gremlin hunting

[sylvain gilbert]

I ran into similar issues a few years back and despite the different part # the CDI box worked ok on my bike. The key is to make sure that you find out where the problem is before you plug in the new CDI, assuming there is something wrong with the wiring. In my case, I had an issue with the kill switch and someone wanting to help grounded one of the wire a fried my CDI. You could smell the burnt electronic. Hope this helps Sylvain ________________________________ From: dat brooklyn bum To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 7:52:24 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Gremlin hunting 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

--- In mailto:DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.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 mailto:DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.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 > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]