CDI 173-3672 Guide

Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
This installation is to be completed by an Authorized Dealer or Professional Service
Technician. For questions regarding installation or warranty, call CDI Tech Support
at 866-423-4832. Do not return to the Dealer or Distributor where the part was purchased.
Contact CDI Electronics Directly for Return Material Authorization.
CDI Electronics •353 James Record Road SW •Huntsville, AL 35824
Web Support: www.cdielectronics.com •Tech Support: 1-866-423-4832 •Order Parts: 1-800-467-3371
All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content, in any manner, without express written permission by CDI Electronics, Inc., is prohibited.
Rev D •6/19/2023 Page - 1 of 5 QF-358
CDI P/N: 173-3672
This unit replaces P/N's: 581830, 581865, 581987, 582016, 582023, 582404, 582497, 582867, 583023, 583671, and 583672
Warning! This product is designed to be installed by a professional marine mechanic. CDI Electronics cannot be held liable for
injury or damage resulting from improper installation, abuse, neglect, or misuse of this product.
INSTALLATION
1. Remove the Negative battery cable.
2. Remove the flywheel according to the service manual for your engine.
3. Disconnect the original Stator wires.
4. Remove the original Stator, saving the original bolts.
5. Install the new Stator using the original bolts with a good thread-locker applied to the bolts and tightened to the factory torque
specifications.
6. Connect the new Stator to the Power Pack.
7. Connect the new Stator to the Regulator/Rectifier (ignore any stripes on the Regulator/Rectifier as the new Stator does not require the
Yellow wires to be connected to a particular Regulator/Rectifier wire).
8. Replace the flywheel according to the service manual for your engine.
9. Replace the Negative battery cable.
4 CYLINDER TROUBLESHOOTING
NO SPARK ON ANY CYLINDER:
1. Check the cranking RPM. A cranking speed of less than 250 RPM may not allow the system to spark properly. This can be caused by a
weak battery, dragging starter, bad battery cables, or a mechanical problem inside the engine.
2. Perform a visual inspection of all ground wire connections to make sure that they are clean and tight.
3. Disconnect the Black/Yellow stop wire from the Power Packs and retest. If the engine's ignition has spark, the stop circuit has a fault.
Check the key switch, harness, and shift switch (if present).
4. Disconnect the Yellow wires from the Rectifier and retest. If the engine now sparks, replace the Rectifier.
5. Check Stator and Timer Base resistance and DVA as shown:
Read from Read to OEM Ohms CDI Ohms DVA (Connected) DVA (Disconnected)
Brown (Stator) Brown/Yellow (Stator) 485-635 Ω450-600 Ω150-400 V 150-400 V
White (Common) Blue (#2 Timer Base) 30-50 Ω27-36 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White (Common) Green (#4 Timer Base) 30-50 Ω27-36 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White/Black (Common) Blue/White (#1 Timer Base) 30-50 Ω27-36 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White/Black (Common Green/White (#3 Timer Base) 30-50 Ω27-36 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
6. Rare causes include a weak or broken flywheel Charge coil or Timer Base magnets. If possible, try another flywheel.
NO SPARK ON ONE BANK:
1. Disconnect the Black/Yellow stop wire from the Power Packs and retest. If the engine's ignition has spark, the stop circuit has a fault.
Check the key switch, harness, and shift switch (if present).
2. Check the Stator and Timer Base DVA (see NO SPARK ON ANY CYLINDER).
3. Swap the Stator wire pairs from one side of the engine to the other side and see if the problem moves. If it does, either the Stator is
faulty or there is a poor connection between the Stator and the Power Pack.
4. Check the DVA on the Orange Primary wires from the Power Pack to the Ignition coils while connected to the Ignition coils. You should
have a reading of at least 150 V or more. If the reading is low on one cylinder, disconnect the Orange Primary wire from the Ignition coil
for that cylinder and reconnect it to a Pack Load resistor. Retest. If the reading is now good, the Ignition coil is likely bad. A continued
low reading usually indicates a bad Power Pack.
5. Visually inspect the Ignition coils for burned or discolored areas or cracks in the casing (indicating arcing inside the Ignition coil).

Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
This installation is to be completed by an Authorized Dealer or Professional Service
Technician. For questions regarding installation or warranty, call CDI Tech Support
at 866-423-4832. Do not return to the Dealer or Distributor where the part was purchased.
Contact CDI Electronics Directly for Return Material Authorization.
CDI Electronics •353 James Record Road SW •Huntsville, AL 35824
Web Support: www.cdielectronics.com •Tech Support: 1-866-423-4832 •Order Parts: 1-800-467-3371
All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content, in any manner, without express written permission by CDI Electronics, Inc., is prohibited.
Rev D •6/19/2023 Page - 2 of 5 QF-358
ENGINE WILL NOT STOP (KILL):
1. Disconnect the Black/Yellow wire at the Power Pack. Connect a jumper wire to the stop wire from the Power Pack and short it to engine
ground. If this stops the Power Pack from sparking, the stop circuit has a fault. Check the key switch, harness, and shift switch (if
present). If this does not stop the Power Pack from sparking, replace the Power Pack.
MISS AT ANY RPM:
1. Disconnect the Yellow wires from the Stator to the Rectifier and retest. If the miss clears, replace the Rectifier.
2. In the water or on a Dynamometer, check the DVA on the Orange wires from the Power Pack while connected to the Ignition coils. You
should have a reading of at least 150 DVA or more, increasing with engine RPM until it reaches 300-400 DVA maximum. A sharp drop
in DVA right before the miss becomes apparent on all cylinders will normally be caused by a bad Stator. A sharp drop in DVA on less
than all cylinders will normally be the Power Pack or Timer Base.
3. Connect an inductive tachometer to each cylinder in turn and try to isolate the problem. A high variance in RPM on one cylinder usually
indicates a problem in the Power Pack or Ignition coil. Occasionally a Timer Base will cause this same problem. Check the Timer Base
DVA (see NO SPARK ON ANY CYLINDER).
4. Perform a high speed shutdown and read the spark plugs. Check for water. A crack in the block can cause a miss at high speed when
the water pressure gets high, but a normal shutdown will mask the problem.
5. Check the Trigger and Charge coil flywheel magnets for cracked, broken, or loose magnets.
HIGH SPEED MISS OR WEAK HOLE SHOT:
1. Disconnect the Rectifier and retest. If the problem disappears, replace the Rectifier and retest.
2. Connect DVA meter between the Brown/Yellow and the Brown wires and do a running test on each set. AT NO TIME SHOULD THE
VOLTAGE EXCEED 400 DVA. If it does, the regulator circuit in the Power Pack is faulty. The voltage should show a smooth climb and
stabilize, gradually falling off at high RPM (above 5000). If you see a sudden drop in voltage right before the miss becomes apparent,
the problem is likely in the Stator.
BATTERY CHARGING ISSUES:
1. Regardless of whether the charging issue is overcharging or not charging at all, the #1 cause of all charging issues is the battery often
due to improper style and/or charging neglect. #2 is the battery’s connections. #3 is the Regulator/Rectifier. #4 is the Stator.
2. The recommended type of battery for outboards is a single (NOT more than one) 850+ CCA dual purpose or cranking/starting non-
maintenance-free battery.
3. Non-maintenance-free batteries (lead-acid flooded cell; has vent caps on its top) have heavy, thick plates. They’re ideal for outboards,
where batteries are commonly drained by accessories while fishing, etc. when there is no charge applied to a battery while the battery
is in use. Its heavy plates can withstand constant discharging and charging. These batteries have much more reserve time and are
much more suited for this behavior.
NOTE: Some Maintenance free batteries will have vented caps on top. When in doubt, change the battery to a non-
maintenance free type.
4. Maintenance-free batteries should NEVER be used in an Outboard application. A new, fully charged maintenance-free battery may
work fine at first but their life span is dramatically shortened due to the constant charging and discharging. This activity will cause the
cells to become weak, and/or the cells will become dead. When this happens, the battery is unable to accept a full charge, thus putting
the Rectifier/Regulator at extreme risk of failure. Therefore, maintenance-free style batteries commonly cause charging issues shortly
after installation.
5. Check all battery connections, particularly at engine ground. Make sure that all connections are tight and free of corrosion. Do NOT use
wing nuts as they tend to loosen over a period of time from vibration. A loose connection WILL cause a premature battery and/or
Regulator/Rectifier failure(s).
6. If there is no change, try a single (NOT more than one) known good fully charged battery that is 850+ CAA Dual Purpose, or a
cranking/starting battery that is non-maintenance free. Make sure the battery is a lead acid flooded cell battery (has vent caps on its
top).
7. Measure the DVA across the Stator’s Yellow battery charge wires, while connected to the Regulator/Rectifier. At idle the DVA will
normally between 8-25 DVA. If not, disconnect the Yellow wires from the Regulator/Rectifier and retest. DVA will normally be 17-50
DVA at idle. If the voltage is low, the Stator is possibly faulty. Perform a visual of the Stator for browning and varnish dripping. These
are signs that the Stator has overheated. If the visual inspection shows any of these signs, replace the Stator.

Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
This installation is to be completed by an Authorized Dealer or Professional Service
Technician. For questions regarding installation or warranty, call CDI Tech Support
at 866-423-4832. Do not return to the Dealer or Distributor where the part was purchased.
Contact CDI Electronics Directly for Return Material Authorization.
CDI Electronics •353 James Record Road SW •Huntsville, AL 35824
Web Support: www.cdielectronics.com •Tech Support: 1-866-423-4832 •Order Parts: 1-800-467-3371
All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content, in any manner, without express written permission by CDI Electronics, Inc., is prohibited.
Rev D •6/19/2023 Page - 3 of 5 QF-358
MAXIMUM OUTPUT TEST:
1. Install an ammeter capable of reading at least 10 Amps between the Red wire and the starter solenoid battery post.
2. Connect a load bank to the battery.
3. In the water or on a Dynamometer, start the engine and bring the RPM up to approximately 4500 RPM in gear.
4. Turn on the load bank switches to increase the battery load to equal 10 Amps.
5. Check the ammeter.
6. If the amperage is low,
a) Check the Red wire for voltage while the engine is running. You should see the same voltage as the battery.
b) Connect a jumper wire from the Positive battery cable to the Red wire and recheck the ammeter. If the amperage is now correct,
there is a problem in the harness or key switch.
7. If the amperage is correct, but the battery voltage remains low, replace the battery.
OVERCHARGING:
1. Clean all battery terminals, cables, and mounting bosses.
2. Check the voltage on the battery with a multi-meter and compare it to the dash meter.
3. Compare the voltage at the Voltage Regulator with the voltage at the battery. If the voltage is ok at the Voltage Regulator and not good
at the battery, you have a bad connection somewhere. Clean the battery posts and terminals.
4. Replace the battery with a known good Maintenance type flooded wet lead acid marine battery. If the battery voltage remains ok, install
a new Maintenance type flooded wet lead acid battery.
6 CYLINDER TROUBLESHOOTING
NO SPARK ON ANY CYLINDER:
1. Disconnect the Black/Yellow stop wire from the Power Packs and retest. If the engine's ignition has spark, the stop circuit has a fault.
Check the key switch, harness, and shift switch (if present).
2. Check the cranking RPM. A cranking speed of less than 250 RPM may not allow the system to spark properly. This can be caused by a
weak battery, dragging starter, bad battery cables, or a mechanical problem inside the engine.
3. Disconnect the Yellow wires from the Regulator/Rectifier and retest. If the engine now sparks, replace the Regulator/Rectifier.
4. Check Stator and Timer Base resistance and DVA as shown:
Read from Read to OEM Ohms CDI Ohms DVA (Connected) DVA (Disconnected)
Brown (Stator) Brown/Yellow (Stator) 485-635 Ω450-600 Ω150-400 V 150-400 V
White (Common) Blue (#1 Timer Base) 15-50 Ω15-50 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White (Common) Green (#3 Timer Base) 15-50 Ω15-50 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White (Common) Purple (#5 Timer Base) 15-50 Ω15-50 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White (Common) Blue (#2 Timer Base) 15-50 Ω15-50 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White (Common) Green (#4 Timer Base) 15-50 Ω15-50 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
White (Common) Purple (#6 Timer Base) 15-50 Ω15-50 Ω0.6 V Minimum 0.6 V Minimum
5. Rare causes include a weak or broken flywheel Charge coil or Timer Base magnets. If possible, try another flywheel.
NO SPARK ON ONE BANK:
1. Disconnect the Black/Yellow stop wire from the Power Packs and retest. If the engine's ignition has spark, the stop circuit has a fault.
Check the key switch, harness, and shift switch (if present).
2. Check the Stator and Timer Base DVA (see NO SPARK ON ANY CYLINDER).
3. Swap the Stator wire pairs from one side of the engine to the other side and see if the problem moves. If it does, either the Stator is
faulty or there is a poor connection between the Stator and the Power Pack.
4. Check the DVA on the Orange Primary wires from the Power Pack to the Ignition coils while connected to the Ignition coils. You should
have a reading of at least 150 V or more. If the reading is low on one cylinder, disconnect the Orange Primary wire from the Ignition coil
for that cylinder and reconnect it to a Pack Load resistor. Retest. If the reading is now good, the Ignition coil is likely bad. A continued
low reading usually indicates a bad Power Pack.
5. Visually inspect the Ignition coils for burned or discolored areas or cracks in the casing (indicating arcing inside the Ignition coil).
ENGINE WILL NOT STOP (KILL):
1. Disconnect the Black/Yellow wire at the Power Pack. Connect a jumper wire to the stop wire from the Power Pack and short it to engine
ground. If this stops the Power Pack from sparking, the stop circuit has a fault. Check the key switch, harness, and shift switch (if
present). If this does not stop the Power Pack from sparking, replace the Power Pack.

Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
This installation is to be completed by an Authorized Dealer or Professional Service
Technician. For questions regarding installation or warranty, call CDI Tech Support
at 866-423-4832. Do not return to the Dealer or Distributor where the part was purchased.
Contact CDI Electronics Directly for Return Material Authorization.
CDI Electronics •353 James Record Road SW •Huntsville, AL 35824
Web Support: www.cdielectronics.com •Tech Support: 1-866-423-4832 •Order Parts: 1-800-467-3371
All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content, in any manner, without express written permission by CDI Electronics, Inc., is prohibited.
Rev D •6/19/2023 Page - 4 of 5 QF-358
MISS AT ANY RPM:
1. Disconnect the Yellow wires from the Stator to the Regulator/Rectifier and retest. If the miss clears, replace the Regulator/Rectifier.
2. In the water or on a Dynamometer, check the DVA on the Orange wires from the Power Pack while connected to the Ignition coils. You
should have a reading of at least 150 DVA or more, increasing with engine RPM until it reaches 300-400 DVA maximum. A sharp drop
in DVA right before the miss becomes apparent on all cylinders will normally be caused by a bad Stator. A sharp drop in DVA on less
than all cylinders will normally be the Power Pack or Timer Base.
3. Connect an inductive tachometer to each cylinder in turn and try to isolate the problem. A high variance in RPM on one cylinder usually
indicates a problem in the Power Pack or Ignition coil. Occasionally a Timer Base will cause this same problem. Check the Timer Base
DVA (see NO SPARK ON ANY CYLINDER).
4. Perform a high speed shutdown and read the spark plugs. Check for water. A crack in the block can cause a miss at high speed when
the water pressure gets high, but a normal shutdown will mask the problem.
5. Check the Trigger and Charge coil flywheel magnets for cracked, broken, or loose magnets.
HIGH SPEED MISS OR WEAK HOLE SHOT:
1. Disconnect the Rectifier and retest. If the problem disappears, replace the Rectifier and retest.
2. Connect DVA meter between the Brown/Yellow and the Brown wires and do a running test on each set. AT NO TIME SHOULD THE
VOLTAGE EXCEED 400 DVA. If it does, the regulator circuit in the Power Pack is faulty. The voltage should show a smooth climb and
stabilize, gradually falling off at high RPM (above 5000). If you see a sudden drop in voltage right before the miss becomes apparent,
the problem is likely in the Stator.
BATTERY CHARGING ISSUES:
1. Regardless of whether the charging issue is overcharging or not charging at all, the #1 cause of all charging issues is the battery often
due to improper style and/or charging neglect. #2 is the battery’s connections. #3 is the Regulator/Rectifier. #4 is the Stator.
2. The recommended type of battery for outboards is a single (NOT more than one) 850+ CCA dual purpose or cranking/starting non-
maintenance-free battery.
3. Non-maintenance-free batteries (lead-acid flooded cell; has vent caps on its top) have heavy, thick plates. They’re ideal for outboards,
where batteries are commonly drained by accessories while fishing, etc. when there is no charge applied to a battery while the battery
is in use. Its heavy plates can withstand constant discharging and charging. These batteries have much more reserve time and are
much more suited for this behavior.
NOTE: Some Maintenance free batteries will have vented caps on top. When in doubt, change the battery to a non-
maintenance free type.
4. Maintenance-free batteries should NEVER be used in an Outboard application. A new, fully charged maintenance-free battery may
work fine at first but their life span is dramatically shortened due to the constant charging and discharging. This activity will cause the
cells to become weak, and/or the cells will become dead. When this happens, the battery is unable to accept a full charge, thus putting
the Rectifier/Regulator at extreme risk of failure. Therefore, maintenance-free style batteries commonly cause charging issues shortly
after installation.
5. Check all battery connections, particularly at engine ground. Make sure that all connections are tight and free of corrosion. Do NOT use
wing nuts as they tend to loosen over a period of time from vibration. A loose connection WILL cause a premature battery and/or
Regulator/Rectifier failure(s).
6. If there is no change, try a single (NOT more than one) known good fully charged battery that is 850+ CAA Dual Purpose, or a
cranking/starting battery that is non-maintenance free. Make sure the battery is a lead acid flooded cell battery (has vent caps on its
top).
7. Measure the DVA across the Stator’s Yellow battery charge wires, while connected to the Regulator/Rectifier. At idle the DVA will
normally between 8-25 DVA. If not, disconnect the Yellow wires from the Regulator/Rectifier and retest. DVA will normally be 17-50
DVA at idle. If the voltage is low, the Stator is possibly faulty. Perform a visual of the Stator for browning and varnish dripping. These
are signs that the Stator has overheated. If the visual inspection shows any of these signs, replace the Stator.

Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
This installation is to be completed by an Authorized Dealer or Professional Service
Technician. For questions regarding installation or warranty, call CDI Tech Support
at 866-423-4832. Do not return to the Dealer or Distributor where the part was purchased.
Contact CDI Electronics Directly for Return Material Authorization.
CDI Electronics •353 James Record Road SW •Huntsville, AL 35824
Web Support: www.cdielectronics.com •Tech Support: 1-866-423-4832 •Order Parts: 1-800-467-3371
All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content, in any manner, without express written permission by CDI Electronics, Inc., is prohibited.
Rev D •6/19/2023 Page - 5 of 5 QF-358
MAXIMUM OUTPUT TEST:
1. Install an ammeter capable of reading at least 10 Amps between the Red wire and the starter solenoid battery post.
2. Connect a load bank to the battery.
3. In the water or on a Dynamometer, start the engine and bring the RPM up to approximately 4500 RPM in gear.
4. Turn on the load bank switches to increase the battery load to equal 10 Amps.
5. Check the ammeter.
6. If the amperage is low,
a) Check the Red wire for voltage while the engine is running. You should see the same voltage as the battery.
b) Connect a jumper wire from the Positive battery cable to the Red wire and recheck the ammeter. If the amperage is now correct,
there is a problem in the harness or key switch.
7. If the amperage is correct, but the battery voltage remains low, replace the battery.
OVERCHARGING:
1. Clean all battery terminals, cables, and mounting bosses.
2. Check the voltage on the battery with a multi-meter and compare it to the dash meter.
3. Compare the voltage at the Voltage Regulator with the voltage at the battery. If the voltage is ok at the Voltage Regulator and not good
at the battery, you have a bad connection somewhere. Clean the battery posts and terminals.
4. Replace the battery with a known good Maintenance type flooded wet lead acid marine battery. If the battery voltage remains ok, install
a new Maintenance type flooded wet lead acid battery.