Swapping CDI boxes

[whiskeysid]

I just drug home a beat up old Suzuki 4-wheeler. It's an '85 LT250EF, four stroke single. It's missing the CDI box and there aren't any available for a decent price on Ebay. I think this quad will run if I get a CDI for it, so I'm wondering how feasible it would be to swap a CDI from a different model onto it. I imaging that the variables are initial timing, total timing, and the advance curve. I don't know any of the specs and I don't imagine that they're be easy to find.
I wouldn't think that the timing would vary much between different models and sizes of 4-stroke suzuki quads, would it? Would it be doable to swap a CDI box from maybe a LT185?
I know that there's probably not anyone here that knows much about these quads, specifically, but how about just general CDI swapping. Is it something that's commonly done, and is it usually sucessful?

[crazypj]

I have an acquaintance who was a TSM for 17yrs when they were launched, he may know something.
I'll shoot him an e-mail and see if he knows anything although he tends to be 'by the book'
Do you have a part number for the one you need? (I have all sorts of unknown stuff laying about)
I'll check if I have a service manual for it as well

[Kurlon]

Find what other bikes that engine's been in, steal their CDI. Odds are that engine's been in a Suzuki DR at some point.

[kenessex]

My guess is if it will plug in and the same color wires are in the same pin position, it will work. It may not be ideal as far as ign curve goes, but I suspect you won't notice the difference and it may even be better.

Ken

[whiskeysid]

Thanks for the tips. I hadn't thought about a CDI from a DR or other motorcycle. I don't have a lot of experience with Suzukis, but I bet that one would work. The engine in the quad that I have is a 4-valve 250. It's outwardly very different from the engines in motorcycles since it had a reverse gear, rope pull starter, etc., and I imagine that the ignition curve is different due to the different tuning of the motors. Again, I'm not very experienced with ATVs, but from what I can tell the engines in utility type ATVs are seriously detuned and have tiny carbs and exhaust pipes and such.
I agree that the differences in ignition curves between different CDIs probably wouldn't make too much of a difference as long as the two engines aren't radically different.
The part number for the CDI box that came on the quad is 32900-24510. It wasn't used on many models. Just the LT250EF and the LT300E. It's just a square, black box with a wire pigtail coming out.
One just popped up on Ebay for cheap so maybe I can snatch it up.

[crazypj]

Sorry, no response, no luck with manual

[Chev]

The CDI in my cx500 took a shit, I am now running one from this company. http://www.ignitech.cz/english/aindex.htm I was part of a group buy and got it at a slight discount. It came with a cd to program it with a plug for the computer but I haven't gotten into that yet. Mine came with connectors to fit my harness. Email them and see if they have one that would work they are Czech so the English reply is kind of funny, but they still get the point across.