RDD Digital II CDI for RD350: Post-install feedback

[tushar]

Disclaimer:
1. Jetting far from dialed-in.
2. Bike currently running in

Ok, now that it's out of the way, here goes. Bike was started and run around a bit on the static CDI. No issues. I have never had my bike (or another) idle like it does now.

Finally switched to digital CDI. It really is as simple as the documentation tells you. Get your wiring harness right, match the colours and go. The bike started on the first half-kick. Some impressions:

1. Half-kick. Nothing more. It almost feels like the piston just about touches TDC and then takes care of itself. No more powering through the kick to get some momentum into the crank.

2. The spark burns the hell out of the oil. Using my earlier oilpump setting, there was absolutely ZERO visible smoke from the pipes. Paranoid, I adjusted the oilpump to drown the engine in oil and then I saw some smoke. This has fouled/shorted one plug, but it beats melted pistons.

3. Despite aforementioned fouled plug, causing one cylinder to mostly misfire, the bike idles and runs. I am quite amazed at this. Even with half an engine, you would need some years of experience on an RD to figure out that there is a drop in power.

4. Lighting is fabulous. I am used to flicking the headlight on, waiting a bit for it to get the message, and watching the bulb slowly brighten. With the RDD CDI, the bulb just bursts into brightness. Even with my current 35/35 halogen, lighting is adequate. I wonder what a higher power bulb/lens would do. Recommendations?

5. The static CDI included is a real nice backup. I carry it with me and the swap is a 2-minute affair. Excellent for redundancy.

6. Despite poor jetting and a conservative 18-degree advance, the bike is turbine-smooth and feels grunty. I can't wait for the fuel to be right and the bike run in.

I will post pictures of my CDI install soon. It has been done very neat and really sorts out the wiring quite well.

[chinoy]

Thank you for the kind words.
Your jets will be dispatched within the next 48 hours.
Dont worry about the smoke. Just cause you dont see the smoke dont mean the engine is not getting lubricated. If you are paranoid. Then disconnect your oil pump and run pre-mix. 40 Ml to the LTR.

running extra oil just leans out the mixture.

[tushar]

I figured as much, recalling the other customer feedback about the clean burn using the digital CDI. I have since turned the oilpump down a bit.

[GerardFdz]

Great going Tushar! When do I get to see the good work?

[tushar]

Right after the jetting is done Gerard. And no comments about the colour

[GerardFdz]

And no comments about the colour

My Lips are sealed!

[octane_fx]

Ron
Another amazing win man, I am planning my trip to Bangalore soon, I will meet you and hand you the DD, please add my request in the Que.
Tushar please post the Picture of CDI install, am in Hyderabad where no one really knows except some about the CDI miracle

Thanks. Am waiting for the pics ..

Cheers mate

[crazydiablo]

I wonder what a higher power bulb/lens would do. Recommendations?

Am using autopal dome with clear lens and Philips 100/90W halogen....its superb....

[gravityman]

Dont worry Octane We can handle the CDI install in Hyderabad it self. Call me or PM me when u get your CDI we will get it installed.

[tushar]

Update: Turns out I was way off on my order for jets. I'm using what looks like several sizes lower than Ron's 200s, and am still filthy rich. Rode a fluttering slug at below 3k for 40km all the way to the garage.

Very conservative (18 degree) timing was making the bike that much more sluggish, so decided to advance the timing. Now running 22 degrees. Bike suddenly moves much better but still flutters the same. Looks like just pure advance doesn't take care of the jetting issues. So I drill up another pair of smaller jets, intending to put them in later. Then an epiphany. It turns out that the HT bikes had one more hole in the airbox. Mine was sold as an LT so it just had one on the right side. Shop was closed and necessity and a slight end of day beer buzz prompted improvisation.

I took the lid of the airbox off. Boom! Power everywhere. Clean, rorty pulls all through the midrange. The ton (km/h) comes up within seconds and I rarely need to get past the midrange. I also managed to breach the brick wall at 5k rpm for a brief moment, confirming that my jetting is less filthy rich and a step closer to optimal. It's taken 15 months of waiting to get here, and it feels good.

Two issues:

1. Unlike all the other RDD CDI customers, I am not seeing any gains in mileage at all, despite fairly open-road riding. Not that I care, but am I doing something wrong?
2. The engine, unlike other members' bikes, is NOT touchable by hand. It's really hot. About as much as it used to be before.

I'll enjoy the bike as is for the foreseeable future and advance to 24 degrees when I get bored and the extended run-in is done.

[chinoy]

1, The jets I sent you are what we use with the filter kits. If you have an air box its a totally diffirent story. You need to jet to your setup. Wire mesh , papper orignal, papper fake with no friging flow.
Best case its a stock Box with stock filter then you need to stick with 140 jets not play with 240 Jets.
If you want to play with the big jets run no air box or a wire mesh setup with no lid.
Im amazed how the bike even started much less runs.

2. The CDI is like tested and proven enoughf time over. Its not like each guy gets a different curve or circuit. SO if theres any issue its with your setup.

3.Tushar youve got a fresh top end. Rebore done is some crappy gully in Bombay. Not trying to put you down but my money says they have no clue what clearence they have given my money says it will be the typical 0 to 10 Micron clearence. This will require an absurdlly long run in and you will have serious heat issues and a few micro sezuires till the run in is completed. If your serious about reboring your barrels right you should send them in to RDD. With our clearances. The crappy hot running growth pains last for only 40-50 Kms.

[tushar]

The post was meant to be positive. As I mentioned, it was my mistake in ordering the jets. I'm running the stock airbox with a stock-replacement K&N (much as this is taboo here) as a personal choice. My jetting guesses were bound to be out of whack. Anyway, it's always nice to have a couple of high-quality large jets lying around for the future As of now, jets drilled out 1.2mm with no airbox lid run fine.

In case there is any misunderstanding, I have NO major issues with the CDI at all. I could run the bike into the ground on the current setup and be happy about it, without further tweaking. I just mentioned the issues in case there are some obvious things to consider that I overlooked.

Not trying to overestimate my humble rebuild, but it's somewhat better than a crappy gully sleeve job (I've seen a few). Clearance is on the tighter side, so that probably explains the heat issue. Thanks.

[chinoy]

Yeah ok cool my only point was that you need to get the recomended run in of arround 1500 Kms.
Before the frees up and the heat starts to fall and the power climb. Right now your loosing a lot of power to fritction losses.

Im glad you made the post. It will teach people that tuning is a lot harder than buying a K&N replacement filter and pluging it on.

It will also make people appricate the amount of time and effort Ive put into making the right jets to match the filters we sell.

Its also proved without a doubt that the K&Ns are way more restrictive. I sent you the same jet size we use on our filter kits figuring the K&N would flow the same amount. Seems I was wrong.

Dont worry about anything get the runin done. Make sure your plugs are not bone white.
And you should be ok.

[tushar]

Amen. Jetting is a bitch, and I fully expected it to be when I made my choices. For the record: the K&N stock-replacement air filter does not flow as much as dual UNIs (I rode Derek's bike for a year), nor does it give you that sharp throttle response. All it does is let you run your Y-boot and airbox, and unless you've got plenty of experienced riders running exactly your setup, you're at sea with the jetting. Best of luck and make sure you have lots of tiny drill bits and paid leave

[chinoy]

I dont think it matter wether you have one guy runing your setup or 1000.
It all depends on how much work was done by the guy selling you the filters with matching jets.
I haven't changed the jet sizes I came up with from day of our first customer. On the RDs.

Also advising guys to buy drill bits and keep trying could land you up in a boat of chasing your tails for ever. Its very very hard to get equal flow if you think you can buy a cheap 3 buck drill bit and drill your jets. Its ok for a single not a twin.
To save my costlly 8$ drills what I have started doing is use the cheap drill bits to lay the initall hole.
Then use the special drill bits to go for the final sizing.

Based on all the info youve given me so far. Id say go to a Yamaha show room and buy two orignal 165 Main jets. Then put your needle in richest positing and give it a shot. With your Y boot filter and Air box cover on. Its its rich add one hole at a time to your air box cover.

[Ardy]

If the bore is tight, you may benefit big by using good synthetic motul 2T and save the engine from shame.

my 2 paisa

[chinoy]

Nooo that would be the worst thing. It would just take longer to free up.
Use the worst oil. Long rides with frequent chk on the engine temps.
I wish I could measure your clearences. If its really tight a light hone would solve the problem
You may want to lift the barrels and look for high spots on the piston sand these down with fine wet sand papper. That would help.

[tushar]

Thanks for the advice. Based on what I'm experiencing, your jetting tips sound about right. However, since I'm ok upto the midrange right now, I will keep the jets as they are and fine-tune later. Plugs look ok with that thin white like around the electrode as you mentioned before. I am riding regularly and staying alert about engine temps. Typically, I take a break after 20kms. Staying away from Motul right now; will use the petrol mix trick after runin is complete.

Next time at the garage, I will lift the heads and check clearance with a bore gauge. If a hone is recommended, I will do it. No chances this time.

[tushar]

Update: Something just wasn't right. Most likely culprits were the TKRs. Dumped them, put in Arts, hone, sandblast blocks and heads and go. It has been over 350km since. Bike has settled down perfectly. Jetting is spot on, with just a hint of richness. Engine can now be touched even after an hour of heavy traffic riding, and is just plain warm after a slight rip. Smoothness of engine is something I have not experienced before. Extra care taken in wiring has ensured that the bike keeps on going even in the rain. The CDI is giving me what I expected, and I am satisfied. I will experiment with advancing timing when I get bored.

[ajithk]

i have a feeling you also got rid of some hard to find air-leak in the process . Alls well that ends well i guess.