NX650/XR650 CDI Woes

[still southern]

So based on the reading I've been doing I've got the classic CDI failure. Most likely its just the bad solder joints, but since I live and ride in a rather remote area I don't want to rely on my own repair job (since it's not fixable with bailing wire and duct tape!). I've been looking for a replacement CDI, I'm also in the process of rejetting and making other functionality improvements so I wouldn't mind an improvement. I've come across these units, link here, but haven't heard much about them. Can someone give feedback? Otherwise I figure I'll just get this ebay special. In addition I'll try and repair mine and use it as a spare. Feedback?

[Bell driver]

From my own experience using their twin unit in my XLV I can recommend contacting our czech friends.
http://www.ignitech.cz/english/dccdip/dccdip.htm

Since it is programable you can use it on your next single, no matter what make.

[still southern]

Originally Posted by Bell driver

From my own experience using their twin unit in my XLV I can recommend contacting our czech friends.
http://www.ignitech.cz/english/dccdip/dccdip.htm

Since it is programable you can use it on your next single, no matter what make.

Hmmm had forgotten about them. How durable is the unit and how hard is it to program? Where I live it can be pretty rough and I plan on a lot of village hopping next summer so durability is huge. How much can you actually gain through programming?

[scrambler66]

Originally Posted by still southern

So based on the reading I've been doing I've got the classic CDI failure. Most likely its just the bad solder joints, but since I live and ride in a rather remote area I don't want to rely on my own repair job (since it's not fixable with bailing wire and duct tape!). I've been looking for a replacement CDI, I'm also in the process of rejetting and making other functionality improvements so I wouldn't mind an improvement. I've come across these units, link here, but haven't heard much about them. Can someone give feedback? Otherwise I figure I'll just get this ebay special. In addition I'll try and repair mine and use it as a spare. Feedback?

There is a drawback with the digital CDIs of Ignitech and M&S when used in the Dominator. They need more battery power, which means, if the battery is weak, it may not fire while the original CDI is still able to start the engine. That’s why I use my expensive Ignitech CDI as a spare, while a cheap ordinary ebay CDI is doing the job just fine

[Bell driver]

If the battery is too weak to run the CDI it will most certainly not rev the starter.What kind of logic is that?

The unit comes properly setup from Ignitec , no need to fiddle with it unless you want to experiment.

Edit: The OEM CDI is run by an exciter coil in the stator, these coils tend go south frequently hence the CDI is useless. One more reason to operate the Ignitech unit, peace of mind.

[scrambler66]

Originally Posted by Bell driver

If the battery is too weak to run the CDI it will most certainly not rev the starter.What kind of logic is that?

Apparently you haven´t got any experience with the dominator, or you wouldn`t ask. Here it´s a common phenomenon that a weak battery is still able to rev the starter, but not able to produce a spark. You can look it up for yourself in the hondadominator.de forum or just ask any long-term NX650 owner. And with the CZ or M&S CDI this behavior gets rather worse.

With your XLV750 it may be a different story , but still southern was looking for a Dommie CDI

btw: the Dominator is pretty delicate in terms of overheating. So as long as you don´t add a decent oil cooler I would not consider it a good idea to advance the ignition.

[still southern]

My old VT500C was way worse about not starting with a weak battery. It could crank full speed and not have enough juice. Went with a AGM battery before my cross country trip and that solved the issue.

What exactly is different about the Ignitech that it doesn't use the exciter coil? Also is it possible to configure the wiring harness to where I could use either box, aka plug and play?

An oil cooler along with serious rejetting is in the works so I could probably fiddle with the curve just a little. Additionally doesn't the program box have a retard wire so I could back off the advance across the board? Sounds like a good get home possibility if I have to use some really crappy gas in a village (old soviet cars can use like 72 (probably 78 in the states) octane here!).

[Bell driver]

OEM CDI is powered by the exciter coil, the I-unit is powered by the battery/alternator.
It comes plug&play from the factory.
If there are more variants of how the CDI is connected (like on the XLV) Ignitec knows that and will ask you which model connector your bike has and outfit accordingly.I didn't change anything in my unit, it came properly setup, inside and outside.

[still southern]

Originally Posted by Bell driver

OEM CDI is powered by the exciter coil, the I-unit is powered by the battery/alternator.
It comes plug&play from the factory.
If there are more variants of how the CDI is connected (like on the XLV) Ignitec knows that and will ask you which model connector your bike has and outfit accordingly.I didn't change anything in my unit, it came properly setup, inside and outside.

Hmm...then is the starting problem observed with a lot of TCI/CDIs on Hondas a result of the OEM being connected to the exciter coil rather than to the battery? Is the battery not spinning the engine fast enough to produce a spark, and then that means it'll turn but not start? If so then it would seem that the battery power CDI would work more reliably. Am I off my rocker, or does that seem reasonable?