I'm new here. Been searching posts for answers with no luck.
I am buying a Bayou 300 4 X 4 from a lady on the contingency that I can get it running. There is a bit of a story . Bare with me. The bike ran fine when the pull starter was used. The elactric start didn't work. The clutches were slipping so they to the bike to a shop. They had it for 2 months and finally said the clutches were in it but they couldn't get the thing started to adjudst them. The lady picked the bike up and got it home. The bike started 1 time with the rope, died and thats it. Oh yeah...they said they wouldn't charge for the clutch since they couldn't get it running. I know... a little suspicious.
This is where I come in. I took all the plastic off and checked all the connections. Now the electric starter works. All the connections are fine. Even got the lights working. Still no spark. The only time I have a spark is when I hold the plug to the case and turn the red kill switch to OFF, there is one yellow spark. The battery is good. Everything checks out ok. The bid thing is there is juice going into the CDI, but nothing coming out. Today I took the side of the case off and checked for ruct on the flywheel. All is good there. I am leaning toward the CDI, but it is too pricey at close to 400.00 to guess. I'm at a total loss. I think the bike is a 1988. I can buy it for 800.00. Cheap enough if it'll run.
I remember seeing on an atv forum ( can't remember wich) where a guy had a bad CDI on a 300 Bayou and he used a module from a GM truck HEI distributer. I'd try that if I knew how to hook it up.

Sorry my first post here was a book.
I would appreciate any help.
Thanks, Kevin

 

I just saw a thread about that. It may be a way to test it out but in the long run it does not work. According to the thread your timing is always at full. So it is a good cheap way to test it out before buying a expensive box.

I am trying to find the thread but dont see it.

 

I had the same problem with my 300 Bayou. I put in the GM module and it is only 15 bucks to try it out. Mine was running great for about a year then it just went caput. Went back to the site I found the GM mod on and found out the GM mod is only good for awhile. It is cheap enough to see if that is the problem though. I just bought a new CDI for it off E-bay NIB for $150 which is half of what the dealers want for them. The site your looking for is http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/fo...saki-atv-mule/
Just copy and paste and it will take you right there. That site has more in the way of Bayous.
Crazyotto

 

I think that would be worth trying, hey ihmta1 I'm guessing your a farmer or tractor puller or something?

 

Thanks for the help guys. I'll give it a try.

We've pulled modifieds, twd trucks, garden tractors and antiques. Now we mainly collect and farm with antique Farmalls.

 

The HeEI worked like a champ. The bike won't take gas and won't run smooth very long. Guess the timing isn't advancing. I need to find out wich exact module the guys are using that run them with no problems. Atleast I have spark. I still hate to pony up for a new CDI. I wouldn't mind so much paying 300 + if it weighed a couple of pounds LOL. Thanks again.

 

I dont know how to use whatever fords version is but I have heard of it getting used by a local guy. I will try to find out more.

 

HI !
May this help some of you folks depending on what is wrong in your cdi......
I had cdi problems on my bayou 300 1988, very difficult to start, runs 1 min and begins to misfire or stalled and when i pressed on a specific place on the cdi box it runs ok new cdi $385.00...
I have decided that as long as my cdi was off service, before ordering a new one i could
at least take a look at it. So i took it off my quad and carefully began to get in the heart of that cdi....First i took off the plastic box by cutting all around the circumference of the cdi between the plastic and the rubber. I then took a hacksaw and carefully cut lines outside the box...the rubber stuff with the cdi in it was now in my hands..Since it is sealed with a kind of rubbery stuff, i took a well cutting pocket knife and began scraping carefully to unpack the cdi card...
Be careful as cdi are electronic cards with many resistance soldered on it... most important
is to clean the side where all the solderings are done...
When i had my cdi in hands with that side cleaned ,i put it on my bayou and started it.
When my bayou was running i carefully went to my cdi and pressed gently on each resistance
one at a time ...on four of them when i pressed my bayou stalled or began to misfire..
i found that these four resistance were unsoldered from the card... took my soldering iron and repared these solder.. started my quad and played with my cdi by pressing everywhere and it runned ok.
I found in my garage a little plastic box about the size of my cdi card,cutted off a way for the wires ,took some 5minutes epoxy and put some in the bottom of the box ,pressed my cdi card in it and covered with epoxy all the way to the border of the box.. Let dried overnight and put it back on my bayou...Runs smoothly and saved almost $400.00 WAS WORTH THE TRY
Sorry for some mispelled words
I'm french
Dan