CDI In Place of Points

[bud_650excess]

Hi guys. Just curious, really. Has anyone ever upgraded an older bike (like '74 - '78) from contact breaker points IGNITION to a newer (like '79 - '83) CDI system?
I'm asking because I'm still dragging my feet on this '78 xs650 special project of mine. It had already been upgraded to a Pamco, single pickup but, unfortunately that has been burned up and the available alternatives (Boyer/Bransden, Hughs, etc.) are outside of my budget.
However, I do possess most of the CDI components, including an igniter box from a '79 xs650 that came with an electrical parts lot I picked up online.
Would it be doable/feasible to set the '78 up with the ignition components from the '79?
Any advise is appreciated.

 

[Its been a long time]

Hi guys. Just curious, really. Has anyone ever upgraded an older bike (like '74 - '78) from contact breaker points IGNITION to a newer (like '79 - '83) CDI system?
I'm asking because I'm still dragging my feet on this '78 xs650 special project of mine. It had already been upgraded to a Pamco, single pickup but, unfortunately that has been burned up and the available alternatives (Boyer/Bransden, Hughs, etc.) are outside of my budget.
However, I do possess most of the CDI components, including an igniter box from a '79 xs650 that came with an electrical parts lot I picked up online.
Would it be doable/feasible to set the '78 up with the ignition components from the '79?
Any advise is appreciated.

If you take a look at the electrical part of the forum's technical section, everything you need is there. You might have to look at a couple of threads to get everything you need. But it's all there and the support is here to assist in doing the conversion. Myself, I fitted Boyer Bransden kit to my 77 650C.

 

[DogBunny]

As said, all of the info is on this forum. When hunting for info, don't call it a CDI. It's a TCI. I've done this a few times, it's pretty easy. And if your TCI ignitor box is good, and if you have a TCI stator with the TCI pick-up on it in your box of parts, it will be very cheap.

 

[Jim]

However, I do possess most of the CDI components, including an igniter box from a '79 xs650 that came with an electrical parts lot I picked up online.

Got a pic? The TCI ignition box first appeared on the '80 models... '79 was the old points system.

 

[nj1639]

I'd swap out points for a TCI and not think twice on it.

 

[unclebobz]

1979 - 83, TCI has different cam. but you don't use cam in TCI sys.

 

[Jim]

1979 - 83, TCI has different cam. but you don't use cam in TCI sys.

'79 didn't use TCI... it came out in '80.
TCI bikes use the same cam as all other 447 motors. The difference is the TCI engines didn't have the advance shaft bushings installed inside the cam. Those bushes can be bought, the cam reamed slightly and the bushings pressed in