ignition unit on xs400

[free2ton]

I am just starting my first cafe (xs400) project and I want to do a home brewed harness, I just want to run a head/tail light, a snazzy allman? electroinic all-in-one speedo, and I just want my batt, to stay charged, I pulled my stock harness, and I have a ignition unit, do I have to wire this in, or can I just wire up my reg/rectifier in a simple system, I have been living on your site as of late, newby. I have not found any other posts that can help me with my basic wire job, if anyone can help, that would be awsome, p.s. have factory manual but it makes me cross eyed :-\

 

[Scarcat]

ok. Define what you mean by an ignition unit. Basic wiring requires a condenser, at least one ignition coil, a point breaker, and a battery.

If what you mean y an ignition unit is a ignition relay, then that's the relay that you use to go from the start switch to the starter.

 

[rudy]

Gerren, sent you a PM. Should start by stating the year of the bike. I dont think there were different ignition systems on the XS400 through it's time of manufacture like there was on the 650, but I'm not too sure. Mine has a points system, so it needs condensor, 2 coils, points system and battery like Scarcat said. I'll be running lights as well, but thats pretty much it for electrics. I also have an electronic copy of a Clymer manual, if you're interested.

 

[free2ton]

the bike is a 1980, it has the normal points, condenser, ect. I have some car building knowledge, wiring just freaks me out.

What I am looking at is a box that was attatched to the bottom/side of my stock battery box and is wired into the harness, on the box itself it says "ignition unit" I, could this box be the starter relay you are talking about, there are about five small mystery boxes I am dealing with, and it would be nice to have a way to know exactly, that so an so box does this or that.

I will get a pic up asap to see if anyone has an idea. I just want to be able to run the bike at all stages of the build, I have two harnesses coming out of the engine I just need to find out what wires will have to go where to get the bike to run and charge. When I hear people explain to me about fields in the electrical system I just don't have the knowledge to know what that means and how to apply it to the task. I need to get that electronic diagram from Rudy next time I pm him, Thanks guys .

I know that everyone has the same job as me to set up their own wiring so I really do respect you folks for input

 

[free2ton]

there is an awesome post for a cb350 running 3 batteries, it is just a simple diagram but it is basic enough that someone like me with lower that average electronic skills can follow, I would love to see it for the xs400, so I know what colored wires go where based on my application

 

[free2ton]

just did some more research and found my bike is a 1981 xs400 and this ignition box I have is the brains to my cdi unit, still as perplexed as ever but I will still build the bike and do the wiring when the time comes thanks guys for helping me answer my own questions,

 

[rudy]

I found a schematic hiding in the back of my manual last night. I have it in PDF and I'll send it to you tonight when I get home. I found the ignition box you talk about on my wiring harness as well, might be a little different than yours. Doesnt look like electronic ignition to me. My bike has points, and I know that for sure. There are things like light checkers and this and that relays on these bikes as well. They label them as weird things too. Same as my 650, the light checker was labeled as something like reserve lighting unit. Maybe just bad translations from Japanese, I don't know. I'll look through the schematic as well and see what is all needed.

 

[rudy]

I have one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/79-80-YAMAHA-XS400F-XS400-XS-400-F-IGNITOR-UNIT-BOX-CDI_W0QQitemZ290178656563QQihZ019QQcategoryZ35594QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

and one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Yamaha-XS-400-80-81-CDI-Ignitor_W0QQitemZ4555297509QQihZ013QQcategoryZ35594QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

 

[dgfischer]

I have one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/79-80-YAMAHA-XS400F-XS400-XS-400-F-IGNITOR-UNIT-BOX-CDI_W0QQitemZ290178656563QQihZ019QQcategoryZ35594QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

That's the flasher canceling unit

and one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Yamaha-XS-400-80-81-CDI-Ignitor_W0QQitemZ4555297509QQihZ013QQcategoryZ35594QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

That's the voltage regulator

This is the Ignition unit

http://cgi.ebay.ca/1980-XS400-XS-400-CDI-Ignition-Control-Module-TID12-02C_W0QQitemZ160145101345QQihZ006QQcategoryZ35594QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

Here's a link with the simplified wiring harness for the XS 650. The 400 should be very simular.
DG

http://xs650temp.proboards29.com/index.cgi?board=CustomPics&action=display&thread=1160129263&page=2

 

[rudy]

This is the Ignition unit

http://cgi.ebay.ca/1980-XS400-XS-400-CDI-Ignition-Control-Module-TID12-02C_W0QQitemZ160145101345QQihZ006QQcategoryZ35594QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

I don't gots one of them. Just goes to show that you have to know what you're talking about when you look for parts on ebay, cuz the sellers are iidiots!

 

[rudy]

I found a schematic hiding in the back of my manual last night. I have it in PDF and I'll send it to you tonight when I get home. I found the ignition box you talk about on my wiring harness as well, might be a little different than yours. Doesnt look like electronic ignition to me. My bike has points, and I know that for sure. There are things like light checkers and this and that relays on these bikes as well. They label them as weird things too. Same as my 650, the light checker was labeled as something like reserve lighting unit. Maybe just bad translations from Japanese, I don't know. I'll look through the schematic as well and see what is all needed.

PM me your email addy and I'll send it over. Kinda forgot to mention that. Thought about it last night when I got home.

 

[buzz286]

So it's seven wires into the cdi box,,,exactly seven wires! pm me and I will tell you what each wire does,,,