I Duddits!
I finally bought one of those programmable CDIs I've been looking at for a few years.
One of these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PROGCDI-R3-...YAAOSwtkFfWjmr
I did get lucky and found a used one, which saved me quite a few clams. Pay no mind to the AutoMeter stickers on it.
It's on the 200ES and running. That's as far as I've gotten with it, besides fiddling with the settings.
Out with the old...
In with the new...
That is a pic of it running. The display functions as a rudimentary tach while in operation. That 6 on the display means 600RPM, but isn't right because I probably need to switch the sensing mode.
I can confirm the adjustable rev limiter acts like suspected. I set it low and bounced the engine off of it to test. Now I can do that cool squid move and bounce the engine off the rev limiter while in neutral.
I don't have the mode switch hooked up, but with it, there are two ignition maps and two rev limiter settings.
There is no computer needed to program it and the memory is nonvolatile, so when power is cut, all the settings are still saves. On the other hand, navigating the settings with just three buttons can be a little daunting, but once figured out, it's actually quick and easy.
On the 200ES, and I guess the 250ES and 250SX, the CDI installs directly, not needing any other modules. There is a module for engines with no AC from the stator (DC systems only) and there's also a module for AC only engines (I've ordered one of those).
It needs 12V DC for the programmable part to function, but it's still fed AC from the stator and receives the signal from the pulse coil. It will auto-off after a short time once the engine stops running, or it can be powered by an on-off switch.
I'll get more into it later on, but there are a lot of functions, and not all of them in the directions I showed. On the 200ES though, everything is set to zero, because it has a mechanical advance. Zero offset on the pickup and zero timing advance. I checked this all with a timing light with stock CDI before, and this one after. I wanted to do it on the crank, but the clear tape I put over the timing hole wouldn't let me see anything when the light flashed, so I put the light on the cam advancer.
Yes, the engine is running. That's what a timing light does, it stops motion (so to speak) so you can see the marks.
Also yes, adjusting the settings on the CDI does what they are supposed to. I've managed to get it so out of wack, the engine wouldn't run or would run terrible. The stock setting WON"T work, they have to be zeroed. It either won't start or will barely run. In the future, I'll lock out the mechanical advance, so I can set it with the CDI instead. The advance can be adjusted in 1 degree increments at 500rpm intervals starting at 1,000rpm. It takes a bit to learn to interpret the display, with it's use of decimals to give more functionality to only using two numbers.
On a stock machine, it's overkill, but the rev limiter is still nice. For the price, it can't be beat. Those of you with souped up trikes, this is probably what you've been lacking to get the most of of them. Big Red big bores? Y'all may want to look into this.
With the DC conversion I've done on my 185S, this would also install directly onto that.
I can confirm that my 200ES starts easier now, but it's also smoking more. The more smoke tells me it's getting a hotter spark. Seriously, I've seen weak CDIs many times on oil burning engines and when they get a new one that's working right, the combustion is stronger and all of that oil is now being turned into smoke.