High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

[peterskeeter]

Hello again everybody. Well, you may remember I posted a while back concerning a problem with one cylinder dropping fire after about 20 minutes of running time consistently. After some trouble shooting I determined changing the power pack was necessary.

My motor is a 1989 90HP Evinrude Crossflow with the CD4 ignition. After installing my new CDI power pack today, without making any other changes to the engine, the engine now idles at 2300 rpm on the muffs instead of the usual 1000 rpms. I didn't have time to check it with a timing light today because of work, but it is running smoothly, firing right up, and it also sounds powerful, its just idling very high. Has anyone experienced this before or may know what the cause could be?

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Hello again everybody. Well, you may remember I posted a while back concerning a problem with one cylinder dropping fire after about 20 minutes of running time consistently. After some trouble shooting I determined changing the power pack was necessary.

My motor is a 1989 90HP Evinrude Crossflow with the CD4 ignition. After installing my new CDI power pack today, without making any other changes to the engine, the engine now idles at 2300 rpm on the muffs instead of the usual 1000 rpms. I didn't have time to check it with a timing light today because of work, but it is running smoothly, firing right up, and it also sounds powerful, its just idling very high. Has anyone experienced this before or may know what the cause could be?

Check your throttle cable and linkage adjustment. There is no way that motor can run up to 2300RPM without the butterfly valves open at least part way.

With your throttle in idle position, with the engine off, check that the butterfly valves in your carbs are completely closed. If they are not you need to adjust the throttle cable until they are closed at idle.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

sounds like a link n sinc is in order.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Could be that it is now running on all cylinders at idle, where it may not of been before. Using your service manual, put it back in proper order.

 

[peterskeeter]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

So here's what I've got so far. I think I may have a defective CDI power pack. Went to the launch, made sure everything was good as far as the "link and sync." My idle with the motor in the water is at 1300 RPM's, this as is low as I can get it to idle. I noticed the motor sounds like it's knocking also with the new pack. When I put the motor in gear, it feels very rough and low on power and yes I double checked all wires. So I then switched power packs with my old pack and all of sudden, the motor is idling smooth at 750 RPMs with no knocking and full power again. So I switched the new CDI pack on once more just to be sure. Installed new pack once more and back to the same old chit! Anybody ever bought a bad pack out the box, I'm sure it's possible. What do you think?

 

[ezeke]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Contact CDI support, they will make it right. http://cdielectronics.com/Support.aspx

What is the number of your new CDI pack?

 

[peterskeeter]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

I guess I will get in touch with them tomorrow morning ASAP. I guess that's just my luck sometimes but I'm glad the problem is just their pack and nothing more serious. The part number to the pack I have from CDI is 113-4028.

 

[tal]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Hey Pete, good luck with this bud and let us know how it turns out.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Defective new part is always a possibility.

Curious if you got to check idle timing on each box, the symptoms sound a lot like the new box was advancing timing.

 

[peterskeeter]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

UPDATE

After calling CDI today, wandering what the status is on my pack and when I will get it back, they state that it is back on its way to me in the mail, and that also they found NO DEFECTS with it. I am baffled at how this is possible. I talked to a tech at CDI and he has no valid explanation for me, stating that I need to check the timing of each cylinder or swap the brown and brown/yellow wire to the pack and see what happens. He also stated that a new pack "fires hotter than an old pack and that it can speed up engine idle." My response to him is that there is a big difference between a hot spark and an advanced spark. My motor also runs as if it is running on 2 cylinders when put in gear with the new CDI pack. The tech took my number and was supposed to call me back, I never heard back from him. I even called several times since and can't get back in touch with anybody. Anyway, I've never heard of people having to recheck the timing of each cylinder when installing a new power pack. My motor runs fine with the old pack at startup and idle, it only drops the number 3 cylinder when running at a high RPM after about 15 mins. or so due to what I believe is some type of thermal/electrical breakdown within the pack. Anyone have an idea? I just don't buy this bs I am being fed...

 

[bktheking]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

That makes no sense, I've replaced powerpacks and never had to touch the timing.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Are you working on that engine with any servive tools' at all? Or service literature? How much power are you getting from the charge coils, trigger sensor's. It's more that pulse pak's that run that engine. Take the service manual. Put the contol cable's where they belong. Synce & link the engine, and you should be done.Sounds like your playing "Try this".

 

[CharlieB]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Not very long ago in another posting, Scheffer found his varying advance problem was caused by reversed polarity from MIS-marked/wrong color wires on the trigger.

I really suspect you have a problem with the trigger.

Do you have a DVA Meter and the CDI troubleshooting guide?

 

[ezeke]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Check the timer base: http://www.cdielectronics.com/InstallSheet/133-3379.pdf

 

[peterskeeter]

Re: High Idle after new CDI Power pack installed

Hello all, I wanted to post a follow up. I received a new power pack from CDI. I received it sometime in the first week of January. They followed through with their promise and honored their warranty. The rep from CDI told me on the phone at first they had found nothing wrong with the one I returned. Sometime after our "debate" he followed up with another call, leaving a voice message stating he would send me a new one. Long story short, I installed the new one this week. Right away, my old Evinrude was running smoother on the hose. Put it on the water today and my motor has never run this smooth since I've owned it. Didn't miss a single beat. Now idles smoother and seems to start a little easier too. Thanks for everyone's help and input once again! It is always greatly appreciated!!!