Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech CDI Update

I got the new CDI from the Dealer today to try.
The first thing I noticed was that on the one I had in my bike was a little loose in the bracket.
The dealers was solid.
There was only about 1/16in play in mine but I wonder if that little vibration could cause a problem.
Anyway I went for a 70mile ride.
The bike did not die out once.
It did stutter a little a couple times while cruising around 1/8-1/4 throttle.
The dealer also gave me a couple of new coils to try.
I will do that tomorrow.
I wonder if the stutter could be caused because maybe my carbs need balanced.
I have changed the needles 3 times without having them balanced.
I am almost convinced though that the CDI was bad.
Just wonder if it being a little loose in the bracket could have caused it?
I can keep the CDI & Coils till Monday so I will be putting some miles on rain or shine.

Don't think carbs out of balance would cause that. When mine were off a good bit, I'd get some engine vibration at WOT. Out of balance lets one side pull harder than the other.

Ok,
Thanks.
I will try the new coils tomorrow.

Ok,
Thanks.
I will try the new coils tomorrow.

Kinda wierd that it DID stutter tho, even if only a bit. makes me wonder if something else may be happening besides the CDI. Maybe something that helped the CDI meet it's demise? Maybe the coils? I don't know how, but when you say it did stutter that makes me wonder. your dealer sure is good tho......mine certainly would never consider doing that for me !

Quote:

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your dealer sure is good tho......mine certainly would never consider doing that for me !

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Mine either. It's "list price" for everything, plus special order shipping on every part (that's $15 and if I want it shipped to the house, another $10).

I still wonder if that the CDI was a little loose in the bracket had something to do with its problem.
I could not ask for a better Dealer.
He & his mechanic also race bikes.
If the new coils dont solve the intermitent stutter I am totally lost.

If the coils completely eliminate it, i would suggest re-installing the old CDI and going for a nice long ride to see if the coils were the problem or the CDI. You don't wanna buy the CDI if thats not the problem at those prices !

Since your bike is so new, you said it was just a couple months out of warranty, they really should warranty the job for you as good will. Ask them to contact Peter Carleo at headquarters and plead a little for you. If they say no, you try contacting him. A couple months is silly, they should step up and take care of this for you no question.

Pat,
I will mention that to the dealer.
He left today for Keywest for the Triumph Dealers meeting.
I put in the new coils today & just got back from a 50 mile ride.
I really hope Dazco is right & maybe it was just coils causing the problem.
Not one stutter.
So tomorrow or Saturday I will put the old CDI back in & try it with the new coils.
Am I right in thinking that the CDI was causing the the bike to shut down & the coils were causing the stutter?

Could be either one. When the resistance in the coils breakdown, you could get a a lot of different symptoms. The vibration from a loosely mounted CDI could also kill it. Ya just never know when it comes to electrical components. When my CDI went belly up, it would only fire on one cylinder, others have had slightly different symptoms. Same for coils.

And I'm with Pat, contact Peter Carleo and see what he can do for you. Here's his e-mail address in case you need it:

peter.Carleo@triumphmotorcycles.com

Derek,
Thanks for the info.
I appreciate it.

It was the coils.
After a lot of switching around it turned out to be both coils.
The bike is running great with the old CDI & the new coils.
Thanks guys for all the help.