ICU/CDI repair

[FatFergie]

I've gone for biketech as I've heard some of the other bikes suffer from this too.
Has anyone done a repair to the ICU/CDI units. I've heard it said that it can be done I was just wondering if any of you techies can give me any tips . I'd also like to know if there's any way of testing them? If I did manage to get that black plastic stuff that fills it up out what would I replace it with?

[Lumiya]

The black plastic stuff is potting compound as found in RS or Maplins.

The problem with repairing the CDI's is not getting to the components as the potting compound can normally be carefully broken away but actually finding out what transistors are used (they are the things normally to go and tend not to be marked) and getting hold of them or exact equivelants.

Without an exact equivalent the timing might be out or the coil input might be too high or low.

Kymmy

[Jenna]

cdi's are a problem for a lot of 5-15 year old bikes at the mo... the XTZ shares a few components with the hondas' and they too have the same problems.

Rebuilding a cdi is a no no, we cant find anyone that will do it and stand by their work with any guarantee so thats useless, aftermarket units are few and far between that are plug and play and those that are tunable tend to cost the earth for either the box or the software ( think £400-£1200) so everybody is being forced to pay silly money for secondhand ( an XTZ one last month sold for over £120 with P&P on ebay!!).

I'm currently talking with a company that tunes race bikes and has the software to reprogramme a quality high power CDI unit thats easy to find on ebay, down side is each one will need to be hand programmed and before that a suitable map will need to be found with a bike on a dyno.. all of which will cost £££.

[ChrisH]

The problem on the older TAs was that the CDi boxes were subject to pressure from the seat which caused the tracks of the PCB to crack where the connector plugged into the box.. However that problem was solved by putting the boxes horizontal in the later models,of which I think yours is one? Other than that they don't seem to cause much trouble... it is possible to repair the broken track with solder if you can find the break and then seal the box up again with silicon or something. BTW I have a pair of coils for the early models if you think it could be that...

[Lumiya]

and then seal the box up again with silicon or something....

Silicone will insulate the box but the driver transistors rely on the potting compound to provide some heatsink properties (as well as vibration and weather resistance)

Kymmy

[ChrisH]

The only way your gonna mend a CDi box is if the tracks are broken where they enter the box... anything more serious isn't worth thinking about, so you only need to cut away the edge of the box enough to see the break and seal it up with anything waterproof after you mended the track. It's all a bit in the realm of 'You might as well have a go cos it's f***ed anyway' I'd be ringing round the breakers. Incidentally, do the other bikes with the 600 V twin engine have the same CDi box? Or would the map be different for say the cruiser styled bike (can't remember the model...)? Might be easier to find if there were a few models to choose from..
Anyway FFergie, how are you getting on with fixing it? Coils still on offer if you want them...

[Dilbert]

The only way your gonna mend a CDi box is if the tracks are broken where they enter the box... anything more serious isn't worth thinking about, so you only need to cut away the edge of the box enough to see the break and seal it up with anything waterproof after you mended the track. It's all a bit in the realm of 'You might as well have a go cos it's f***ed anyway' I'd be ringing round the breakers. Incidentally, do the other bikes with the 600 V twin engine have the same CDi box? Or would the map be different for say the cruiser styled bike (can't remember the model...)? Might be easier to find if there were a few models to choose from..
Anyway FFergie, how are you getting on with fixing it? Coils still on offer if you want them...

I had a go on my XRV650 which uses the same CDI units as the early TA's, I couln't find a break so I went over all the connections and re-soldered them on the same principle as Chris above, this didn't work in my case so it must have been a duff component as Kymmy said, upshot was I had to get a new one, but it's worth a try first especially if you do find a break or a badly soldered pin.
I got new ones from my local Honda dealer, for just under £100 each including VAT, this was as cheap as anywhere considering there are no delivery costs.

[FatFergie]

Anyway FFergie, how are you getting on with fixing it? Coils still on offer if you want them...

Thanks Chris, star, I think the coils are ok. TBH I haven't even looked at it since Sunday, very busy at work and not having a shed to work in is a pain. Next day off is sunday which is probably the earliest I can see to it. I still haven't absolutely confirmed that it's the cdi box or whether it's both. Dave Silver has them for £90 odd which seems ok (for one). I'd better run ......I'm late .

[ChrisH]

I'd better run ......I'm late .

....at 6.29am?? Sounds like very early to me That's a reasonable price from David Silver... if it is the box that's gone. Anyway hope you get it fixed soon cos I'm trying to arrange a Munster get together before Rainman disappears to the Back of Beyond!

[Dilbert]

Sorry, I think it was David Silver's I got mine from, add in delivery and it sounds about right.

I cut the back off mine with a mini rotary file in a hand held Dremmel and then peeled off the epoxy potting compound, but like I said I couldn't actually fix it in the end.

p.s. Chris, you're just plain lazy, I was getting a lift into work at 6:00am, it was dark and wet