The Heinkel Club sold me an electronic unit in 1991 that required a small amount of wire cutting and rearranging to turn an old points ignition into an electronic one. The points remained, but were given an easier job, since they were only regulating a low voltage current. The unit worked for about 15 years before it started acting up. Switching it back was easy, just moving a few wires. The points were like new. I have stayed with the original system because the points last at least 15 years. Probably because the engine redlines before 6000.
If it were me I'd stay with breaker points. CDI's are just too mysterious. An ignition system with points and a coil does just fine. Maintenance is easy enough. And if something is broken, there it is, broken. So you fix it. A broken CDI looks just like a good one, and if it's broken, you have to toss it.
Yes, I like to carry a spare, and I can install it. But it was explained to me that a CDI delivers a much more powerful and precise spark, and the new engines are designed for that. I couldn't tell the difference on my old scooter, it was made for points and doesn't have the lean burn specs or the high revs.
Both electronic and mechanical things wear out the only difference is that the mechanical one you can see the wear while the electronic one you can't see it wear down. Electronics slowly wears down and the performance isn't as good or it starts to act up then it fails rapidly after that. Thus the whole mystery thing that folks don't quiet comprehend and why JH always yaks about cause he don't get it. One thing that helps electronics last longer is keeping them cool. Now I wonder how close the ct110 engine is compared to the CRF/XR/Z 50 engines. I wonder if the crank on the stator side is more or less the same dimensions. Cause they are both more or less have the Cub DNA. If it is you can turn the ct110 into a 12v battery less cdi system...like the way I have my Tomos Honda moped setup.
That looks a lot like the stator on my Stella. The stator has a pulse generator built in. There are 2 wires from the stator to the CDI box. One is to charge up the CDI directly from the stator, the other is from the pulse generator, which triggers the CDI to discharge and send voltage to the HT coil. There is a magnet on the flywheel, and everytime it passes over the pulse coil, it triggers the CDI. The problem with a system like this is that if the stator fails, the ignition cannot be run off the battery. This is basically '70s Vespa technology, with the points replaced by a CDI. Both my old cars have mechanical points type regulators to control the field output, and they work fine. They can even be adjusted.
The Heinkel will run off just the battery if the system fails. It has points. This is from 1960, there is no CDI.
I did not get a lot done today because I'm busy getting ready for this family reunion I'm attending. But it looked like everyone was having a lot of fun on the thread! Useful information got passed around today and great ideas for everyone, whether scooters or motorcycles. Very cool. Wentwest~ Thank you for the clarity. I get what I need to do now. I did manage to get the tail light working but only with the foot brake, not with the hand brake. It still does not want to work. I will address this when I install the right handguard assembly along with my new harness as soon as it arrives from Beatrice. It really helped to clean and sand all the ground wires in the back brake light assembly as well as installing a new pigtail and light bulb. I hooked up my new battery, making certain to scrape away the paint where the green ground wire attaches to the body of the bike. I think it really made a difference. Thanks for stressing the importance of this. Now I'm all good to go and just have to wait for my new headlight bulbs to show up in the mail and the new rectifier/regulator that Yama suggested. Pretty soon, most of these growing pains should be behind me. I'm happy! (although I really love this bike, she is a little high maintenance for me, like most females. )
Don't thank me yet! I wasn't correct about your stator outputs so I'm not sure this would work with your present system, not saying it won't but it may take testing.
It's cool, it's all a journey..... The Oregon Trail....Right? Lets hope it doesn't end in cannibalism.
After going to the DRATV wedsite it seems like the 6 volt regulator/rectifier would work, according to their wiring diagrams. It's just a matter of tapping the yellow wire of the connector into the headlight circuit at some point.
A single carb on a twin is a great thing. I've owned 2 twins with just one carb. A 1996 Vulcan 1500 Classic, and an '04 Honda Rebel. Both ran just fine, until the Vulcan blew up when the plastic oil pump gear broke. There are a lot of things on many motorcycle engines which serve no real purpose. For example why DOHC when a SOHC works just fine? Why four valves per cylinder when 2 work fine? Why multiple carbs when one works just fine (I know someone running a 4 cylinder Goldwing on a single carb. Runs fine) Why 2 plugs per cylinder, like my Vulcan 750? And why FOUR cam chains and 2 jackshafts like my Vulcan 750? Why 2 throttle cables when one works better? All this stuff does is make the bike more complicated, more expensive, harder to work on, and more to go wrong.
During renovation of my NH125 Lead I'm thinking I may replace the variator weights, I've not taken them out yet but would like to know their size, the shop manual says Service Limit: 19mm dia - but what is their length? I believe the standard weight may be 21grams but size is most important. Definitive information would be appreciated. Jim
Right On, Jerry! There's a real beauty to simple mechanical things that work. We have 4 carbs on bikes for the same reason we have entire aisles of dog food. At a certain point the marketing wagon pulls the mechanical horse.
I believe that my roller weights are exactly like yours. Here's where I got my new ones, 20x15, 20 grams (stock is 21): http://www.partsforscooters.com/169-260_Dr_Pulley_Roller_Weights?sc=31&category=132539 If you do a thread search you can find the place where I discussed searching for the right weights and see some juicy photos. It was before page 35, way back in the Stone Age. I replaced and regreased mine and I'm very happy with the performance I'm getting with them.
I see you Jerry! http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwxVTYwK7Vk/Ubrt7jCd92I/AAAAAAAAD5M/vECPGP5-38w/s1600/q.jpg
I think you're thinking of Donner Pass. :eek1 Well, it's just an idea right now, you do have two 'hot' leads with AC current out of the engine right now?