One thing I’ve recently learned is that there is a vibration plate available for the Leopard and the X30 for the sole purpose of trying to save the starters from getting shaken to death. Don’t know anything about their efficacy, if anyone does would like to hear about it. https://cometkartsales.com/Leopard-Starter-Brushes-Vibration-Plate/
A 2-cycle needs three things to start; fuel, spark and compression of which you seem to have all three when using an external starter. Assuming that the engine turns over much faster on the external. The faster cranking speed could be giving the engine greater spark or compensating for low compression and more fuel to the carb.
Is the battery you’re using a 7.2Ah or a 9Ah?
Tony is right, but let me add to it; compression, both primary and secondary, spark “at the right time”, fuel. Those 4 things and it’s got to run.
Try a new spark plug, buy a compression gauge!! Oh, and be sure it’s a good one. Pep Boys doesn’t sell a good one! COMPRESION IS THE HOLY GRAIL I hear Sears has a good one, about $100. Snap-on’s is $200.
Is the starter not staying engaged while cranking? If so you either have a lack of power at the battery or a voltage drop somewhere in the circuit. You can test for voltage drop with a good meter but it may be faster to use jumper cables to go from the battery negative to the starter case. And from the battery positive to the starter. This will rule out the cables. If you put a meter on the battery what does the voltage read while cranking?
Would low compression cause the bendix to disengage prematurely? That’s the issue he’s describing here.
I haven’t seen that myself, but that’s not to say it couldn’t happen. Maybe the engine can get enough momentum to disengage the bendix without starting of the compression is low enough?
I have never seen low compression cause that. Plus if it was low enough he would have issues starting it with an external starter. This all started after changing the ignition switch/ start button, is that correct? Does this starter have a solenoid? If so maybe the new switch isn’t allowing enough current to the solenoid. Does anyone have a diagram they can post?
Just want to be clear here. Are you saying you turn the key/press the button and the starter begins to spin and stays spinning, but the bendix gear is not being thrown out to engage the ring gear/flywheel on the engine?
If so here is a list of things to check:
The Battery. New or not, has it been fully charged? Does it have sufficient Cold Cranking Amps to do the job? I think is is supposed to be around 100-125 CCA. A weak battery will not allow the starter to spin fast enough for the counter-weight in the bendix to ride up the shaft and hold engagment.
The Starter. Does is spin easily if you turn the shaft by hand with no binding anywhere? Magnetic resistance is normal. Drive side of the starter shaft has a bearing, the tail end of the can has a bushing. If you are feeling any stiffness in the rotation of the shaft it could be something internal out of alignment. A brush, a bushing or a fixed magnet contacting the windings.
The Bendix. Similar to the starter as far as actuating it by hand. Does drive gear ride up and down the shaft smoothly? If so, move on.
Electrical. Voltage drops can tell you a lot, but only about the circuit you are testing. Start at the battery connections and measure the change in voltage at rest and during cranking. Compare that to voltage drop at the starter. Connect your leads to the positive post on the side of the starter and to the starter housing (this is assuming you have the grounding cable from the wire harness attached to the starter housing already). Next compare drop from the positive lead on the starter to negative terminal on the battery. Report back your voltage drops from each contact point. If you are getting close readings at each connection point, the issue is likely mechanical or just a weak battery (depending on the voltage readings). If you are getting varied readings then it is likely electrical. The most common would be a bad ground somewhere. Usually they are either loose or have corrosion. I believe the Leopard only uses a single ground from the battery to the starter housing. It also grounds the electronics to the battery, but is only needed during cranking (low speed operation) otherwise the circuit can ground through the coil and magneto assembly (part of how it charges during operation).
Let me know what you find.
Throwing this out here for other comments. To possibly eliminate the battery, used the battery from his external starter. Would take a couple lengths of heavy gauge wire plus some ring-connectors or the use a set of jumper cables. Don’t think that would damage the starter motor.
Thanks for the input Tony it’s a new 9ah
There were a lot of great suggestions in this thread. Happy you got your issue resolved.
Is it resolved? Only heard the battery was sufficient capacity, not that is was ruled out or anything else. @Budman, were you able to get it starter with the battery alone?
No not really ,with holidays and all haven’t gotten into it. After throwing new parts at it and it still happened got frustrated and will use an external .
Thanks everyone for your input.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to all and see you in the pits @ Daytona next week
Good evening, for the last 6 months I have lost my mind with one iame leopard 125…I do not have a spark in the spark plug, sometimes he has is very weak
I put a new spark plug
new multiplier
all grounding is OK.
and I also have a question,in the multiplier is nowhere + .??
Maybe you have a bad magneto/stator. There should be a small lead coming from the wire harness that the magneto on the inboard side of the engine sends power (+) to the coil (multiplier). There are two moments in the magneto’s rotation cycle, first is to build a charge and second is to release the charge. If the magneto is not sending enough current to build a charge, then the coil will not fire or will fire very weak and not generate a spark.
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that is, I need a new coil. I have searched and I do not find anywhere
what is this cable that is wrapped around.?
It’s the RPM sensor from your gauge.
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