450, in a 1980 cm400E no spark

A

AJK

New Member
Hi everyone,

I just bought a 1980 CM400E that has a 450 twin (6 speed) swapped in. Trouble is, previous owner modified the ignition system in a way that removed many OEM ignition components.

Quick questions to those who know; can I revert to OEM CM400E wiring system and components (CDI, coil ect...) and still use the 450 stator and charging assembly?

What items does this 450 twin use to stay running? (CDI, single coil, two spark plugs)
What does this engine use to know spark timing? (crank position sensor?)
Do both pistons fire at the same time? (Is there a good write-up so I can learn more about this engine specifically?)

Thanks a million for your time,

Cheers!
A.J.
 
That's going to matter. Honda made 450 engines for the US for decades and they've changed a lot over time.
 
Is there an effective way for me to know the year of engine? Is there an ID stamping anywhere, or key features to look for?
 
PC05 is a CM450 engine. It shares almost all of the same parts as the CM400, so you're good to go with buying CM400 or CM450 parts.
 
Is there a good direction I should head to buy a new CDI, coil, and spark wire assembly?

Also how does this engine know crank position? Is this like a waste spark design where both plugs fire at the same time?

Thanks a million for the snapy responses.
 
Yeah... wasted spark system.

Crank position is determined by the magnetic pickups on the side of the engine. There will be a series of wires (orange, brown, pink, white, blue, and dark green) that lead to the CDI box.
 
Is there a company that sells oem ignition components online you could recommend?
Or can would any local bike shop sell the CDI and coil?
 
If you want brand new, try a Honda dealership, otherwise eBay is a good place to start your search. www.cmsnl.com is also a good spot, but spendy. You can at least get part numbers from them, though.
 
Are there other models that use the same CDI module?

I would prefer to find a used one local, perhaps from another model.

Thanks again.
 
Quick question;
Is the Stator/charging portion of the bike completely separate from the ignition portion?

In other words, if I had a bad stator but a fully charged battery, would the ignition system operate correctly? (at least until battery ran low)

Cheers!
 
Look for CDI Magician on ebay. He does this model of CDI for about $120 and gives you warranty. I was very happy with the one I installed. Used ones are a complete crap shoot IMO (went thru 4).
Larz
 
AJK said:
Quick question;
Is the Stator/charging portion of the bike completely separate from the ignition portion?

In other words, if I had a bad stator but a fully charged battery, would the ignition system operate correctly? (at least until battery ran low)

Cheers!
Click to expand...

In most bikes, that would definitely be the case. Given the layout of the CM400 and 450, I'm not so sure... sorry...
 
Search around for the GM coil swap on these engines. Ignition timing is set on these motors from the factory and is generally not adjustable.
 
Update; I've removed PO's ignition setup.

Installed factory ignition coil, CDImagician CDI is in place.
I also followed his listed procedures to check resistance in various areas. It all checked out correctly.

I am still not getting spark.

Any further checks I can do to ensure I am getting the correct signals to the correct circuit?

Cheers!
 
Start checking for continuity between the wires. The CDI ignition box is completely isolated from the rest of the harness with the exception of the black/white ground wire that leads to the kill switch. If the black/white wire has continuity to ground, the CDI box won't work (kill switch set to off grounds out the black/white wire, which kills your spark).

Your manual should contain the test procedures for checking out the magneto. Orange, Brown, Pink, White, Blue and Dark Green wires will all have a specific resistance range that is considered to be "in spec". If all these things check out and you are certain of the CDI box, then the only other culprit would be coils or plugs.
 
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