Did my CDI go out while driving?

GoldenMotor.com

Kelli

New Member
Aug 17, 2016
2
0
0
Austin, Tx
HI everyone, again, been sitting in the back of the classroom, but paying close attention.

So last night I was on my way home from Fat Tuesday, and she (80cc china), just died. Plenty of gas, went ahead and changed carb since I had one, put new (but not sure if it's good) CDI on, new spark plug, checked magneto, it's really clean, and woodruff key. All is good, except CDI, maybe.

If the CDI goes out? While going down the road, would it just stop?? I was prob going about 25 mph, just stopped. No spark, engine turning over, but no gas, even tho I'm hearing the cylinder rise and fall, and saw it do so inside carb before putting it on the bike.. any help would be greatly appreciated, as this is my daily driver.

.ride3.ride3
 

crassius

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2012
4,032
158
63
USA
if kill switch is unplugged and mag tests good on meter, hold plug in hand and if you feel no spark it is almost certainly the CDI
 

Cylon

Member
Jun 26, 2015
346
9
18
Maine
Yep the Chinese CDI's are sh!t so I would go ahead and replace it. I been through this before but not as bad, I was riding to work and my bike started to cut out and then it died about 1760 yards from my work place. I was very lucky and my wife was getting groceries about 5 minutes away from where I was. I called her and she lifted me the rest of the way so I wasn't late.

Back then I was a noob and ended up buying a new magneto then ended up rebuilding the whole engine to find out it was just the cdi. At least I rebuilt the engine around 1000 miles so I think it will keep going for a couple more years.

Now I finally have a tool to test for electrical current wish I had that before lol.
 
Last edited:

Chaz

Well-Known Member
Jun 3, 2012
1,004
72
48
Vancouver, British Columbia
From what I've read on this forum the stock cdi is quite reliable and seldom fails, although I seem to recall something posted by crassius regarding a batch of faulty ones a couple of months ago.

Anyway, they are cheap enough to replace.
 

Cylon

Member
Jun 26, 2015
346
9
18
Maine
From what I've read on this forum the stock cdi is quite reliable and seldom fails, although I seem to recall something posted by crassius regarding a batch of faulty ones a couple of months ago.

Anyway, they are cheap enough to replace.
I wish they were more reliable, mine failed then I had a person that has a bike and they said their motor just died. It had compression but no spark so that bike's CDI died too, two bikes in 2016. Hope it doesn't happen again.