txt 280 2000 model wont start

karlk94

New member
Need some advice, bought a gas gas 280TXT 2 weeks ago it is a 2000 model. It was running when I bought it and it looked a nice bike for the year, Got the bike home and changed the oil as the last owner said it was probably due an oil change. I kicked it over to warm the bike up before going out on it straight after an oil change, Drove up the road going through the gears at a slow steady pace then all of a sudden the bike died. I have spent a full week looking over the bike, changing spark plug and cap also changed the coil to a fully brand new one, checked carb and all is good and plug is wet after kicking and also replaced air filter with a brand new one. I removed the fly wheel and cleaned inside the case then replaced with a brand new gasket. I have checked all earths and have cleaned with contact cleaner also disconnected the kill switch but has never started since cutting out. It?s as if it ran out of fuel but it is getting fuel still as nothing is blocked and im at a total loss with the bike.
 
Are you sure you don't have a spark? Does the plug produce a spark if you use a new plug, connect it to the HT lead and ground and kick the engine over?
 
i pressed the plug againt the head and didnt get a spark but a few friends said the same that have had or have the same bike as me but once the plug is in the head it fires straight up so i honestly have no clue ive checked every conection on the bike.
 
Find attached some info. from the old "tech section" of what is now trialspartsusa.

Don't know if it will help, but it discusses how to test the coil and stator, among other things.

I think you will really like that bike when you get it going! I have an '01 TXT 321. It is lots of fun and has great, "un-stallable" power. The 280 will be similar, I believe, and makes a very good tight single-track trail bike.

Have success!

Jeff

View attachment TXT Electrical Information PDF.pdf
 
i have changed coil and stator only thing left is the voltage regulator and cdi but cant find any online sadly
 
A friend of mine had a similar vintage GG trials bike that would not spark. It ended up just being the the pickup at the flywheel had too big of a gap. Once the gap was closed up a bit if fired straight away.
 
i have changed coil and stator only thing left is the voltage regulator and cdi but cant find any online sadly

trialspartsusa.com (219-474-6656)
lewisportusa.com
www.splatshop.co.uk

These guys know all!

I'd suggest giving Jim a call at the number above. If he doesn't have it, he will likely know who does! And he'd probably be willing to talk through what you're experiencing and further diagnose.

Jeff
 
Well, then the next thing i would do is test the integrity of of the wiring harness. It's unlikely, but not impossible, that a wire in the harness has failed, and that failure is causing lack of spark.

I had an old bmw where the wire INSIDE the insulation failed, and it would lose spark very intermittently. i had to check continuity in every wire, while moving the wiring harness. crazy.

Did you also replace your timing pickup, or test it for continuity/resistance? Without that signal, your CDI won't know when to spark.

I think this has been covered, but remove ALL ground leads, polish them and their mating surfaces, and reattach. I've chased bad grounds before.
 
Testing the stator and pickup coil wiring to the cdi should be fairly simple. Then from sparkplug to cdi. Also remove kill switch.
 
coil is fine as its new, stator is fine as been tested with a multi metre, swapped cdi form a friends bike and fired up 2nd kick, rang every trials bike dealer or breaker in the space of a week and unable to get me a new or used one any where. the bike is in pristene condition and im cutting my losses and breaking for parts.
 
Before you throw in the towel, you might want to try one thing. Can't hurt.

Around 2010, i decided to build my own ignition for my EC300. (Long story.) Anyway, l learned quite a bit about CDI ignitions, and from that, i offer something inexpensive to try.

For $25US, you can buy a CDI for a Honda CRF 50. Please see https://www.crf50.com/trail-bikes-cdi-honda-crf50-xr50.html

It wires up just like a "normal" cdi found on a two-stroke dirt bike. The advance curve might be a bit off, but at least you can make your bike run. it just might run well enough that you'll keep your bike.

I've attached the honda 50 wiring diagram which you can use as a reference.

Please let me know if you have questions.

UPDATE: I am curious, so i am ordering one of these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Performanc...Lv5PairwiseWeb&_trksid=p2386202.c100677.m4598

I will get this running on my EC300 (shelter in place project) and let you know how it goes. The documentation here seems a bit better.
 

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So, i ordered the CRF 50 $15 ignition. of course, things never go as well as you hope, but I was able to make it work.

I used my (spare) Kukosan ignition as my reference. I have a Taig lathe, so i can run the ignition up to about 5K RPM. (I can go 11K with my mill, but i don't think that i need it for this).

Anyway, i measured the advance of the CRF 50 ignition and i compared to the stock ignition on my GG ec300. Low speed and high speed advance are about the same! I used my timing light, and both advance zones are within a degree of each other. I don't know how the trials bikes are, but combustion is combustion, so it would probably work just fine.

Anyway, if you find yourself with a dead CDI, you can fix it for $15.

I haven't put this on the bike yet because it's still cold and snowy. If i have time, i'll mount it to the bike and see how it works. It seems fine on the bench.
 

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just wanted to say i finally got a cdi from australia, i rewired the bike with fresh cable and leads and chopped out all the unnecessary things i.e lights and horn wires that arent connected and one all put back together it fired straight up first kick.
 
just wanted to say i finally got a cdi from australia, i rewired the bike with fresh cable and leads and chopped out all the unnecessary things i.e lights and horn wires that arent connected and one all put back together it fired straight up first kick.

Great news. My $13US ignition is due at my house Monday. I'll see if it works. If it does, might be nice to have a spare.

I am glad that your bike is running.
 
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