I tested my CDI while diagnosing an issue where the engine won't take any throttle (dies) and also dies all by itself at idle after about a minute, maybe less. You can increase RPM via the idle screw but that's it, not the throttle cable which becomes "too much" and dies.
The image below is from a manual for the KLF220 (Bayou 220, any year.) Notice that even though you're testing for resistance with an ohm meter it's still telling you to pay attention to polarity with the test leads. You can do this with the CDI on the bike but it's less tedious off the bike.
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My results:
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The "goes ∞" (i.e. goes to infinity) means I saw a number flash on the meter for a split second and then the display goes open (like if the leads weren't hooked up to anything.) My interpretation of this -- perhaps wrong -- is that's an artifact of using an ohm meter to test a circuit with diodes or whatever in it.
Setting that aside, I still got several reading out of spec, some too low, some too high. The "slow climb" reading are weird. They started slow and climbed up and then stopped. All of this is probably why most people just recommend swapping out the CDI with another "to test."
Can't afford OEM but will report back in about a week after I buy a cheap knockoff CDI.
- coil tests good, spark plug + wire both new
- voltage at battery is no more than 14 at idle; so the regulator seems good.
- initially suspected carb, put a kit in it but same issue
- throttle slider working fine; no known vacuum leaks
- always restarts and idles then dies maybe a minute later
The image below is from a manual for the KLF220 (Bayou 220, any year.) Notice that even though you're testing for resistance with an ohm meter it's still telling you to pay attention to polarity with the test leads. You can do this with the CDI on the bike but it's less tedious off the bike.
My results:
The "goes ∞" (i.e. goes to infinity) means I saw a number flash on the meter for a split second and then the display goes open (like if the leads weren't hooked up to anything.) My interpretation of this -- perhaps wrong -- is that's an artifact of using an ohm meter to test a circuit with diodes or whatever in it.
Setting that aside, I still got several reading out of spec, some too low, some too high. The "slow climb" reading are weird. They started slow and climbed up and then stopped. All of this is probably why most people just recommend swapping out the CDI with another "to test."
Can't afford OEM but will report back in about a week after I buy a cheap knockoff CDI.
