'82 GS850G CDI compatability

[ednearls]

Does anyone know if slightly later CDI (e.g. from '83-85 GS500E) could be made to work well on my '82 GS850G? Part numbers are different but wire colours are same on diagrams and neither have mechanical advance. No need to respond "buy a Dyna"! Thanks in advance

[Steve]

First of all, you do NOT have a "CDI". No GS ever left the factory with a CDI-type ignition.

What you DO have is just a basic ELECTRONIC ignition. The older-style mechanical points are replaced by a box of transistors that do the switching with no moving parts.


Now to answer your question: NO.

Starting in '83, the mechanical advance mechanism was removed from the end of the crank and was moved into the IGNITOR (box of transistors). It is not a simple matter of swapping the ignitors, the pickup coils on the end of the crank and the wiring between them is also different. Different plugs. Different number of plugs. Different number of wires.

[Nessism]

A good option is to install a mechanical advance unit from an earlier 850 or 1000 and then install a Dyna S.

[ednearls]

Pardon me for referring to the ignitor as a CDI, as I have heard others do. Mine is an '82 and I don't see a mechanical advance down there behind the pick up coils. I was not asking if I could swap ignitors across different advance systems. First I will try to find a suitable ignitor. Thanks Nessism for your suggestion.

[Nessism]

An 1100G ignitor may work.

[chris]

Does anyone know if slightly later CDI (e.g. from '83-85 GS500E) could be made to work well on my '82 GS850G? Part numbers are different but wire colours are same on diagrams and neither have mechanical advance. No need to respond "buy a Dyna"! Thanks in advance

Hi, I would not use a igniter that was not designed for your machine (gs550 ect.) There is a chance that the
advance curve will be different. New OEM igniters are very expensive as are dyna 2000. The ignitech unit is about the same price as what some people are asking for a used unit. So you have several options.

[Nessism]

Hi, I would not use a igniter that was not designed for your machine (gs550 ect.) There is a chance that the
advance curve will be different. New OEM igniters are very expensive as are dyna 2000. The ignitech unit is about the same price as what some people are asking for a used unit. So you have several options.

PN 32900-49420 ignitor is used on the 16V 700, 850, and 8V 1100.

[chris]

That's good info Ed. I bet a new one is more than double the price of a ignitech. The igniter on my 83 is about $500, 700 alpha and does not do the advance, it still has the mechanical advance. I did not know there was a 16v 850.

[RustyTank]

That's good info Ed. I bet a new one is more than double the price of a ignitech. The igniter on my 83 is about $500, 700 alpha and does not do the advance, it still has the mechanical advance. I did not know there was a 16v 850.

Whoa, there was a 16v 850?

[Nessism]

Whoa, there was a 16v 850?

All 850's were 8V.

[Nessism]

Pardon me for referring to the ignitor as a CDI, as I have heard others do. Mine is an '82 and I don't see a mechanical advance down there behind the pick up coils. I was not asking if I could swap ignitors across different advance systems. First I will try to find a suitable ignitor. Thanks Nessism for your suggestion.

The point in mentioning the Dyna S is because it's fairly cheap and it can be made to work in your bike. I know you didn't want the Dyna suggestion but it's important to differentiate the S from the much more expensive Dyna 2000 with a programable advance curve which is not needed for your bike.

[RustyTank]

All 850's were 8V.

Got it. I think Chris and I misread your post. I just re-read it and understand what your saying.

[ednearls]

thank you Nessism that's helpful