2018 Starter Fix Thread - Continued.

[Lurchio]

Hi guys new to the forum and new to GasGas also. I?m having big problems with my electric start. Worst part of the bike to be honest. I love the bike apart from this issue. How can I tell if my bike has had any of the aforementioned updates from dealer recalls? And if it?s had all of these why is it still not working on the button? Thanks.

[ssaulnier]

I checked the spark by leaving the original plug in the bike to keep a load on the starter and wiring. I pulled off the spark plug boot and inserted a new B8ES plug.

When I depressed the starter button there was no spark for 2 seconds then some spark for about a half second and then no spark for a couple seconds. I did this 3 times with the same results each time.

So while cranking when the engine is cold there is mostly no spark. The outside air temperature was 80 deg F.

[Neil E.]

Sounds like the CDI is being affected by voltage sag while cranking.

[ssaulnier]

I wonder if the starter is not turning the engine over fast enough for the generator to deliver sufficient voltage to the CDI to make it spark.

Or is the voltage regulator doing something strange?

My dealer says he never heard of larger diameter cables fixing this and never heard of a kit.

Dealer says that since the ignition is not battery powered he doesn't see how starter cables could effect the spark. Perhaps it has to do with the speed of the cranking being too low to generate spark.

Does anyone have any information I can send him about fixing this problem?

At any rate I got some 8 AWG wire and am going to run some ground wires to the starter and coil along with new wires between the battery Positive and relay and the starter.

[Jakobi]

My dealers 2018 demo used to do this. It definitely had nothing to do with cranking speed. It turned over like a rocket and continued to on the button. It simply wouldn't fire.

If he kicked it she'd go right away. Once started it would start on button.

I think he fixed it through cleaning up the ground points, but not certain..

[Enduroger]

Originally Posted by ssaulnier

My dealer says he never heard of larger diameter cables fixing this and never heard of a kit.

Dealer says that since the ignition is not battery powered he doesn't see how starter cables could effect the spark. Perhaps it has to do with the speed of the cranking being too low to generate spark.

Does anyone have any information I can send him about fixing this problem?

At any rate I got some 8 AWG wire and am going to run some ground wires to the starter and coil along with new wires between the battery Positive and relay and the starter.

The updated wires made a big difference on my 18 EC250. And with the bigger battery my starter haven't failed a single time.

If the starter cables can't deliver enough power from the battery the starter will take power from the alternator also which is probably why the ignition coil doesn't get enough power to create a spark.

[ssaulnier]

So is there any official fix documentation that I can share with my dealer?

I would like to educate them if there is actually a fix so that he can make future Gasgas riders happy with their bikes.

Every one that rides my bike loves it and wants one. But I always get it started first and warm it up a bit.....

[RudolfHucker]

Get your dealer to speak directly to the USA importer. That should have been their 1st port of call.

[GasGas]

Originally Posted by RudolfHucker

Get your dealer to speak directly to the USA importer. That should have been their 1st port of call.

The USA importer has no fix either.

[Booki]

I called up all the dealers within reasonable driving distance to me - only ONE had any idea what I was talking about.

They got in contact with Gas Gas for me and checked my VIN to see if any of the fix's have been done.

Its going in the next few days to get the following done;

Upgraded/Replacing battery cables
CDI Reflash
Flywheel replacement - Anybody share some light on this?

All free of charge.