Project 300 "this is not sparta"

[razor02097]

Hmm weird i have 15/42 I guess the length must be different like you said.

[pete]

Yeah it certainly looks that way! Must be the laid back stance of the L

[razor02097]

Longer swing arm is better for drag racing

[pete]

Hahahaha gotta get all that power to the ground and keep the front wheel down right?

[razor02097]

Yeah keeping 30 horsepower at bay takes some serious engineering ....I have to constantly baby the clutch so I don't roast that kenda on the back.

[pete]

Yeah keeping 30 horsepower at bay takes some serious engineering ....I have to constantly baby the clutch so I don't roast that kenda on the back.

Hahahahahaaha

[razor02097]

I know the regulators on these bikes are junk but how robust is the ignition system? Is there is a way to tell if the ignition system was damaged from the high voltage?

[hjacobmiller]

I know the regulators on these bikes are junk but how robust is the ignition system? Is there is a way to tell if the ignition system was damaged from the high voltage?

What I had happen on mine was intermittent failure on the left side. Just wouldn't send spark. It rode fine for a while, but then it just wouldn't fire.

Finally the left side of the CDI burnt out. Had to ride home one 1 cylinder. That was fun.

See pg. 148 of the manual. You can test the ignitor really easily with it. Mechanix helped me out with that one.

Make sure you switch the key between off and on again between testing each side if you do that test. The ground switches after one coil fires and so it won't work if you try and test each side consecutively without turning the key off and then on again.

You can also check the signal gen. pickups resistance, but I got really funky readings on mine due to a low-end multi-meter.

There are also resistance tests for the coils. If you need stock coils I have a few that I know work.

[razor02097]

All seemed well, the bike starts and runs great. I'm just concerned and don't want to be left stranded. I would rather service the ignition system if someone says "yeah the CDI box can be damaged easily" or something to that tune. I'll do the checks when I get everything back together.

[hjacobmiller]

All seemed well, the bike starts and runs great. I'm just concerned and don't want to be left stranded. I would rather service the ignition system if someone says "yeah the CDI box can be damaged easily" or something to that tune. I'll do the checks when I get everything back together.

How long did you run it with the bad r/r?

Unless it was REALLY high sustained current for a long time I wouldn't think it would give it much trouble.

My first concern would be the stator. With a bad r/r the stator doesn't have anywhere to dump the excess power from what I understand.

But, don't trust me. I didn't even know where to check my valve clearance

[razor02097]

How long? 3 or 4 days 1 hour per day if I had to guess.

[hjacobmiller]

How long? 3 or 4 days 1 hour per day if I had to guess.

Yeah I wouldn't think that the ignition system would be hurt. It probably wasn't the best thing for it but not the worst either.

Definitely check with Pete or someone though - I'm still wet behind the ears on all of this.

The best way I know to check it though is the test on page 148. You just use your multimeter as a jump between the L & R sides of the signal generator. Takes like 5 minutes.

Take out your plugs and lay them on the head so they're grounded. Unplug the pick up 4 prong connector and then turn the bike on. Not started, just on.

Then on the female side of that 4 prong connector put one lead of your ohm meter (on resistance meter) in the g/w and one in the b/bl. Watch the plug while you do this. If it sparks, left ignition is good. Turn the bike off and back on again.

Repeat except with one lead going to brown and one lead to b/bl. Watch the plug when you connect. If it sparks right side of CDI is good.

You have to switch the bike off and on between L&R because the primary ground switches after it sparks I believe. Manual doesn't tell you this I don't think. I just knew it wouldn't do it one mine when I switched the leads.

Have you read the stator papers? It is pretty easy to check your stator too. That is what will leave you stranded - dead battery.

[pete]

All you can do with the ignition system is test it as Jake has described.

If it passes that test, it's working. Mind you if you haven't verified your coils/plug caps/plugs are good that test may fail and *not* be an issue with the ignitor.

I believe the main issue with these old ignitors is probably more likely capacitors drying out, but I'm sure over voltage will contribute to that as higher voltage means more current and if capacitors have started to dry, it will exacerbate that I believe... possibly not the best description in the world but hopefully you get what I mean...

Even 10 or 15 years ago I doubt a failing R/R would have had the same impact on the ignitor is what I guess I'm trying to say...

My suggestion is make sure you have some way of ensuring the charging system is functioning normally while riding and leave it at that.

Oh, and just to clarify, we don't have CDI on our bikes, we have transistorised ignition...

[hjacobmiller]

Oh, I thought that the ignitor box we had was called a CDI. I don't know what a CDI is then.

Sorry about that.

[pete]

Oh, I thought that the ignitor box we had was called a CDI. I don't know what a CDI is then.

Sorry about that.

CDI = capacitor discharge ignition... just another form basically but it uses the charge/discharge of a capacitor to drive the ignition coils rather than transistors as in our ignitors.

A lot of people call whatever form of ignitor box they have a "CDI" without realising what it is or what the difference is... no harm no foul I say, just thought I'd clarify