Wilsons Sandbox

> I've got an electrical ignition gremlin that needs to be destroyed. > > Symptom first surfaced on a 750+ mile trip that ended at about 700 > miles. After about 300 miles of high speed slabbing, I came into a > small town and as I slowed for a light, the bike just died. Thinking > I had hit reserve, I pulled over and tried, nope, still no joy. > After much tinkering and no joy I called for backup and got picked > up (of course we got a flat in the rescue truck on the way home, but > that's another story). > > After some wrenching in the garage, I was able to get it to fire > intermittently. Mostly when the tank was off the bike. Thinking it > might be the ignition coil itself, I swapped an emergency spare I > had in the garage, and all seemed well. Then I put her back together > and left it overnight. In the morning it wouldn't fire and then a > tell-tale puff of smoke from under the tank indicated that the spare > ignition coil blew. > > I haven't had a chance to get back in the garage and I'm thinking > I'm looking for a short, but could these symptoms be caused by a bad > CDI? Or something else entirely? It should be noted that I had an > ignition coil go bad on me late in 2011 and replaced it then. > > da Vermonster

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote: > > On Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:59:01 -0000 "dat brooklyn bum" > writes: > > I've got an electrical ignition gremlin that needs to be destroyed. > > > > Symptom first surfaced on a 750+ mile trip that ended at about 700 > > miles. After about 300 miles of high speed slabbing, I came into a > > small town and as I slowed for a light, the bike just died. Thinking > > I had hit reserve, I pulled over and tried, nope, still no joy. > > After much tinkering and no joy I called for backup and got picked > > up (of course we got a flat in the rescue truck on the way home, but > > that's another story). > > > > After some wrenching in the garage, I was able to get it to fire > > intermittently. Mostly when the tank was off the bike. Thinking it > > might be the ignition coil itself, I swapped an emergency spare I > > had in the garage, and all seemed well. Then I put her back together > > and left it overnight. In the morning it wouldn't fire and then a > > tell-tale puff of smoke from under the tank indicated that the spare > > ignition coil blew. > > > > I haven't had a chance to get back in the garage and I'm thinking > > I'm looking for a short, but could these symptoms be caused by a bad > > CDI? Or something else entirely? It should be noted that I had an > > ignition coil go bad on me late in 2011 and replaced it then. > > > > da Vermonster > <><><><><><> > <><><><><><> > > da Vermonster, > > I'm thinking it might be helpful to know the year of the bike. : ) Gen > I KLRs have a different ignition/wiring system from Gen II KLRs. > > From the puff of smoke comment I'm wondering if you have a short in a > wire off the coil. On a Gen I KLR the coil gets power from one wire from > the CDI and the other wire goes to ground. My guess would be the wire > with the issue is the one between the CDI and the coil. > > I'm gonna guess you have a wire that has rubbed through the insulation > and was/is touching bare metal. When you removed the tank the wire might > have moved just enough to allow proper operation. Installation of the > tank could have put the wire back in contact with an unwanted ground. > > This is probably gonna take some good light, a magnifier glass, > movement/inspection of a lot of wiring and a bucket load of patience. > I'd be first looking for smoke residue and rubbed wiring harness tape. > Then I'd be looking very closely at wiring that was near brackets and/or > had sharp bends. Then I'd be looking at the entire harness. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650 > > . > . > ____________________________________________________________ > Woman is 57 But Looks 27 > Mom publishes simple facelift trick that angered doctors... > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/50d201d6b46d81d63166st04vuc >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "dat brooklyn bum" wrote: > > For reference it is a first gen KLR - 2004 to be exact. Didn't realize they changed the ignition system on the newer models. In any case, this confirms my gut instinct, and I will be tracing wires and looking for a short. I, too, figured, the tank removal and replacement was enough to move the shorted wire, but wanted to see what else people had to say. > > I'll get back to the list as I have time to investigate and trace the wiring. Funny part is, I was picking up a spare KLR engine and had it strapped to the back of the bike when I broke down. Too bad I already knew it was electrical. ;') > > thanks, > > da Vermonster > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote: > > > > On Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:59:01 -0000 "dat brooklyn bum" > > writes: > > > I've got an electrical ignition gremlin that needs to be destroyed. > > > > > > Symptom first surfaced on a 750+ mile trip that ended at about 700 > > > miles. After about 300 miles of high speed slabbing, I came into a > > > small town and as I slowed for a light, the bike just died. Thinking > > > I had hit reserve, I pulled over and tried, nope, still no joy. > > > After much tinkering and no joy I called for backup and got picked > > > up (of course we got a flat in the rescue truck on the way home, but > > > that's another story). > > > > > > After some wrenching in the garage, I was able to get it to fire > > > intermittently. Mostly when the tank was off the bike. Thinking it > > > might be the ignition coil itself, I swapped an emergency spare I > > > had in the garage, and all seemed well. Then I put her back together > > > and left it overnight. In the morning it wouldn't fire and then a > > > tell-tale puff of smoke from under the tank indicated that the spare > > > ignition coil blew. > > > > > > I haven't had a chance to get back in the garage and I'm thinking > > > I'm looking for a short, but could these symptoms be caused by a bad > > > CDI? Or something else entirely? It should be noted that I had an > > > ignition coil go bad on me late in 2011 and replaced it then. > > > > > > da Vermonster > > <><><><><><> > > <><><><><><> > > > > da Vermonster, > > > > I'm thinking it might be helpful to know the year of the bike. : ) Gen > > I KLRs have a different ignition/wiring system from Gen II KLRs. > > > > From the puff of smoke comment I'm wondering if you have a short in a > > wire off the coil. On a Gen I KLR the coil gets power from one wire from > > the CDI and the other wire goes to ground. My guess would be the wire > > with the issue is the one between the CDI and the coil. > > > > I'm gonna guess you have a wire that has rubbed through the insulation > > and was/is touching bare metal. When you removed the tank the wire might > > have moved just enough to allow proper operation. Installation of the > > tank could have put the wire back in contact with an unwanted ground. > > > > This is probably gonna take some good light, a magnifier glass, > > movement/inspection of a lot of wiring and a bucket load of patience. > > I'd be first looking for smoke residue and rubbed wiring harness tape. > > Then I'd be looking very closely at wiring that was near brackets and/or > > had sharp bends. Then I'd be looking at the entire harness. > > > > Best, > > > > Jeff Saline > > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650 > > > > . > > . > > ____________________________________________________________ > > Woman is 57 But Looks 27 > > Mom publishes simple facelift trick that angered doctors... > > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/50d201d6b46d81d63166st04vuc > > >

> As it turns out, my CDI is shot based on the tests in the Clymer - > two of the wires show readings other than infinity. > > Does anyone know if a CDI from a 1988 will work on a 2004? They > show different part numbers on bikebandit.com but I thought they > were the same. . . > > da Vermonster