Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech CDI Failures?

OK, after much trial and error and hoping it ain't so, I have determined that my CDI module is shot.
I have ordered a replacement from Pinwall for $250, used of course so I guess it's a crap shoot.

My question. How many CDI module failures have been experienced around here?
And how many miles on the bike when it happened?

Mine is an '04 Speedmaster with 35,000 miles but the first short lived intermittent symptoms began a year ago at around 24,000 miles.

Sorry to hear that Bill. Such an expensive fix, unless you go for a crap shoot used part like you did.

Bill I've thought that all along but just don't want to make that move but I like to walk when I want to not when the America wan't me to. How did you decided it was the CDI? Rudy

So far no issues with my 04 Bill but I have 22,000 and hope I am not close behind you, no problems with Wendy's yet either.
But now at 22,000 I need a new chain.

Hi Rudy. The symptoms on mine are that it would sometimes fire on the right cylinder only. After a period of time, sometimes a few seconds, sometimes minutes: it would start hitting on both cylinders and be fine for a while.
It got progressively worse until the left cylinder would not fire.

I made sure it was a spark issue and not fuel.
I switched the coils to see if the miss moved, it did not.
I checked the pickup coil gap, it's at 0.8mm.
I tightened all connections at coils and CDI module.

Hope it helps. We'll see if the new (used) module fixes it.

Dang, Bill I should have written it down but I'm going to guess around 8K but it could have been 10K because I was putting on a new rear tire when mine mysteriously died. Pinwall supplied the replacement which is still working (so far).

I thought it was odd that putting a new tire on would make the left cylinder go dead but I think failure is a random crap-shoot. I followed a similar diagnostic procedure and the new (salvaged) CDI was the cure. I was also careful to match the CDI numbers since there are two non-interchangable models: 790 or 865.

My private theory is that the CDI is too close to the left coil and stray voltage kills it. Eventually I'll move mine under the seat (like it is on Bonnies which have few, if any, CDI failures) if and when I can find a cheap salvage harness to butcher .

I'm thinking the engine heat can't be good for it, sitting right above the engine like it does.

It is not really a CDI but an ignitor module. anyway I am at the point where I am certain that mine is going bad. this has been building for several thousand miles with intermittant failures of the right side ignition. I have set the pickup sensor to the new factory spec of 0.8mm, and swapped the coils and wires (both checked to spec with ohm meter)right for left. Still have the right side no spark problem. Used to only happen when the engine was hot and only happen at a restart. Now it cuts the right side while running and not even warm. I am currently working with the dealer to resolve this not so fun issue. BTW mine is an 05. SM

I won't split hairs with you over what it's called.
Those are what seem to be the classic symptoms though.

Here's another thread about the subject:

Igniter CDI whatchamacallit

8k symptoms then dead at 16k then at 18k the coils started to go. Luckily the coils are cheap.

Mine is an '05 Speedmaster built in November of '04. I believe that makes it an early 865? Not sure. At around 26K, the right side would go down intermittently. The first time it sidelined me was at the '08 NY Rally on the way to Triumph of Buffalo. At the end, the left side died, and the right side was fine.

Two dealers offered a replacement at around $500 something. I recalled a phrase a service manager used when I tried to explore the front rotor issue. "Goodwill claim" was the term. Only after my asking for it, one of the dealers put it through as a goodwill claim, and Triumph paid for the igniter.

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FWIW, I do believe it was Triumph themselves who assigned the unit the name CDI. I call it an electronic distributor, and at $600 for a $100 part, a few other choice phrases the censor software would intercept, but that's a story for another day.

I intend to saw up & mount a little heat shield for the new igniter out of an old coffee can. Don't know if it will help, but hopefully wouldn't hurt. At the '08 GA RAlly, we witnessed a 270 igniter with a visibly open seam that allowed water to foul it. When it dried out, the bike started right the ---- up!

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A little off topic -- The Haynes manual claims one can test the secondary side of the coils with a volt ohm meter. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how, and do believe that section of the manual is wrong. I made a post about it some time back, and there were no suggestions on how to test the secondary circuit, so it's still a mystery to me how to do it, if at all possible (with a VOM.) Not that you need me to tell you Bill, but just for informational purposes - after chasing the intermittent firing problem around the bike a few times by putting the carbs into the equation, and having the issue jump from one piston to the other during the diagnostic process, the most helpful diagnostic tool was swapping in a known good igniter off a neighbor's America.

You can check the secondary side of the coil for resistance but it doesn't always show the coil is bad even if it is. Coils can be fine cold and fail once hot then start working again once cooled. The test won't find that problem, or at least it never has for me. Easiest way to find the bad coil is to swap the wires on both ends of them and see if the problem moves.

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the most helpful diagnostic tool was swapping in a known good igniter off a neighbor's America.

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That would be the easiest way for sure. That's how we used to test ignition modules on the early Ford electronic ignitions. All the mechanics had some good ones in their boxes.

My igniter started acting up when the bike was about 1.5 years old (approx. 6500 miles). About 3 months later my dealer ended up replacing both coils and igniter on warranty. Never had a problem again.

On my old Honda the CDI was something called a capacitor discharge ignition. I ain't no techy... but just wondered if the Triumph CDI is the same thing.

CDI stands for capacitor discharge ignition.
Triumph calls ours a digital inductive ignition.

I had been reading CDI in several posts, and never checked on it.
Maybe it is similar, maybe not.

So we'll call the unit an igniter, like Triumph does in the service manual.

I'd take it back to the stealer and try to get them to replace it first, even though it's not covered any more. It's a known problem and Triumph may do something about it........ or not. Still it's worth a try. If enough people complain about this it may cause them to have a recall for it.

Mines got 11,000 miles and I think It's the module. My buddy with the 03 America made it to 30,000 before his started acting up.

Well took the tank off and I unpluged the CDI a coupel times checked all the other connection. I did find the left plug wire not seated in pushed in all the way . Put it back together and took it out for a 30 + mile ride no problem. frist time in a long time. I really think it's fixed, for now.rudy