Ignition box

[MAD400EX]

Is the Dyna FS Programmable ignition good boxs?

[cals400ex]

i have heard a few people having problems with them failing

[Norris3710]

I have had my Dyna Tek ignition for a 400ex for a year now and i think it helped alot, No problems!! i have not purchased the programming software yet but does anybody know if there is some more power there?

[Xenu]

The problem with the 400ex is that above some RPM in the 3-4K range, the stock box is firing at the leading edge of the timing pickup. The aftermarket boxes use this same pickup to read the timing. So you can't get more advance than stock, without physically modifying that pickup. This problem is specific to the 400ex only, and affects pretty much all of the aftermarket boxes I know of.

The aftermarket boxes can still affect the spark energy, so they are good in that respect. They can also give more timing in the lower RPM range, for a little more pickup off the line. And they can give you an adjustable rev limit.

An offset flywheel key would be one way to get more advance. Duncan sells a kit with a modified flywheel(I think thats what they modify) that advances the location of the pickup, giving you more timing, for more $$.

Short of that, you can't expect to get more timing. If you want a higher rev limit, then the software would be good. It would also be good if you wanted to work with other stuff(adding shift lights, nitrous, etc.).

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by Xenu


An offset flywheel key would be one way to get more advance. Duncan sells a kit with a modified flywheel(I think thats what they modify) that advances the location of the pickup, giving you more timing, for more $$.

.

I dont think your supposed to use the offset timing key with modded engines.

[Xenu]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
I dont think your supposed to use the offset timing key with modded engines.

It should be fine with a programmable ignition, you can pull some of the timing back out.

[Silverfox@C&DRacing]

you can't have an electral advancement along with a mechanical advancement.

[Xenu]

Originally posted by Silverfox@C&DRacing
you can't have an electral advancement along with a mechanical advancement.

Tell Duncan Racing that:

http://www.duncanracing.com/buyersguide/honda400ex.phtml

They have a standard ignition, and one with timing advance on the flywheel for an extra $100. That looks like electrical and mechanical advance to me. The same idea would work with any of the other programmable ignitions. The idea behind these, is to use the mechanical advance to give you more range, but then pull some of that advance back out through the RPM ranges you don't need it using the ignition box. This is only an issue with the 400ex, because it doesn't have enough range stock.

[Big - D Racing]

The dyna ignition sucks!!!!! I had it for one weekend and I couldn't ride for longer than an hour without my plug dying. I would switch the settings and experiment and still fouled plugs. Finally after a day and a half of fouling plugs the thing stopped working completely. I plugged the stock cdi back in and it worked perfect. No more spark plug problems or nothing! Don't waste your money on DYNA, if you want an adjustable buy Vortex or MSD.

[foleyit]

I see that a few people have had some problems with their Dynatek. I didn't want to respond with a quote from any specific member's reply. I am no stranger to this area having fried 3 of their circuit boards with my built 416. They had some problems with the chips on their board, and that has since been resolved.

I've been running my replacement/new Dynatek Ignition for over a 2 months now and no problems. Sure frying 3 ignitions is no fun, but knowing how the ignition performs kept my loyalty with Dynatek.

If anyone is having problems with their Dynatek ignitions and you haven't contacted Scott (Tech Support), you should. I purchased my unit originally from Dynatek late 2003, and not sure if they have the new ones out on their dealer's shelves.

[Norris3710]

What did your bike do when it fried them? Over rev, not start etc.

[foleyit]

1st time: The darn thing wouldn't start. I thought it was the gas, the plug everything. Thought to myself no way that this $300 part could have failed after 3 mos.

2nd time: Racing and probably hit the rev limiter and it sort of sputtered and finally died.

3rd time: Was at the dunes on the throttle going up comp hill and just crapped out. I thought I forgot to turn on the gas.

[foleyit]

Originally posted by Norris3710
I have had my Dyna Tek ignition for a 400ex for a year now and i think it helped alot, No problems!! i have not purchased the programming software yet but does anybody know if there is some more power there?

Curtis Sparks has the software and were going to do some tests to see if there were any improvements. I'm not sure where they are with this at present, but if there were any noticeable benefits with a built motor they were going to program mine for a fee.

[Norris3710]

Wow it sounds like you have jumped through hoops, with that ignition. so far mine has worked great with no problems (knock on wood) the onily problem i had and it had nothing to do with the box, the black side panels on my 400 were rubbing the wires and it rubbed all the way through they were sparking and jumping like crazy! i thought there was somthing wrong with the rev box i ended up just taping each indivigual wire back up neatly and no probs ever since!

[foleyit]

Yeah it was quite an ordeal, and there were some heated conversations. But running strong and no problems now. Cals400ex is aware of this as well that the Dynatek ignitions rev limit is 9600 and that may have contributed to the problems too. I've been told that the new ones are still at 9600, but I don't have a tach and never been dynoed so who knows.

I have the Dynatek on banshee too, and never had any problems. It actually helps with the low-end on that machine.