Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

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KDXMainer
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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by KDXMainer »

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/281757514349

Has anyone bought one of these? I can't find any reviews on them.

How many of you guys have bought a running bike, brought it home and suddenly it doesn't run? What are the chances of a CDI unit lasting just long enough for the pre sale test ride then dying? Either that seller was one lucky SOAB or I have the worst luck ever.
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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by KDXMainer »

Guess I'll be the first to try one of these. I'm so happy I'm the only one to buy a running bike just to not have it run the first day.

Another question. I just put a new front sprocket and o ring chain on the 209. I struggled for 45 min trying to get the master link clip in place. Finally the clip broke in half. I ended up using a clip from a 525 chain and I think it's on. I squeezed it from every angle with vise grips.

Is there any reason I can't use a 525 clip on a 520 chain? Thanks Mike
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Re: Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by KDXGarage »

You might want to research the chain pin to pin differences, if there are any.
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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by KDXMainer »

Funny thing about the clip I was looking at the install directions and it says to put the open end of the clip opposite the direction of travel. For 40 years I've been doing just the opposite. Always had the open end facing the direction of travel. I guess it doesn't matter as I've never had a problem even with my street bikes.

After ordering the CDI I still can't get over the fact that the CDI blew the day I bought the bike after being on there for 19 years. I unrapped the harness and found water in there. The bike hasn't been used in a long time. How could water not evaporate?

Is it possible they oil the wires at the factory befor wrapping it so the wires don't get brittle and its some kind of oil I'm seeing?
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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by Gixxer340 »

That sucks to hear about the troubles with the new bike. I wonder if somehow the bike was submerged and that it causing the electrical gremlins you are seeing? Just a thought.

Good luck getting it figured out.

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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by pumpguy »

The idea behind having the closed end of the master link clip facing the direction of chain travel is, if the open end of the clip was facing the direction of travel and it were to get snagged on something, the clip would get flicked off.

When the closed end of the clip is toward the direction of chain travel, that can't (hopefully) happen.

Back in the day with loose fitting non-oring chain, this was a real possibility. I used to take a thin strip of tin can stock and slip it between the clip and side plate then fold it over top and bottom, as an extra keeper to keep from loosing the clip.

With today's O ring chain and the struggle needed to get the master link all assembled, if properly done, I think loosing the clip is less of a possibility.
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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by david »

KDXMainer wrote:Funny thing about the clip I was looking at the install directions and it says to put the open end of the clip opposite the direction of travel. For 40 years I've been doing just the opposite. Always had the open end facing the direction of travel. I guess it doesn't matter as I've never had a problem even with my street bikes.

After ordering the CDI I still can't get over the fact that the CDI blew the day I bought the bike after being on there for 19 years. I unrapped the harness and found water in there. The bike hasn't been used in a long time. How could water not evaporate?

Is it possible they oil the wires at the factory befor wrapping it so the wires don't get brittle and its some kind of oil I'm seeing?
It is possible the PO pressure washed the bike before selling it to you, getting water in there in the process.
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Re: Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by KDXGarage »

BOOM! I like that reasoning.
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Re: Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by bufftester »

520/525/530 chains all have the same pitch (distance from pin to pin) they just differ in width. A master link from a 525 will work just fine on a 520. I have always heard closed end in direction of travel since I started riding 40+ years ago. Back in the day loosing a masterlink was a real possibility, but like pumpguy said, with today's chains you seldom here of one, and usually it is because the operator didn't put it together correctly.

They don't oil the wires, more likely the previous owner power washed the bike. Sucks at the timing. Might be worth pulling the flywheel and verifying your grounds on the stator, and checking for water in there as well.
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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by KDXMainer »

I thought about the pressure washer. PO said he hadn't ridden it in months. I ordered the CDI. If that doesn't fix it the flywheel will be coming off next. The bike ran fine when I went to look at it.
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Caloric CDI... Has anyone used one?

Post by C George »

KDXMainer wrote:https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/281757514349

Has anyone bought one of these? I can't find any reviews on them.

How many of you guys have bought a running bike, brought it home and suddenly it doesn't run? What are the chances of a CDI unit lasting just long enough for the pre sale test ride then dying? Either that seller was one lucky SOAB or I have the worst luck ever.

I'd dare say that the FAR MAJORITY of Japanese CDI units are VERY reliable and if they do fail it's because their a victim of other problems.

The China ones are a whole other story :(
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