel could be slipping

[Jim Russell, Jr]

I have seen issues similar to this where the bendix is full of chain lube. A dousing with WD-40 and brake cleaner to dissolve chain lube and a light oil to lubricate and things work great again.

Otherwise earlier suggestions have been spot on.

[Lake Speed]

I once had a problem that sounds exactly like this. It turned out that the fuel pump dia. was stretched too much.  I put in a new dia. and the problem went away.  I am talking about the phenolic one with out any holes or flapper valves.

[Josh Jensen]

Marty, has there been any updates yet?  I’ve having the same problem and at my wit’s end…I’m about 3 seconds to just buy a new engine…

[Marty Troup]

Sorry Josh I have been busy and there is still too much snow to try anything

but I have the new starter box with the wiring so I will try just the box first and if it still

has the trouble I will change the wiring.

It starts fine with the external starter and seems to run great.  I rebuilt the starter and re grounded everything with no help.

It is not the motor just in the wiring.

I will update when the snow melts and one of my tracks opens.

[Paul Jones]

Just had similar situation with my 09 Leopard. It would crank fine but would not fire. when I used external starter, it would crank and fire up and run just fine. Systematically I replaced all electrical components (stator, box, key switch, battery, checked all grounds, plug, starter relay, wiring harness (those pesky broken pins), and it still did the same. Spin but not fire from the key. Finally I replaced the coil and it fired right up. It appears the coil was weak. The remote starter spun the engine fast enough for the stator to put out enough volts to fire the coil, however under key start conditions, where it uses the battery to provide the volts to fire the coil, there was insufficient voltage for the weak coil to properly operate.

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