Long story really short, did "EVERYTHING" to include putting the cdi in the freezer(which helped).
Cut cdi case in half with a hack saw and pealed the potting compound off the circuit board.
Using a magnifying glass I found 4 bad solder joints and 7 more needing touched up inside the cdi.
Lets see if i make it home from work today.
I can explain more later. If anyone is interested.
Here is my full story.
Three years ago my TW200 started to spit and sputter at any throttle position above idle. I got frustrated to the point where I parked it and let life with 4 kids and a wife take over.
I decided that I would spend my birthday this year getting the beast back on the road. For the past three weeks I have been tinkering with it and learning a few things along the way about TWs. I started by doing a few things to it before I tried cranking her over.
Cleaned tank
Cleaned Carb and replaced float needle valve
Cleaned black soot off spark plug DR8ES
Cleaned and oil air filter
Change oil
Replaced battery
Washed it
Change air in the tires
The little beast fired right up and I was able to ride it around the neighborhood. I was happy for the moment. I noticed that at around 50 mph there was a pulsation and only got worse if I tried to go any faster. I wasn’t too worried about it and I figured it would get me to work Monday morning. WRONG!
Started it in the morning and let it idle for 3-5 minutes, jumped on and bumped the throttle and she fell flat on her face, spitting and sputtering with any throttle input. &$#%@$(@)^#!. Parked it and drove the truck to work. When I go home after work I jumped on the bike and it fired right up with no issues other than the 50 mph mentioned earlier. I rode it around like this for about a week tinkering with different spark plug heat ranges and gaps, timing light on plug wire checking firing consistency.
With no issues raising their ugly head I attempted to ride it to work once again. Started her up, let it warm up, jumped on and took off from the driveway, when I was 100 yards from home, !*&^^%#%!($^@!#. Back home it goes. Let the real troubleshooting begin.
These are the things that I checked or double checked.
Cleaned Carb bowl, nothing found
Main jet 114, No shims under needle, Idle/Air 2 ¼, should be lean
Float level, 1/16 below bowl rim
Spark plug (still black soot) replaced with new D7ES
Inspected all ignition electrical connections, no issues found
Removed air filter element (to see if this clears running rich)
Put CDI in freezer for 2 hours, then reinstalled
Started the bike (no choke still)
Throttle response is good
Test ride = Hold on to the bars! Noticeable more power and goes 65 mph before she starts to flutter, but now has a small midrange surge (lean condition?).
One more time to try and let this thing get me to work. Started in the morning, great throttle response, jumped on and away I went. It felt good to finally be riding it in the morning commute, up until I was 300 yards from my work place. ^$@&(*)($^@). It would not do anything but idle AGAIN!
I proceed to remove the CDI and determined to fix this problem.
I took a hacksaw and cut, just barely, though the plastic case around the outside edge centered between the top and bottom.
Using a Leatherman and an Exacto Knife I was able to cut the potting compound and pry the lower side of the case off. This was very simple and the only fear I had was pushing the Leatherman knife blade down the sides of the lower half. The case half came off with a little prying but not much, a lot of the potting compound with the case half. I then inspected the back of the circuit board and bingo. I soldered up the cold joints, used silicone and a little duct tape to seal things up and hold it together and off to the races (Home that is) I went. Still no air filter installed.
I would highly recommend performing surgery on your CDI, especially if you intend on buying a new one anyway. On a scale of 1-10 this was an easy 4.
The bike ran great all the way up to 65 mph before it started to flutter a little bit. When I got home I checked the spark plug and it was no longer black and sooty but rather a nice tan color. I put the filter back in and waited till the next morning to go to work. It ran great until 50 mph where it started surging. I pulled over removed the air filter and she came alive again, 65+ mph with a slight midrange surge.
I got the CDI fixed and now I need help with my air filter issue.
I believe that I am jetted as lean as it can go, but runs rich if I install the foam element. The element has be washed/oiled, then washed and even run in the bike dry with the same results. There are no blockages in the intake ducting. I am able to breathe though the foam element, so it seems clear.
****************************************************************************************************************
Well, The CDI lasted for two tanks of gas and then started flaking out again. I took it back apart to find that the silicone that I had used really tarnished all of the solder joints that it came in contact with. There were also more bad solder joints on the small circuit board on the opposite side of the CDI. this time I am not going to seal it up with silicone but just duct tape it together in case I have to rip it apart again.
I am temped to get one of those $16, 12 volt CDIs of of ebay and see if it works at all and have it for an emergency backup.
It is running very good now, but I suspect it is still rich, as it starts right up with no choke. i am going to run it another tank and then check the spark plug.
I am crossing my fingers but this time feels right to me.
Cut cdi case in half with a hack saw and pealed the potting compound off the circuit board.
Using a magnifying glass I found 4 bad solder joints and 7 more needing touched up inside the cdi.
Lets see if i make it home from work today.
I can explain more later. If anyone is interested.
Here is my full story.
Three years ago my TW200 started to spit and sputter at any throttle position above idle. I got frustrated to the point where I parked it and let life with 4 kids and a wife take over.
I decided that I would spend my birthday this year getting the beast back on the road. For the past three weeks I have been tinkering with it and learning a few things along the way about TWs. I started by doing a few things to it before I tried cranking her over.
Cleaned tank
Cleaned Carb and replaced float needle valve
Cleaned black soot off spark plug DR8ES
Cleaned and oil air filter
Change oil
Replaced battery
Washed it
Change air in the tires
The little beast fired right up and I was able to ride it around the neighborhood. I was happy for the moment. I noticed that at around 50 mph there was a pulsation and only got worse if I tried to go any faster. I wasn’t too worried about it and I figured it would get me to work Monday morning. WRONG!
Started it in the morning and let it idle for 3-5 minutes, jumped on and bumped the throttle and she fell flat on her face, spitting and sputtering with any throttle input. &$#%@$(@)^#!. Parked it and drove the truck to work. When I go home after work I jumped on the bike and it fired right up with no issues other than the 50 mph mentioned earlier. I rode it around like this for about a week tinkering with different spark plug heat ranges and gaps, timing light on plug wire checking firing consistency.
With no issues raising their ugly head I attempted to ride it to work once again. Started her up, let it warm up, jumped on and took off from the driveway, when I was 100 yards from home, !*&^^%#%!($^@!#. Back home it goes. Let the real troubleshooting begin.
These are the things that I checked or double checked.
Cleaned Carb bowl, nothing found
Main jet 114, No shims under needle, Idle/Air 2 ¼, should be lean
Float level, 1/16 below bowl rim
Spark plug (still black soot) replaced with new D7ES
Inspected all ignition electrical connections, no issues found
Removed air filter element (to see if this clears running rich)
Put CDI in freezer for 2 hours, then reinstalled
Started the bike (no choke still)
Throttle response is good
Test ride = Hold on to the bars! Noticeable more power and goes 65 mph before she starts to flutter, but now has a small midrange surge (lean condition?).
One more time to try and let this thing get me to work. Started in the morning, great throttle response, jumped on and away I went. It felt good to finally be riding it in the morning commute, up until I was 300 yards from my work place. ^$@&(*)($^@). It would not do anything but idle AGAIN!
I proceed to remove the CDI and determined to fix this problem.
I took a hacksaw and cut, just barely, though the plastic case around the outside edge centered between the top and bottom.
Using a Leatherman and an Exacto Knife I was able to cut the potting compound and pry the lower side of the case off. This was very simple and the only fear I had was pushing the Leatherman knife blade down the sides of the lower half. The case half came off with a little prying but not much, a lot of the potting compound with the case half. I then inspected the back of the circuit board and bingo. I soldered up the cold joints, used silicone and a little duct tape to seal things up and hold it together and off to the races (Home that is) I went. Still no air filter installed.
I would highly recommend performing surgery on your CDI, especially if you intend on buying a new one anyway. On a scale of 1-10 this was an easy 4.
The bike ran great all the way up to 65 mph before it started to flutter a little bit. When I got home I checked the spark plug and it was no longer black and sooty but rather a nice tan color. I put the filter back in and waited till the next morning to go to work. It ran great until 50 mph where it started surging. I pulled over removed the air filter and she came alive again, 65+ mph with a slight midrange surge.
I got the CDI fixed and now I need help with my air filter issue.
I believe that I am jetted as lean as it can go, but runs rich if I install the foam element. The element has be washed/oiled, then washed and even run in the bike dry with the same results. There are no blockages in the intake ducting. I am able to breathe though the foam element, so it seems clear.
****************************************************************************************************************
Well, The CDI lasted for two tanks of gas and then started flaking out again. I took it back apart to find that the silicone that I had used really tarnished all of the solder joints that it came in contact with. There were also more bad solder joints on the small circuit board on the opposite side of the CDI. this time I am not going to seal it up with silicone but just duct tape it together in case I have to rip it apart again.
I am temped to get one of those $16, 12 volt CDIs of of ebay and see if it works at all and have it for an emergency backup.
It is running very good now, but I suspect it is still rich, as it starts right up with no choke. i am going to run it another tank and then check the spark plug.
I am crossing my fingers but this time feels right to me.