Which coil??

I have searched for the last 30 minutes to find a post on this and have had no luck. I know there is one because I have seen it, I just can't remember what it said. With that being said......

I just replaced my plug wires. However I did the stupid thing of pulling them all off at once. Now I can't remember which coil fires which pcylinders. One coil fires 2 and 3 while the other fires 1 and 4, right? If I was to be sitting on the bike, is it 2/3 on the right or left?

1982 KZ550 C3 LTD

Post edited by: dannyh, at: 2006/05/19 23:18

1 and 4 are on the outside and fire at the same time same as 2 and 3

Sitting on the bike, starting with the leftmost cylinder, 1 2 3 4

Sorry to confuse everyone. I know the cylinders are numbered 1-4 left to right.
There are 2 coils. One of the coils fires 2 and 3. The other one fires 1 and 4, correct?
My question is, which coil fires cylinders 2and 3? The left one or the right one?

Right coil should fire 2/3, left coil 1/4

The right coil should have a black wire to it and it fires 1,4.

The left coil should have a green wire to it and it fires 2,3.

Of course, there are many things that can alter the setup if someone did some sloppy maintenance in the past.

That is the way I remember it as well. But....

I just looked at a picture in the Kaw manual and it shows the left coil with wires 2&3 connected to it (see pictures below). The clymer manual shows the same thing. However, both manuals cover multiple bikes. Is one bike different from the next, as far as the coils go? I would think they are all the same.
It really doesn't matter as long as you get the right power wire to it, right?

Both coils have a common ground. The left one has a green lead to it while the right one has a black lead to it. In effect, if you swap the leads it does the same thing as swappint the spark plug wires, right?

It is possible the pictures are erroneous. Would be the first time a manufacturer has screwed up in pictures. Hehehe.

Post edited by: dannyh, at: 2006/05/20 14:18

Post edited by: dannyh, at: 2006/05/20 14:23

here are the pics. It appears that the two wires are labeled 2 and 3. They both appear to be running to the left coil.


Post edited by: dannyh, at: 2006/05/20 14:11

Post edited by: dannyh, at: 2006/05/20 14:17

Post edited by: dannyh, at: 2006/05/20 14:19

Secon pic. Look at "A". It appears to be spark plug wire #4 and it also appears to go to the right coil.

Post edited by: dannyh, at: 2006/05/20 14:15

From what others have posted previously, I think the 900 bikes are different from the 550 bikes. On the 550's, the left coil hase a green wire and fires 2 and 3. The right coil has a black wire and fires 1 and 4.

FWIW, the coils do not have a common ground. The black wire, and the green wire are temporary grounds. There is no permanent ground to the coils.

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2006/05/20 15:03

Thanks loudhvx. I think you are right. I am going to swap the spark plug cables and see what happens, or doesn't happen.
By the way, what does FWIW mean? I am bad with acronyms, which is scary, being in the military and all. Hehehe

dannyh wrote:

Thanks loudhvx. I think you are right. I am going to swap the spark plug cables and see what happens, or doesn't happen.
By the way, what does FWIW mean? I am bad with acronyms, which is scary, being in the military and all. Hehehe

For what it's worth