Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

Hello.

The manual says nothing about how to test the CDI- all it walks you through is testing what goes into the CDI.

I found this testing sheet for my MB5's CDI- http://www.brommerforum.nl/kb/artikel/48/ does anybody have a testing sheet to tell if the CDI itself is bad for the spree?

And, where can I source a new CDI box? I'm sketched out by CDI's on sale for $17 on Ebay. Where can I get an original one, or a high quality aftermarket one? Treats has a selection of peitcard CDI's... http://www.treatland.tv/SearchResults.a ... rd+cdi+box SoI emailed treats and they said they're not sure which one would work on a spree. Help anybody?

Honda left out CDI parametric measurements in some model's service manuals. I checked Spree's younger sibling the SB50 Elite E, and found no measurements either. The 1985 Aero 50 has these measurements:

Thanks for posting. Its worth a shot, I'll test my stock CDI out on Sat when I get back to the shop.

In the meantime, where does one go to purchase a new quality CDI for these beautiful little scooters?

I have never found a Spree CDI box or ignition coil that didn't function correctly. Whenever I have run across a "no-spark" situation, it has been the pulse coil.
I have road tested and compared most of the Ebay "performance CDI boxes" on my Aero 125 with a two CDI switching system, most are the same as stock but one had less power than stock. I have found the 84 Aero 50 CDI box will wake up a Spree or Cub big time, ( but don't know if it will cause damage)

OK. I'll check the pulse coil too.

If the exciter coil isn't functioning, I suppose this would cause problems as well? I guess I'll just check the whole electrical works.

found this on fleabay selling close to $40 with shipping & handling fees:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-1986-84-86 ... 4897.l5671

All these used CDI's are going for $$- I guess there aren't too many new one floating around the internets then? I'm hesitant to drop $70 on a used part that might not even work!

PM Sent..

Don't spend a dime on a CDI box just yet, yours is probably okay. Just install yours on a running Spree and you will know for sure. I bought every performance CDI I could locate just to do a comparison test of them, I think the most I spent each was $20 for new units.
Most of those performance CDI's are no better than stock, one actually had less power than a stock one.
If you lived near me, I would put yours on one of my scooters and you could take a drive.
If you don't have spark, recheck the pulse coil and exciter coil, and triple check the stop wire, make sure that wire is open circuit to ground.
I highly suspect your stop wire, the one that goes from the CDI box, to the ignition switch and the handlebar kill switch, is grounded, when that wire touches ground the ignition shorts out and the engine stops.
Keep us posted on your progress.

Oh man, thanks for the info ya'll.

I won't have a progress update for another two weeks tho- I'm working on the project weekends with my pops, and he's out of town for the next two. In the meantime I printed up the repair manual and will be binding it at work this week to begin studying this strange little machine. I literally have no idea how a scooter functions, and I'm excited to learn all about 'em by fixing this ol' 86. up.

I've sourced a tested CDI locally, and will be picking it up whether my issue is related to my scooter's CDI or not. If my current CDI is actually good, then hey, I'll have a spare to keep with the scoot. I really just don't trust magic little black boxes! Call me old fashioned...

The new CDI got spark going to my new plugs, hurray!

Then I cleaned the carb and put everything back in place...

Then the engine puttered for like 1 second... and then the starter motor quit working and started smoking.

I was jumping power directly to the starter motor from a Toyota Echo's car battery- did I fry the motor because I was running too many amps of juice through it? Can I bypass the electric start and get a kickstarter for this thing?

The Ancient Mariner wrote:The new CDI got spark going to my new plugs, hurray!

Then I cleaned the carb and put everything back in place...

Then the engine puttered for like 1 second... and then the starter motor quit working and started smoking.

I was jumping power directly to the starter motor from a Toyota Echo's car battery- did I fry the motor because I was running too many amps of juice through it? Can I bypass the electric start and get a kickstarter for this thing?

Yup

Well sh*t.

I'm rebuilding this thing for my mom (Who is almost 60), so I'll have to pick up another motor and use an appropriately sized batter from now on. I can't see her wanting to learn how to kickstart a motor.

if your power was directly to the starter motor then only the starter motor will be fried .Just replace it

The starter didn't fry from jump starting, it fried because; (a) it is not very strong to begin with,(b) it is almost thirty years old,(c) it was cranked on too long ( got hot ) (d) those starters are really really weak.
I use only Yuasa brand batteries in the scooters I keep and the crappy cheap batteries in the scooters I sell. My personal scooters ALWAYS start, no matter how far from home I am, because I use the good batteries.
Note there are two different size Spree starters, the early ones have ten teeth or splines the later ones have 11 teeth or splines. They cannot be interchanged.
You can easily add kick start to your early Spree by using the cover and outer drive pulley half from a 1986 Spree. This is a fifteen minute conversion that is super easy and quick to do.