El Tigre 5000 1980 runs backwards - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

goodneighbor · 12-11-2005, 06:49 PM

Please dont think I'm joking. A long faced neighbor kid has a broken sled and I am helping him fix it. I suspected the ignition coil went bad and replaced it. It would seem hard to imagine anything with that being wrond. The CDI box was also replaced with an aftermarket unit which they had already bought. The original definitely makes no spark. You can pull it and it will grab the rope and fire backwards and actually runs OK. I tried the static timing at different settings and had the same result. I tried turning the flywheel 180 degress and re-installed without the key to prove my theory. It wanted to fire but I'm sure the timing was far enough off to make it not run. I suspect the CDI is somehow making it fire on the downstroke by some internal difference. Reversing plug wires didn't fix it either. I was afraid to monkey with it's wires until I know more. I have also considered if the ignition plate was in 180 off, but it is not. I am trying to locate an OEM CDI to try. I either need to find an answer or get him a big mirror. Any help would be greatly appreciated. PS- It does pull correctly, then hiccups and fires backward, grabbing the rope

**smallengineguy** · 12-11-2005, 06:53 PM

How is it firing backwards if you pull the rope the correct way? It's supposed to pull from the bottom, making it turn clockwise when looking at it from the right hand side. Is it snapping back in your hand?

goodneighbor · 12-11-2005, 07:01 PM

It does pull the correct way, then yanks it back and starts revere direction

**smallengineguy** · 12-11-2005, 07:34 PM

That is WEIRD! Never seen that!

goodneighbor · 12-11-2005, 07:41 PM

Doing a little surfing, I found that there are Rotax engines in snowmobiles that do this on purpose by controlling the timing for reverse direction. Who knew? I does definitely point to timing, and I have tried every index from the 22 degrees recommended to both ends of the marks, so I'm sure that is not going to fix it. Thanks.

killacatz · 12-11-2005, 08:52 PM

i had a banshee do the exact same thing it turned out the stator was bad . and the funny thing was it checked out ok, it confused the crap out of me . back fired like crazy and when u retarded the timing it ran a little better

arcticman · 12-11-2005, 11:30 PM

I had an old kawasaki 340 do the same thing, I would pull the rope , it would tear out of my hands & start , i finally figured out it was running backwards after i put belt on,
It sheared the keyway slot on the crankshaft & spun the flywheel halfway around until it jammed there. Hence timing was 180* out & made it run backwards. I believe that is how the electronic reverse works on the new sleds, they are reversing the timing 180 to make them stall & restrart backwards.
Because 2 stroke engines dont have camshafts they can run either direction.

**RJ Gleason** · 12-12-2005, 02:30 PM

try inverting the input wires to the cdi.

goodneighbor · 12-13-2005, 05:42 AM

Do you mean the main wires to the CDI? There is a black/white- a red and a solid black. I thought about switching the black/white with the red hoping it would reverse polarity, but was afraid to get it wrong and sizzle the unit.

Thanks,

Bob

goodneighbor · 12-13-2005, 05:44 AM

PS- Thanks for the advice from those who responded.

mctyier · 12-15-2005, 12:22 PM

is the kids name max by any chance??