Motorcycle Ignition System - How it works - Part 1

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In this video I describe in detail how an electronic capacitive discharge ignition (CDI) system generates a spark at the spark plug in the engine of your motorcycle. Specifically, in this video, I focus on an ignition system where the CDI is powered by an exciter coil in the stator. In the follow on video, Part 2, I explain how ignition systems where the CDI box or the Electronic Control Module (ECM or Black Box) are powered by the battery work.
I break down how the crankshaft rotor, source coil (aka exciter coil), pulse generator, CDI module (aka spark unit), ignition coil, HT lead and spark plug all work together to create a spark which ignites the burn of the air and fuel mixture in the cylinder of the engine using a dismantled single cylinder engine to allow you look inside and see whats going on.
Part 1

[@awwnawmang]

appreciate you taking the time to make this. very informative. Protip for anyone watching this: it's easier to follow at 1.25 - 1.5 speed though.

[@LeafBurrower]

1.75 for me. Great video though

[@7venxce]

thank you very much! I just got a bike 6 months ago and this is very helpful in understanding more about my bike!

[@godfreyngandu4157]

Im impressed by the explanation on the motorcycle ignition system.A few days ago i slept on the way because of not understanding the same.Now with this knowledge im safe.

[@Shimzawastrata]

This is probably the best video about this on KZbin! Well done

[@ka0skontrol504]

Great video! Love stuff like this. Now all we need is a technical explanation of the differences between how an electronic ignition system works vs the old points and condenser ignition systems. Something like that would be really helpful to us vintage bike guys that have obscure vintage bikes that don't have ignition parts available to them anymore.

[@robertovalentin1482]

Wow, for me that I don't know anything about motorcycles this is great to know

[@jeromemausling6324]

Thank you for positing this highly informative educational video. Much appreciated

[@s1dew1nd3r4]

Great video, took a bit to get there but got there in the end! lovely explanation thanks.

[@adrian_smadrian]

The Irish accent helps me understand even more! Great video!

[@NoahGrandry]

This is an amazing and interesting video! now i finally understand how it work! Thanks ;)

[@michaelgertos812]

THANK YOU THANK YOU Thank you so much for this video sir. 👍👍 I'm having ignition problems with my bike. My bike is imported from China and has a German-made ECU and the ignition curve is tuned to their own country's climate (mostly cold). I live here where the climate is warmer (30 - 40 °C at day times). ignition is too advanced for my local climate that I often experience a bit of a power Loss. My ignition timing badly needs retarding here. But no one around here knows how to do it without messing with the ECU software that I really hate to do. All i need is adjust the positions of the pulse generator to make it spark at about 5°BTDC later than the standard. Wish me luck 👍

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

That might not be possible as pulse generator is usually fixed in place and rotor is fixed in position on crank shaft by a slotted key. My understanding is that modern motorcycle engine control modules are programmable by tuning shop but if its just a basic 80's/90's cdi box controlling ignition then it is probably hard coded and can't be changed unless you were able to get different cdi units.

[@michaelgertos812]

@@TheMotorcycleMuse Yes I just saw it today. This is really so sad. 😢 One other solution is to keep using higher octane fuel but it's not gonna be budget friendly in the long run as I really ride a lot to and from work and on weekend joy rides. I easily make 25,000Km in a year. Hahaha Right now I do intend to take the flywheel rotor out to a machine shop and drill my self another slot for the crank shaft that is 5° late (clockwise). This is crazy, I know. Hahaha 😂

[@michaelgertos812]

@@TheMotorcycleMuse Hi TM Muse. I wish you had a great day. Just a follow up on what I did with my bike. The machine shop refused to my request with my pulsing rotor as they didn't want to be responsible in case my rotor is damaged. I had to do the filing on the slot myself. Right now, I have successfully managed to twist it just 6° late. The engine runs so smooth. Very ideal for hot climate and low Octane fuels. All thanks to your very educational video sir. Thanks a Lot man, 🙏

[@pmacc3557]

​@@michaelgertos812Ur a genius! Well done 👍✅

[@roarkshsha]

Keep up the high quality level of your videos. Thanks.

[@jordanmcquade230]

Brilliant. Thanks for this. I'm just getting into engines. This is very helpful.

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

Glad it helped

[@vannakkeo7453]

Love how you explain! Very informative and understandable

[@Beatwolf]

Play at 1,25x speed and its perfect :) Thanks!

[@bazzookabod5250]

Well feck me dead he’s right

[@supunathukorala4084]

Super explanation . Thank you very much and keep this works up!!

[@TSSomensi]

Very informative. Thank you very much!

[@sampathkumar1668]

Good explanation... We want more videos from you... Thank you

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

Yes a lot more "how it works" videos for motorcycles coming in a few weeks 👍. Just waiting for some parts to arrive so I can begin demos.

[@vladimirvladimirovichputin1352]

THANK YOU SO MUCH I UNDERSTAND YOUR A LIFE SAVER 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@trentwilson9742]

Very good. Thank you very much!

[@Lezsi2]

Realy good explanation, you should go to work in a university as a professor maybe

[@edright8881]

Great information 👍

[@mestep511]

How timing advance work on a CDI system? The pulse must be for timing purposes and and timing circuit controls advance?

[@lshn8457]

This helped me a ton thx a lot!

[@S2king-custom]

Why do we have two windings in the ignition coil ? Can we have only one winding and still amplifying the voltage ?

[@sparta2010]

Very informative.

[@S2king-custom]

Are we missing the Rectifier/Regulator in this ignition system ?

[@Grizzlytactics91]

so. help me understand. from what your saying since my motorcycle is turning over but not starting it cant be the pulse generator or the stator OR the cdi box since those three only come into play when the bike is actually running? im new to this

[@aliasmari]

Thank you very much

[@robinteekaram2696]

Great demo.

[@ArthVader09]

What is the problem if engine sunddenly stops at idle and so hard to start. The battery is good. I crank it maybe 50x before it starts again

[@Savagepatch.Kid9000]

Great explanation!

[@kwiz8848]

👍👍👍 well explained

[@StoVol70]

Thank you!

[@bryankennedy1019]

Good stuff. 👍

[@roooop]

Thanks again! I've subscribed to your channel.

[@ronaldocenirarabit5355]

Wow very ni ce your fired...

[@Roopak-Mohan]

hi, in 2 stroke engines the spark plug fires in every rotation, 4 stroke engines needs spark only in the power stroke. How this is controlled in a 4 stroke engine if the pick up coil triggers the discharge in each rotation

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

In simple engines the spark plug fires during exhaust stroke but as there is little of no air fuel mixture in cylinder it has no effect. Called wasted spark.

[@Roopak-Mohan]

@@TheMotorcycleMuse so in 4 stroke also spark fires just like 2 strokes on every rotation, right?, then why the electronic rpm meters are different for both 2 and 4 stroke engines? (talking about single cylinder only )

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

I'm afraid i wouldn't be familiar with the rev counter setup differences between two and four stroke engines mate. Sorry

[@Roopak-Mohan]

@@TheMotorcycleMuse no prob, just asked

[@Dimitrivon]

What engine are you working on here? Does anyone in the comments know? It looks sooo similar to my 1986 Yamaha Tri-moto 200 & I really need a brand new engine that's so close to the original I don't have to perform any major modifications to have it be an exact fit.

[@carmelpule8493]

It is interesting whether one should say that, a moving magnet close to a coil induces " a current?" or " a voltage?" Actually it is " the rate of change of magnetic field that causes the action. If the coil is open circuit then how can the current flow??? Actually what happens is that the ends of the coil are acting as a capacitor and so when there is a rate od change of magnetic field, the electrons in the copper are moved and if there is an OPEN CIRCUIT, the terminals of the coil are charged with electrons being pumped up by the reaction of the rate of change of the magnetic field.. If there is no load at the terminals of the coil then a voltage is built up as when electrons charge a capacitor. If there is a constant rate of change then the final voltage at the terminals will be DC constant. Voltage with no more current passing, Only if a load is now connected the current will flow not o nly to charge the ends of the coil but to pass current through the load. In the case of an ignition coil one needs to speak abut the RATE OF CHAGNE OF THE MAGNETISIM IN THE COIL. .

[@ademkrasniqi2468]

Can a two stroke engine work propley without cdi ? I just wired directly from stator to ignition coil.

[@richardhaviland6503]

What kind of engine is this exactly? And can I bypass the gear indicator sensor? If not how do I hook it up to make the motor run

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

Zongshen 162FMJ. Gear indicator sensor I presume you mean the neutral indicator switch is causing problems with your motorcycle? I wouldnt be too familiar with it or how to bypass it if its causing problems starting the motorcycle. Sorry!

[@nickjames205]

Do you have any experience with pamco electronic ignition? I have a 73 cl350 and I've heard mixed things.

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

I'm afraid I couldnt advise you on that as I am not familiar with aftermarket ignition systems for the CL350. I'm fairly sure the Motorcycle MD has a video on his channel about the ignition system for that exact model or maybe its the CL450. Ask him on this comments section. He's usually very helpful.

[@nickjames205]

@@TheMotorcycleMuse thanks I'll do that

[@jaysonramdany9990]

12k volts! Insane

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

You must be single again Mr Ramdany if you've time to be watching videos about ignition systems 😂

[@sampathkumar1668]

👌👌👌

[@tv-is6dp]

It will be nice to trduce to frensh

[@afkgang5076]

Where can I get that engine casing

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

Might be hard to find. Its Thai built engine and there might not be many exported outside of Asia. Look up the Zongshen website or search eBay for casing of model 162FMJ engine. Might get lucky.

[@zatydory]

He said Stator but the caption said Standard. 🤣

[@dominikm9713]

I subed to you I told you I would

[@jassem5855]

✌️✌️✌️👌

[@FranktheDachshund]

2:34 glitch in the matrix.

[@NshsShdh-jx9ob]

👍👍🥰🥰🥰♥️

[@jeffpaxton9172]

Are you talking with that fake accent so people will think your smart? This video could have been explained in 3 minutes but you managed to take it to 21. This is the funniest video I've seen in quite a while. You are 1 hilarious fella.

[@RogerjhunBusalla]

Ignetion system engine voice talking sakay kay. Ka slander slider generate sparkhead of engine slinderhead volte. Sparplug 12 volts 3000 thousand volts super higer volt. Light and head light signal light stop light cdi powers sourse energy cover coltor put uo the vulcat ignetion staff pick oil nel panel rothor ruthor connected sa cranksaft routetion revulotion inside ruthor rothorcapper wire taxsexli oil dec xel. Hail