Feening for fist in the wind freedom

[troubledninja]

I have a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja ex carbureted. The bikes are straight basket Case came to me with a knocked out ignition no CDI box no plug for CDI cut another plug cut kickstand safety switch all the safety switches plug I can get the bike to turn over turns over great but don't know how to wire in my 99 CDI replacement I got form my buddy I've poured through these forms over and over found a couple of helpful links but still can't get no spark sending out a big SOS

[DannoXYZ]

Hi Jay and welcome to Ninjette!

Did you replace ignition-switch with aftermarket unit?

[Triple Jim]

Note that Ninja 250s do not use CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition). They have electronic modules that control coil current, but it's not CDI. 12v is supplied to one side of the coil primary by the battery, and the electronic ignition module grounds the other side of the coil primary to cause current to flow. When that current is interrupted it causes a voltage spike that in turn causes a huge voltage spike in the coil secondary.

In contrast, CDI charges a capacitor to several hundred volts, and when the time comes for a spark the capacitor is connected to the coil primary, causing a spike that is amplified in the coil secondary. In this system there is no 12v supplied to the coil, only the extremely short current pulse when the capacitor is discharged into the primary.

[troubledninja]

No I didn't geta chance to change the ignition switch for now I think I'm just going to go ahead and put in them start button and switch and tuck them somewhere up underneath the fairing but I know how to do that part of it it's just getting fire from my coils right now thank you for your help guys I did not know that about cdis and the discharge system I knew how the difference between TCI and CDI but I've also seen a tiic could I wire in a CDI to run the Ninja or is that out of the realm of possibilities



For now I do have this computer CDI Black box I'll call it till I learn its name that I've switched some pins around and I'll post some pictures in a minute my girlfriend's yelling at me to make her some food but I've tried to hook this box up with many a different wiring diagrams like I said I'm found on here any help to what I'm doing wrong could be a stepping right direction maybe I don't know

[troubledninja]

No I didn't geta chance to change the ignition switch for now I think I'm just going to go ahead and put in them start button and switch and tuck them somewhere up underneath the fairing but I know how to do that part of it it's just getting fire from my coils right now thank you for your help guys I did not know that about cdis and the discharge system I knew how the difference between TCI and CDI but I've also seen a tiic could I wire in a CDI to run the Ninja or is that out of the realm of possibilities



For now I do have this computer CDI Black box I'll call it till I learn its name that I've switched some pins around and I'll post some pictures in a minute my girlfriend's yelling at me to make her some food but I've tried to hook this box up with many a different wiring diagrams like I said I'm found on here any help to what I'm doing wrong could be a step right direction maybe I don't know

[troubledninja]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vwC91oFuWP5WEoCo7

[DannoXYZ]

uses TCI - transistor controlled ignition with inductive coils.

Try to get working with existing ignition-switch first because there's anti-theft features that's matched between ignition and TCI box. Ignition-box will definitely NOT work with simple switch and start button.

When getting bike-in-boxes project, get everything back to 100% stock condition and working before making mods.

If you got '95+ ignition box with connector, wire-colours will match 2008 harness. Check out this post on how to connect to harness. Just match up same colour wires. DO NOT switch any pins around on connector, it works 100% as-is from factory.





Note each joint should be tied for mechanical strength, soldered for electrical conductivity and additional strength, and heat-shrink wrapped for durability. Otherwise, you'll have flaky connection and intermittent problems that'll drive you crazy trying to troubleshoot.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[troubledninja]

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

uses TCI - transistor controlled ignition with inductive coils.

Try to get working with existing ignition-switch first because there's anti-theft features that's matched between ignition and TCI box. Ignition-box will definitely NOT work with simple switch and start button.

When getting bike-in-boxes project, get everything back to 100% stock condition and working before making mods.

If you got '95+ ignition box with connector, wire-colours will match 2008 harness. Check out this post on how to connect to harness. Just match up same colour wires.

Ty for your post I know all about the resister if you look at the pictures I posted above then you see I wired in 100 on resistor on the gray wire before it enters my TCI box I honestly think I might be big held up by safety switches now I might have read this wrong but I believe they all ground out to the green with black stripe wire can't I simply run that wire strait to ground and the hot brown black wire to 12v battery and both hot reds on my coils to 12v battery just for testing purposes of courseI don't know I'm just trying to get some fire and everything I've tried is not I've had to test continuity with no multimeter using a battery and a test light my pickup has continuity but I don't know if it's getting the right signal I don't know if it's adjusted right I don't know if I'm doing this right I just want to ride

[troubledninja]

All the connectors from the bike were cut and I don't have the connectors for the TCI I'm using off of 9495 and I don't even have the box covering for it it's just a microchip board with the plugs and I'm trying to wire my own pins in I've even got a diagram off of here one of the forums that shows me every year models thing but I think I'm getting it wrong somehow I don't think I'm getting the PIN numbers or slots number right right to left left to right which end goes up which end goes down remember I don't have the box only the chip from inside

[DannoXYZ]

I added photos to my post with pinouts for '95+ ignitor box. You should confirm which model-year ignitor you have because they changed between '94 and '95.

While you can get replacement connectors, i find it's easier and cheaper just to get '95+ replacement harness from eBay. Then you can chop off ignitor connector with short pigtail to re-attach to your existing harness on bike.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/190893067618/

Might also want to consider replace entire unmolested 2008 harness for clean start:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264992430352/

[troubledninja]

10 pins on the output part of my plugs so I'm guessing 95 and up but I think I've already wired into that configuration I'm about to go try right now and see what I got what do you think about running the hot to the battery and the safety switch straight to ground though

[DannoXYZ]

power to TCI straight to battery? don't do it.
just measure for power coming from ignition switch on Br/Blk wire.

Compare with grey wire voltage as well. Ignition won't work if they have same voltage. Some people have had to use higher resistance, 130-ohm or so in order for ignitor to work.

[troubledninja]

10 pins on the output part of my plugs so I'm guessing 95 and up but I think I've already wired into that configuration I'm about to go try right now and see what I got what do you think about running the hot to the battery and the safety switch straight to ground though

[troubledninja]

Originally Posted by troubledninja

10 pins on the output part of my plugs so I'm guessing 95 and up but I think I've already wired into that configuration I'm about to go try right now and see what I got what do you think about running the hot to the battery and the safety switch straight to ground though

Ty didn't get the reply till too late

[DannoXYZ]

got it working?

[troubledninja]

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

got it working?

No not yet won't get a chancebass boosted version to work on until the kids pass out but I'll keep you posted

[DannoXYZ]

For reference, here's where '95+ ignitor connects to '08 harness:

1. green -> green - right coil trigger
2. brown/black -> brown/black - power from ig-switch
3. black/white -> black/white - to pickup coil black
4. black -> black - left coil trigger, also drives tach
5. green/black -> green/black - through diodes then neutral switch
6. black/yellow -> black/yellow - to kickstand switch and ground
7. grey -> grey - 100ohm resistor -> grey ignition-switch
8. yellow -> yellow - to pickup coil yellow

BTW - are there any numbers on circuit board that corresponds to terminals on connector?

Here's ignition-circuit from manual. DON'T use schematic from manual. There were actually several errors I fixed. Note that in addition to kickstand switch, you also have to ensure neutral and clutch switches are wired correctly.

[DannoXYZ]

Now, once everything's wired up, you need to MEASURE to test if your wiring is correct. Idea is NOT to disturb circuits in any way, but determine if existing configuration is correct. Can't do that if you're tearing it up and rewiring. You'll have no idea if previous config is any good or new one, because they both won't work. Measuring numbers is the key to getting this working. So measure following:

Key ON, back-probe ignitor connector:

1.
2. brown/black - what is voltage?
3. black/white
4.
5. green/black - measure resistance to chassis-ground. How many ohms?
6. black/yellow - measure resistance to chassis-ground. How many ohms?
7. grey - what is voltage?
8. yellow - disconnect ignitor, measure resistance to #3 blk/wht. How many ohms?

Once you've confirmed inputs to ignitor is connected properly, we'll test the outputs.

[troubledninja]

Well my CDI is off a honda not a ninja so there that.... Honda steed 400 imma try to use it anyway done took it down to the PC Board trying to figure out the abbreviations on the dang thing now to know what color wire to solder where going to try to match colors to existing wiring harness so it's easier to wire together. Any help with identification on the abbreviations on the bord will be awesome ty keep you posted...

[troubledninja]

http

[troubledninja]

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by troubledninja

Well my CDI is off a honda not a ninja so there that.... Honda steed 400 imma try to use it anyway...

Wasting your time, never gonna work. Honda ignitor is looking for missing tooth on starter clutch for TDC. Ninja ignitor has long double tooth on flywheel for TDC. Guess which one's on your bike?

Get an oscilloscope and look at trigger waveforms on each and it'll be obvious.

[troubledninja]

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

Wasting your time, never gonna work. Honda ignitor is looking for missing tooth on starter clutch for TDC. Ninja ignitor has long double tooth on flywheel for TDC. Guess which one's on your bike?

Get an oscilloscope and look at trigger waveforms on each and it'll be obvious.

down my man you're speaking Dutch all I do is tinker and play with them I don't know what all that is so Anyone out there got an ignitor let me know do some trading or something just trying to get my fist in the wind

[DannoXYZ]

Open up the left engine-cover and take look at flywheel. Note the pickup-coil near back. See how there's square bumps on flywheel that passes close to pickup-coil? That tells ignitor position of engine and where TDC is so it fires at correct spot.

Here's easiest and fastest solution for your bike.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/363247822298
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124357027713
https://www.ebay.com/itm/293845683494 - both