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CDI testing - Missfire at high RPM - Sound is necessary !

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:10 pm
by impmad2000
I have been testing a CDI for a DDKer and thought some of you might find this interesting. It proves the point that just producing sparks is not enough. Your CDI must produce sparks every time it is required to do so.
Watch and more important LISTEN to the following.

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The First thing you can hear is the whistle the CDI makes, and a steady tick as it fires a spark plug (Out of sight). I sweep the frequency of the trigger circuit in 500RPM steps from very low revs up to 7500 RPM. As the RPM goes up, so the pitch of the note made by the spark goes up. This is a good CDI.

Now listen to this one...

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All is fine up to 6000 RPM, but at the 6 to 6.5K RPM the note goes lower. This is caused by missed sparks. The thyristor that fires the spark cannot recover fast enough and sparks are lost. Hence a High RPM missfire.

A replacement component should have this working properly again soon.
I just need to fix my soldering iron that has decided to give up on me !!

Cheers All
Tim
(No sparks were harmed during the making of these films)

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:40 pm
by Ferry Man
Fantastic Tim. 8)
Fascinating.

I always carry a spare CDI box and black coil.
I've been caught before. :( :lol:

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:55 pm
by hot66
very interesting Tim 8) Great videos

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:33 pm
by Ian Gunney
excellent Tim

can you still get all the parts to fix a CDI unit?

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:10 pm
by Barry
8)

Interesting that you must get your cleaning products from the same place as me: that tacho must have 1/2 kilo of dust on it :lol: .

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:58 am
by impmad2000
Yes, you can still get the parts. Some are equivalents, and some require some adaptation to fit.
Of course some units exhibit different faults, i.e no whistle or Whistle and no sparks at all !!
Dust ! what dust !!
Cheers
Tim

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:24 am
by 58A - 71E
Ahh more of the dark art explained - great Tim, thanks for posting 8)

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:37 am
by Nige
Brilliant you've made a Stylophone!