atvertoo

Installed new CDI in 1988 Bayou 220, today. Checked for spark, and it looked good. Screwed plug in, primed a couple times, and it fired right up. Whew! That was a relief!

Hooked up original pickup coil, and it started, again. Anyone need a new pickup coil that is proven to be good?

kf9nb - Also, you mentioned that you get spark when you let off the start button, I know for a fact that a bad pickup coil will cause the same problem. I can't remember if you have replaced yours or not, but it would be cheaper than a CDI.

We have the same symptom... only sparks when the start button is hit and again on let-off; nothing in between. Since we have put in a new pickup coil and got the same symptom, we think CDI.

Have not heard from the supplier after ordering, so now I am scared that the CDI sits at some Japanese warehouse under several feet of mud and debris. Terrible tragedy for the people there.

Atvertoo, Sounds like you got a hell of a buy for $240. were did you get it at?

Kaw dealer told me they were $380 dollars.

I am going to do some experimenting by using a CDI unti off of a older Ford pickup truck.

A mechanic friend of mine seems to think that it will work since the trigger voltage is the same as on the bike.

Will post my results.

I ordered the CDI from atvworks.com. The price was actually $230, while cheapcycleparts.com had the unit for $10 more. I found a CDI kit for about $20. It was touted to be useable on small gas engines, and I thought it might be acceptable for the Bayou, but after seeing the circuit board in the old one, I decided to get an original one.

Just an update on progress (or not) on the 1988 220 Bayou we are working on. Got a new pickup coil, and installed... still no output from the CDI, so we have ordered a new one ($240, yikes!).

I cut open the old CDI and found that after inserting the PCB inside the plastic container, the manufacturer filled the rest of the cavity with large grained sand and black rubber. With a heat gun I was able to remove enough of the rubber to reveal the bottom of the circuit board. Looks like the circuit was a bit more involved than I thought, as I can see solder points for at least one IC chip... so I gave up.

Will post again after new CDI arrives.

DirtDemon

I suppose thaat a component could test good under certain test and fail under others.

I seen this many times in the electronics field that i worked In for years.

I have also seen were they would fail as they reach a certain temperature.

The p/u coil being inside the engine is a good example. I bet if its tested again cold it would show voltage.

Also being a older bike it might have metal fragments built up around the magnet.

In our case we removed and made sure there was no swarf on the magnet and checked it cold. Still no voltage.

Yup, if the new p.u. coil doesnt (strange that the apostrophes dont work on this site????), then its on to the the CDI. We checked all of the combinations of resistances in the CDI, as per the values found in a table in a Clymer manual. Supposedly, those values were all in KΩ, but we measured many in MΩ, so dont know if Clymer is wrong, or if the CDI is toast. We are determined to get this sucker running. Ive learned that some electrolytic capacitors last only 8 - 10 years, so suspect this is what happens to CDIs. Ive brought power supplies in VCRs, etc. back to life by replacing the e-caps, so I know it works.

I would think that if the direct resistance of the pulsar coil reads within tolerance, the problem would not be with there, but maybe in the CDI, or the wiring in between.

When I explained the problem to my EE son, he suggested that the pickup coil may check out okay, during static tests, but fail when tested dynamically, due to an internal short. I just ordered a new p.u. coil, tonight, so Ill let you know in about a week, whether it works or not.

Yup, Ive found corroded connectors to be a problem many times, even in microwave ovens. You can bet there are thousands of microwave ovens tossed into landfills every year, as a result of bad connections. I

fought a stubborn oven for weeks, until I re-crimped the connectors. Works better than new ever since. We check continuity through all available connectors. We got a measurable voltage out of the p.u. coil a few days ago, then my buddy took it for a short ride, and it quit. Now, no voltage across the p.u. coil leads on both digital and analog meters. Thanks again for your info.

Dave, too.

(contnd)

4. I also hooked up an AC volt meter to the pickup coil plug and cranked the engine over

it read .90 of a volt AC.

5. Made sure the battery was charged up and putting out a full 12 volts.

My experience with automobile system that some will not produce spark unless you do have a fully charged battery. Could be the same with CDI unit on Kaws.

6. I also ohmed out the ignition coil and it checked good. As my Clymer book calls for.

7. I took the CDI from the inside and put it back in the bike and it fired up. and been running good since then.

If anybody has any questions you can email me at [email protected]

Dave

Wow, its great to find your thread with up-to-date info about your troubleshooting. Ive just recently gotten to know a 1988 Bayou better than I really wanted to. In studying the output from the alternator I have found that the charging/lighting systems are separate from the ignition system. That is why one can use the pull-start to get ignition voltage for starting with a low/dead battery or when it is removed from the ATV. The 1988 model has a CDI system.

Ive been helping a friend work on his Bayou, which wont start. We do not measure any voltage output on the pickup coil, even though the resistance tests good. We are looking for a new p.u. coil.