Yamaha Malta - electrical problem

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Hi, re Yamaha Malta electrical problem. Outboard will not start, preliminary checks show no spark at the plug when turning the engine over. Checked all the obvious electrical contacts and electrical stop button - all OK Any tips re fault finding to determine what may have failed? Checking on line, seems there is a generator, CDI unit and ignition coil, any suggestions as to how to determine which has failed?

Thanks!
 
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IF you are absolutely sure there are no obvious electrical shorts or broken wires and the stop button is Ok the most likely trouble is a dud CDI unit or dud ignition coil .... both too expensive to replace without proper diagnosis.

Diagnosis will require special equipment , or at lest a peak reading voltmeter or DVA attachment for a multimeter to check input to ignition coil.

Its actually quite easy to make a DVA adapter if you are in to simple electronics

But check the ignition coil primary and secondary. They should be 0.1 ohms and 2.6K ohms respectively.

Correct readings dont necessarily prove the ciol is OK but an open circuit will show its dud
 
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Thanks, I tried a brand new plug (spare on board) but made no difference.

I have a multimeter so can try resistance checks on the coil.
 
Had the same problem
It ended as a sticky stop button it was just the old fashioned one not kill cord type
The material had become cracked and was not returning to off positon ,
 
My first suspicion was the stop button, as the rubber has long cracked and failed. I fitted a kill cord switch some years ago and found that the switch circuit required to be closed to stop the outboard. I isolated the stop switch and kill cord switch as part of initial checks, but found the same problem persisted.
 
VicS said:
IF you are absolutely sure there are no obvious electrical shorts or broken wires and the stop button is Ok the most likely trouble is a dud CDI unit or dud ignition coil .... both too expensive to replace without proper diagnosis.

Diagnosis will require special equipment , or at lest a peak reading voltmeter or DVA attachment for a multimeter to check input to ignition coil.

Its actually quite easy to make a DVA adapter if you are in to simple electronics

But check the ignition coil primary and secondary. They should be 0.1 ohms and 2.6K ohms respectively.

Correct readings dont necessarily prove the ciol is OK but an open circuit will show its dud
Click to expand...
Hi Vic,
Just trying to revive my trusty Malta after several years out of use (Covid, move to a pontoon berth, etc.) but found it had no spark. Coil is short circuit ( reading is no greater than touching the meter terminals together) on input and open circuit on HT lead. I have bought a tested used item on eBay but was wondering whether the failure was 'secondary' i.e. a fault in the CDI may have caused the coil to fail.
Would it be advisable to use a DVA to test the CDI output or is a coil auto-failure common ?
Cheers
Bob
 
Hi Bob, I don't have much experience of outboards being new to boating but am a lifelong motorcycle nut!! I have found that in most cases the coil will be more likely to fail. I suppose the clincher would be the cost of a tester versus the cost of a new/replacement coil. As Yamaha/Suzuki/Honda etc all make outboard, bike and quad engines it would suggest that the parts would be interchangeable and my first thought would be to check out the likes of M&P for spares as anything that carries the tag "boating or marine" seems to have double or treble the price tag!!
 
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