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Post by wutzthedeal on Mar 11, 2013 18:57:14 GMT -5
Washed my scoot yesterday at the carwash; only used the hose  -120 seconds. CDI burned up. Last one I lost was after riding through a few puddles. Isn't the design of the CDI like having a brain w/o a skull? Has anybody successfully made their own skull? (I wonder about the unit overheating if enclosed in anything). |
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 11, 2013 19:04:04 GMT -5
Scoots bikes whatever do not like a lot of water on them. They like to be cleaned by hand, they do not like to be hosed down. The electrics on these things are not waterproof and can short out very easily.
Alleyoop
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Post by h3nry on Mar 11, 2013 19:33:44 GMT -5
I have driven through water deep enough to submerge my clutch... how do you guys have so many electrical issues
Have you tried disconnecting the wires at the clips and plugging em all back in? Maybe add some dielectric grease or something to keep moisture out later if it does fix it. Typically with the sealed electronics like the cdi and stuff its just a connection issue (inside sometimes, from working with other electronics)
I am no pro but I have worked on other electronics like laptops and computers that have been stored in the rain and dropped in pools.....
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Post by wutzthedeal on Mar 11, 2013 19:44:44 GMT -5
Yes I'm an IT guy, h3nry and actually used to teach electronics at a career school so it's not a lack of understanding regarding electronics, it's just waterproofing; I've used CorrosionX on all of my electrical connections which is as effective or more effective than dialetric grease by written accounts but it didn't save this CDI.
Thanks Alleyoop, handwashing from now on. But saddened that I have to avoid rain.
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Post by h3nry on Mar 11, 2013 20:01:39 GMT -5
Didn't think you lacked knowledge about the electronics. Just figured I would point out the obvious places to start  I'm just baffled about the many reported water related issues because my experience with oceans of rain water lol. (I forgot for a minute we are not on sd) |
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Post by terrilee on Mar 11, 2013 20:02:05 GMT -5
ya know
i dont know what is with scoots. 
i used to hand wash mine, but hose the soap off with a hose
never had a prob.
2 or was it 3 years ago, anywhos i was out after a snowfall, from a few days prior, roads were completely dry , but lots of salt.
when i got home i decided to wash all the salt off, even if it was a bit cool, 34-35 degrees. i pulled the scoot next, to the steps going into the basement , stator side facing the steps.
hosed the whole scoot off, while it was running, and sprayed under the engine , CVT, fenders, got it real clean,
but the next day is when the stator was fried & you know it should be able to take some water splashing up on it. & i knew it was there and i didnt OVER spray it.
so scoots are funny
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Post by rockynv on Mar 11, 2013 20:47:22 GMT -5
Washed my scoot yesterday at the carwash; only used the hose -120 seconds. CDI burned up. Last one I lost was after riding through a few puddles. Isn't the design of the CDI like having a brain w/o a skull? Has anybody successfully made their own skull? (I wonder about the unit overheating if enclosed in anything). The CDI is potted however quality issues do exist with the potting. The owners manual for every bike I have owned incuding name brands warn you not to use a pressure nozzle of any kind not even a garden hose to wash down a bike. |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Mar 12, 2013 1:00:11 GMT -5
Well, I joined the club...
I've washed my scoot for five years at the local spray-wash with no trouble at all. But I always kept the engine runnng, then rode for a half-hour after washing to be sure all was dried. Then, a few months back, I washed it as usual, but shut the engine off. That was "all she wrote"... LOL! Deader than Kelsey's... well, you know. Turned out BOTH the CDI and the COIL were toast. I got a new CDI and coil, and tried each individually, but no spark. Once BOTH were replaced, it started right up.
I've always been careful to not spray directly into any of the electrics, or the dash/speedo/tach area as it looks pretty "open". I wonder HOW folks in 3rd World countries ride these through monsoons, tsunamis, tropical rains and such... ford streams, and run them on oil drained from abandoned farm implements, etc. and they still start and run with five or six family members aboard...
At any rate, one good spritz in the wrong place will definitely leave you walking/pushing the scoot home... I do think CDI's and coils vary a lot in their quality, but c'mon builders... These ARE outdoor transportation which SHOULD be waterproof enough to ride in heavy rain, or wash without rebuilding... I haven't had a problem with spraying the bejeebers out of any bike I've had since the sixties (except for one BSA Hornet with Brit CLOTH insulated wires...) until now. I've always felt any bike made since the late 1960's would be totally waterproof.
WRONG...
These Chinese scoots can be MORE than "cantankerous". Like some of my pals, they do NOT like Saturday-night baths... LOL!
Leo (watchin' where I spray) in Texas
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 12, 2013 1:19:00 GMT -5
I think it all depends on the connections and how they happen to be sitting on the ride. Take your CDI if by chance the connectors are facing up and water FILLS the plugs you can kiss it goodby. Same with another connector if water happens to go inside the connectors there will be a short pretty simple. Electricity does not like water period.
Alleyoop
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Post by millsc on Mar 12, 2013 1:21:10 GMT -5
From what I've experienced get the cdi wet its done, glad they are like ten bucks
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Post by wutzthedeal on Mar 12, 2013 2:11:56 GMT -5
I'm with you on that rockynv. A scooter should be relatively waterproof. No hard rain should run the risk of destroying some electrical component. I realize that we want "cheap," and when you buy cheap, you aren't going to get all the detail-oriented extras, but I would suspect that vulnerable electrical connections would be protected at least with heat shrink (where overheating is not an issue) or even factory-applied dielectric grease or CorrosionX. My CDI is facing up (connectors up), Alleyoop; I was afraid that the first splash would fry it if facing down, and it seemed that no water would really get in there from rain or from the way I sprayed the cleaning water, plus I had treated it thoroughly with CorrosionX; it just seems to me that the electrical system is so unnecessarily delicate. Is that an incorrect observation? I'm probably biased.
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Post by rockynv on Mar 12, 2013 4:04:45 GMT -5
I will say that my Aprilia Sport City 250 despite the Italian reputation for tempermental electronics has been a more solid performer than my former bike a Lance(Znen) Vintage 150. 14,000 miles riding the Aprilia in Tropical Rain or Shine has not given me any trouble at all while the Lance would have an electrical issue every month or so that would leave you stuck on the side of the road. Alway seemed to fail after just getting you out into an intersection with a line of traffic behind you.
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Post by scootn4fun2010 on Mar 12, 2013 11:57:56 GMT -5
When I swapped my scoot's CDI with the orange performance unit, I noticed that the CDI hung on its mount so the connectors face to the rear of the bike. I have not had any issues with electrical...yet( knock on wood). Regardless, I am very careful with water pressure around the bike. I pre and final rinse the bike with the hose and without any amplified pressure, such as no nozzle, or the shower setting on a garden nozzle. My only thought about those frying CDIs is to check all the wiring to and from the CDI( power, ground, spark) for corrosion, wire insulation deterioration, or possible shorting. Salt has a nasty affect on electrical, not that the inferior Chinese quality of materials helps any. I hope you have better luck with your rides!
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Post by rockynv on Mar 12, 2013 22:18:16 GMT -5
Rode 45 minutes today in a Tropical rain storm and it was a non-event for the bike. On my old bike after installing the Orange DC CDI from Scrappy with the matching coil purchased as a set along with his replacement ignition trigger did eliminate all my wet or dry stalling issues. Used dielectric grease on all the connectors.
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Post by alleyoop on Mar 12, 2013 22:34:42 GMT -5
you guys every had any of your cars detailed. Before they go and clean out the motor bay they cover all the electricals before they hit it with the power sprayer.
And the scoots electrical connections are no where near as well insulated as a cars eletricials.
Alleyoop
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-120 seconds. CDI burned up. Last one I lost was after riding through a few puddles. Isn't the design of the CDI like having a brain w/o a skull? Has anybody successfully made their own skull? (I wonder about the unit overheating if enclosed in anything).
..BAD TO THE BONE..
