Possible bad CDI (ignition) unit

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Waylander

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
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Location
Tauranga, New Zealand
Still having the same problem with my bike, right front cylinder has no spark.

Have checked the plugs, have checked the leads, coils and the wire from CDI to coil. All are good. Next step is checking the CDI but I haven't got a clue how to do this without replacing it.

Do any of y'all know how to check it or perhaps if there are any other bikes that would have the same unit? Make it easier to find another one.
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Waylander, other than a spare unit. There is a guy here in the States that repairs them. He has a spare that he sends out so people so may check with him. His name is Bob De Grippo and his email addy is [email protected].

Mark
#1098
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Just sent him an Email but hopping I can find one down here.

Knowing what other bikes use the same unit would help improve my chances. Vmaxs are hens teeth down here. I'm one of maybe 30 guys in the country with one
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Maybe e-mail this guy also and ask him what his definition of "Funny" is.
Maybe his definition is the same as yours these days. (??) Might have an answer for you, who knows??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VMAX...RONIC-BOX_W0QQitemZ230148549225QQcmdZViewItem

Also saw this below "Running on 3 cylinders" - ??http://www.awol.co.za/vmax_tech_tips.htm

Hi Hans
I would say that one needs to check the battery first. Under 8.9 volts it will not fire the igniter (CDI) so that is a starting point in case we are getting close to deadline voltage. Then check the CDI unit. An oiled plug is obviously the culprit cylinder (check fuel is getting thru to that cylinder and there is spark on that HT lead)
I have copied our Deon van Wyk here, as Deon experienced an unusual problem on his VMax recently. It may be a pointer.
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Still having the same problem with my bike, right front cylinder has no spark.

Have checked the plugs, have checked the leads, coils and the wire from CDI to coil. All are good. Next step is checking the CDI but I haven't got a clue how to do this without replacing it.

Do any of y'all know how to check it or perhaps if there are any other bikes that would have the same unit? Make it easier to find another one.

Just curious if you have a Service manual? There is a section to test all the ignition components.
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Maybe e-mail this guy also and ask him what his definition of "Funny" is.
Maybe his definition is the same as yours these days. (??) Might have an answer for you, who knows??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VMAX...RONIC-BOX_W0QQitemZ230148549225QQcmdZViewItem

Also saw this below "Running on 3 cylinders" - ??http://www.awol.co.za/vmax_tech_tips.htm

Hi Hans
I would say that one needs to check the battery first. Under 8.9 volts it will not fire the igniter (CDI) so that is a starting point in case we are getting close to deadline voltage. Then check the CDI unit. An oiled plug is obviously the culprit cylinder (check fuel is getting thru to that cylinder and there is spark on that HT lead)
I have copied our Deon van Wyk here, as Deon experienced an unusual problem on his VMax recently. It may be a pointer.
Yea I ran into that site the other day. Cleaned all the connections as suggested and still didn't solve the problem.

Just curious if you have a Service manual? There is a section to test all the ignition components.
Didn't see anything on checking the CDI though.
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Yea I ran into that site the other day. Cleaned all the connections as suggested and still didn't solve the problem.


Didn't see anything on checking the CDI though.

How about this site? I know is a Yamaha Vision bike, but it is close in most respects. To bad we don't have as good a site for our bikes.

http://www.jetav8r.com/Vision/IgnitionFAQ.html

I just finished having a problem with mine Max running on only 3 cylinders. the rear right one was cold and the power was way down. All the diagnostics from the manual showed good. I had the spark plug wires off, and spark plug out multiple times, couldn't easily swap coils or wires cause the wires are the Nology and are tethered with ground wires and the bolt was a pain to get to. The coils were modified cause the Previous Owner added T-Boost and (sadly) affected the connectors. So, I jumped to the conclusion that it must be that TCI (Not CDI!) box in the middle of the neck area and dug in. Got the box unscrewed and out the left side and disconnected the plugs. The thing looks very much like a computer hard drive. I unscrewed the 4 small screws to get the top off, to find it is glued on too. I took a sharp chisel and rubber hammer and smacked it all along the seam (knowing that these things are $400-500 new) and got the top off, mostly on the seam. I found I was looking at the back of the circuit board with the box connectors going thru the box and solidly soldered onto the board with 18 pins. Undaunted, and without a solder sucker, I figured that if I blew compressed air across the board after melting the solder, that I would suck out the solder and blow it away (using Bernoulli's principle). Didn't work, sprayed melted solder into the corner and everywhere in between. I was able to clean up this mess though and made sure that no pins were directly shorted to any others. Then I got out my dremel with a cut off abrasive disk and cut the box off on the side of the connectors. Mostly melted the plastic box but not too hard to do. This uncovered an absolutely pristine board that looked like it just left the factory, but at least now I know. I did take a bunch of pictures if people would like to see more than the crappy looking boards that I saw in the web. I was able to glue the box back together (love that gorilla glue) and used GE silicon to get a waterproof seal all around. Its just as solid as it ever was, now. But the damn bike still ran on 3 jugs after I reassembled it. Damn, now what to do! I still didn't prove that the TCI board was good, just that there was no obvious damage. Then it occurred to me that it was easy to swap the rear spark plugs, so I did and it started up with all 4 cylinders running strong, whee! One other thing I did along the way was to put the battery on a charger keep it charged while I was chasing the problem, but I don't think that was significant. My charging system seems good and the battery is only 2.5 years old. It's not an Odyssey tho, I'll get one of those for the next one. So, I still need to get new spark plugs, but it's been running great for 3 days now.

Hope this helps someone, but read the site listed above. I am more knowledgeable about the technology after having read the info at the site above. Start with the simple stuff, but really, I've been wanting to rip into that TCI box for a while now. Still haven't ripped open the oil pan to check the "dreaded O-Ring popout problem". But I am iching to do that too.

Steve
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Stop at Radio shack and get you a solder sucker,They have cheap ones.I prefer the iron with the bulb built in for sucking out the solder.

Keep some plugs on hand too.I started running AC 4163's and love them.Less than $5 a set at Advance Auto.
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

Yea I ran into that site the other day. Cleaned all the connections as suggested and still didn't solve the problem.


Didn't see anything on checking the CDI though.

No,but the tests eliminate everything and all that is left is to replace the CDI. What year is your bike? I'll see if I know anyone with a spare one they can loan you.
 
Re: Possible bd CDI (ignition) unit

No,but the tests eliminate everything and all that is left is to replace the CDI. What year is your bike? I'll see if I know anyone with a spare one they can loan you.
My bike is an 85, Markings on the TCI say TID14-43 1FK-10

Mannaged to find one from a small wrecker in another town but it's a TID14-93 3JP-11, doesn't work in my bike.
 
The pickup coils fit over the flywheel and send p/u signals to the CDI. Depending on year of bike there's a connector near the battery. Older models have 5 wires I think....new 2 wires.

Mark
#1098
 
My chrome bike did the same thing as far as running like shit. Since it was a new engine at the time I rechecked the cams since it seemed like that was the problem. Ended up swapping everything (nice to have spares) and the last thing I ended up with was the CDI. Swapped it and fixed the problem! Not sure if I have any good ones left but if so I could send it to you (if you either do it yourself or take it to the shop) and let you try that.

Sean Morley
 
The pickup coils fit over the flywheel and send p/u signals to the CDI. Depending on year of bike there's a connector near the battery. Older models have 5 wires I think....new 2 wires.

Mark
#1098
Would putting a different flywheel in there do that?
And mine is an older one, as old as they get really...


Sean, managed to find another flywheel off an 85(same as mine) and tried it, it changed nothing so it's not the CDI/Ignition unit.

Left it at the shop so they're gonna take a look at it for me to find the problem and fix it, and try to find out why my Vboost hasn't worked in quite some time, I actually do not ever remember hearing the servos check themselves when I turn the bike on. But I know it's got Vboost because all the components are there.
 
The pickup coils fit over the flywheel and send p/u signals to the CDI. Depending on year of bike there's a connector near the battery. Older models have 5 wires I think....new 2 wires.

Mark
#1098
Are you psychic? Pick-ups are fucked. Seems the wire stripped itself which caused the coils to overload or something like that. It's also toasted the Stator (the thing with all the loops of wire that the flywheel spins around to make a charge)

Now since I have to replace the pick ups, someone here mentioned something about the cloth wrapping on the wires acting like a candle wick for the engine oil and causing a leak. MY question is what should I replace that with and does anyone have one?
 
Are you psychic? Pick-ups are fucked. Seems the wire stripped itself which caused the coils to overload or something like that. It's also toasted the Stator (the thing with all the loops of wire that the flywheel spins around to make a charge)

Now since I have to replace the pick ups, someone here mentioned something about the cloth wrapping on the wires acting like a candle wick for the engine oil and causing a leak. MY question is what should I replace that with and does anyone have one?

Only the earlier years have the cloth wrap. They changed the wrap at a later year (not sure which year), so that would be the better year pick ups to order IF they are compatible with your year bike.
 
red98vmax, The pickups and stator were fucked. Found some pickups down Christchurch way here in NZ for $198NZD nd a Stator from the guy on Ebay I linked to in the stator thread for $150USD including shipping new one here and mine back to him.


Not back on the road yet as the parts have not arrived yet but should be within the next two weeks. Just in time to make the last two sessions at the dragstrip for this season.
 
IT's now back in my garage just begging me to ride it and damn do I feel that itch. Shit weather here today though but I'm probably gonna ride anyway. It's only water.

Just need to tighten up few loose hoses. My Vboost was a bit off don't know what it was cause the guy that worked on it wasn't there but I'll find out in a week or two when he gets back from vacation. Pulls like a sex starved whore now. I almost fell off when I hit it jut riding it home from the shop.
 

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