You can charge battery or buy a new if its not taking charge, 11,7 is to low.

Yes, your batt should be around 13+ Volts.

There's a useful flow chart for fault finding in this thread, at post number 8:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-battery-71772

Clean connectors in the loom, a good battery and the like are pre-requisites for fault finding.

__________________
Dave

Battery was around 12.5v when trying to start. When it was at 11.7v it was starting to wear down after starting.
Would the kick start model need a strong battery?
I was curious to having power at ignition coil with ignition off. I thought power traveled to CDI after ignition.
Want to make sure that isn't an issue.
Battery is currently on a charge.

Since you are dealing with an 80's bike with a CDI, Battery is is NOT used to power the CDI. It is powered by the stator. I really suspect your CDI module is dead. I had two of them bad, one in an 84 that has been sitting since early 90's and my 86 that ran poorly and started very hard a year ago. After sitting for a year, the CDI died. I used my multimeter and verify the OHM readings of the Stator, Trigger coils etc. I then put the multimeter on AC volts and using the schematic connected to each stator and trigger coil output. I removed the spark plug to make kicking easier then kicked while watching the volt meter. I got upswing on each so I figured the stator was outputting. I also checked the 84 and got almost identical OHM reading an same upswing on voltmeter. I then ordered replacement CDI module, plugged it in and fat blue spark appeared on plug. Runs perfectly and starts easily now.

I highly recommend you DO NOT buy a used CDI on Ebay. They are going to be bad or die shortly due to age.

Watch this space later today. I have a new programmable CDI to test. I am currently running a Hyperpak from New Zealand. No complaints except long delays in getting it. The New programable PCDI-XT from Zeeltronics.com will ship fast, you can set an RPM limit if desired, it comes preprogrammed for plug and play. You have the ability to set the advance curve anywhere you want, but stay close to the stock settings. An anti-kickback feature was included and is accomplished by setting a minimum RPM setting for starting. Default is 250 RPM. Below this, NO SPARK, no kickback. This is adjustable but 250 is a pretty good place to leave it from the makers testing on his own XT550. This replacement CDI is only for the earlier XT's that have the wires coming out of the CDI module. Newer TCI modules have built-in plugs and will not use this model. Current price without programmer or USB cable is 150 Euro's and comes from Slovenia. Borut ships quickly and by AIR.

Extra feature included but probably not needed for the XT is a shift light output that can drive a bulb or bright LED directly and an Electronic Tach drive, should drive a Vapor tach directly. I will be looking at that myself.

Steve

thanks for replies

Clymer states that the CDI can be tested by yamaha. Can someone confirm this please.

where i'm at
i have basicly the same readings from both coils, as long as I use the same plug boot.
Ignition coil
1985 primary .9 1989 .8 ohm Clymer spec: 0.27-0.33 ohm
1985 secondary 15.44 1989 18.1ohm Clymer spec: 3.44- 5.16 ohms

Source coil: 238 ohm Clymer spec: 160- 240 ohm

pick up coil: (measured 2 eyes together of connector with mouth on bottom) had 229 Ohms Clymer spec: 90-129 ohms
Measured eyes to mouth had 114 ohms
> confused on this as bike's wires were changed it seems from stator out with different colored wires. I originally thought I was safe with 114 when I measured eyes to mouth but seems I might of done it wrong.
Clymer spec: 90-129 ohms

If I connect multimeter to brown and red wires out of stator and kick bike over with meter on ac volts, I get 65 volts max.

I have a VERY weak spark. I have an auto test light hooked up and I have spark. How strong I can't tell but if I pull plug and ground to head their is no spark.

I get the same results with either CDI and ignition coil. switched up back and forth etc.
Kill switch is disconnected as is Neutral switch and kick stand is jumped.

Hello
I searched for spec on the CDI, came up with different test results.
If I follow this my results seem to be with in spec or very close to it.

Models with CDI
Ignition coil (Primairy winding resistance) ground - orange
0,8 ohm (90mH)
Ignition coil (Secondary) Orange - spark plug
17 kohm
Charge coil resistance (HV) Red - brown
200 ohm or 122ohm +/-10 ohm
batterie charging coil (LV) white - white 0,23-0,38 ohm
Pulser coil resistance green - white/red 90-130 ohm
green - white/green 90-130 ohm
white/red - white/green 180-260 ohm

You found out as I did that the Clymer manual is WRONG. The Yamaha factory manual is correct. The Clymer did not tell you which is the correct wires to measure. Your second post is correct. Basically you measure from the center tap of the coil to each end. Clymer has you measure across the whole secondary and is why the reading is too high, twice too high....