Makita EA4300F ignition coil failure?

[Steve]

Ok fellas, my 4300 has sat since last year and when I went to start it, it started and ran only at an idle. Once I touch the throttle it stalls and dies. One pull restart and same thing, touch the throttle it dies. Figured it a carb issue. Pulled the carb and there was some gunk in the screen. Nice, cleaned the carb and put it back on. Same thing. Messed with the carb some more and made no difference. Still starts, idles all day long, but touch the throttle it dies. Put a new sparkplug in it for grins, no change. Pressure/vac checks ok too.

So I order a original ZAMA carb. Put it on and no change. Starts, idles all day, dies if you touch the throttle. I've had two huskys do something similar and an echo blower do the same thing and all ended up being ignition coils. Haven't heard anything bad about these ignition coils. Have heard of goofy flywheel things with the dolmars but the saw ran great when I put it away. Anyone have a good way to test the coil and flywheel before I dump a ton of money on an OE coil or flywheel?

 

[bigbadbob]

Fresh gas??
I had an engine do the same ,, was oldish gas

 

[Steve]

Fresh gas??
I had an engine do the same ,, was oldish gas

Yes, fresh gas.

 

[ammoaddict]

Ok fellas, my 4300 has sat since last year and when I went to start it, it started and ran only at an idle. Once I touch the throttle it stalls and dies. One pull restart and same thing, touch the throttle it dies. Figured it a carb issue. Pulled the carb and there was some gunk in the screen. Nice, cleaned the carb and put it back on. Same thing. Messed with the carb some more and made no difference. Still starts, idles all day long, but touch the throttle it dies. Put a new sparkplug in it for grins, no change. Pressure/vac checks ok too.

So I order a original ZAMA carb. Put it on and no change. Starts, idles all day, dies if you touch the throttle. I've had two huskys do something similar and an echo blower do the same thing and all ended up being ignition coils. Haven't heard anything bad about these ignition coils. Have heard of goofy flywheel things with the dolmars but the saw ran great when I put it away. Anyone have a good way to test the coil and flywheel before I dump a ton of money on an OE coil or flywheel?

If can find out the specs you might can test it with an ohm meter cold and then warm after idling. You could try one of these so you can see the spark while it's running.

 

[CJ Brown]

Did you try disconnecting the kill switch wire from the coil to see if there is any difference?

 

[Steve]

Did you try disconnecting the kill switch wire from the coil to see if there is any difference?

Yes.

 

[redline4]

Yes.

Take it to work with you tomorrow and have one of the fluffers hold the coil wire while you mash the throttle.
You'll at least know if your losing spark...

 

[Steve]

Take it to work with you tomorrow and have one of the fluffers hold the coil wire while you mash the throttle.
You'll at least know if your losing spark...

That's if they show up. Might be Wednesday before one decides to come to work.

Had one call in Friday because he had not slept in 3 days and he was feeling real fatigued. Get off the drugs dude...

 

[Gizzard]

Couple years back, the 420 Dolmar I had started acting same symptoms as your 4300. Replaced carb with new one, and several other repairs. Finally, replaced ignition module with new one and it was fixed.

 

[drf256]

Check Muffler outlet/screen. Check take vent.

Fuel line and filter could be soft or bad too.

Doesn’t sound like the coil to me. Coils usually all or none and worse when hot. Not generally a spool-up thing.

 

[Gizzard]

Steve, I’ll give you a call sometime today on a break and mention what have and all that replaced. Two dealers worked well with me on the saw and everything replaced.

 

[Steve]

Check Muffler outlet/screen. Check take vent.

Fuel line and filter could be soft or bad too.

Doesn’t sound like the coil to me. Coils usually all or none and worse when hot. Not generally a spool-up thing.

Muffler screen is clear. Tank vent ok, won't hold a vacuum. Fuel line is ok. Filter is new.

 

[stretch5881]

I've had a lot of weird stuff with coils. Used to be either it fires or it don't, especially when hot. Now with the chip for advance in them, the symptoms really make you scratch your head. I've also thrown a lot of time and money into them chasing symptoms, only to find out it's the coil.

 

[Steve]

I've had a lot of weird stuff with coils. Used to be either it fires or it don't, especially when hot. Now with the chip for advance in them, the symptoms really make you scratch your head. I've also thrown a lot of time and money into them chasing symptoms, only to find out it's the coil.

That's why I believe it's a coil too. The echo blower I had would start super easy and idle great and when you opened the throttle it would just barely come off an idle and sound like it was super rich and eventually stall flooded out.

The two husky saws I had one would surge badly when you opened the throttle like bouncing off a cars rev limiter and never went above 5k rpm. The other did exactly what my 4300 is doing.

I bought a cheap chinesium coil this morning for testing. Best price I could find on an OE coil was $85 shipped! Yikes!

 

[ammoaddict]

That's why I believe it's a coil too. The echo blower I had would start super easy and idle great and when you opened the throttle it would just barely come off an idle and sound like it was super rich and eventually stall flooded out.

The two husky saws I had one would surge badly when you opened the throttle like bouncing off a cars rev limiter and never went above 5k rpm. The other did exactly what my 4300 is doing.

I bought a cheap chinesium coil this morning for testing. Best price I could find on an OE coil was $85 shipped! Yikes!

I've got a cheap Chinese coil that's been running for years. If it fixes it, I would run it, probably last a very long time.

 

[Steve]

I've got a cheap Chinese coil that's been running for years. If it fixes it, I would run it, probably last a very long time.

I hope if it fixes it it last a while.

I put a Chinese coil on that echo blower and it lasted a year. Just went oe after that.

The Husqvarna coils are cheap for an OE coil on their homeowner line.

 

[CJ Brown]

If the replacement coil doesn't change anything, maybe try running it without the air filter and see if any change occurs.

 

[Steve]

If the replacement coil doesn't change anything, maybe try running it without the air filter and see if any change occurs.

Did that first. No difference.

 

[drf256]

How annoying.

 

[Steve]

How annoying.

Right! Chainsaws are stupid.