WG's Coil Mod - I finally did it!

Yep. Been talking about it for a year. Finally broke down and did the coil mod. With a little planning and the parts already in hand, took me about a football game to get it done (Lions won, yay).

What a difference!! Turning on the lights no longer affects idle. Plugs burn clean. Figured out I have stuff misadjusted (pilots,etc) now that reading the plugs is meaningful!

Here's a picture of it before covering it up:


Here's a picture of it once I cut a piece of bike tube and slipped it on, and mounted it:


I wish I'd have done this long ago!! You should do it! Now! Go!

:laugh:

Post edited by: Biquetoast, at: 2006/10/05 09:08

Thanks for the pictures. I've been thinking of doing it myself over the winter.

Anyone else have pics to add to this post?

Post edited by: rstnick, at: 2005/10/23 19:31

Is this mod explained anywhere on the new site? I found these links, but it might be useful to have a new "definitive" version with an illustration. Maybe it's an article.

kzrider.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=27746

www.kzrider.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=29363

kzrider.com/forum/viewthread.php?action=...pid=236260&aid=24012

Post edited by: bluegill, at: 2005/10/24 07:52

Post edited by: bluegill, at: 2005/10/24 07:53

bluegill wrote:

Is this mod explained anywhere on the new site?... Maybe it's an article....

Yep! It's in "Filebase" as an article.

You can see it listed over on the right side of the Filebase section as the most popular article. But clicking on it doesn't take you right to it - you'll have to flip a few pages...

It's called "Coil Powering - Direct From Battery".

What I do is go to the Filebase and do a search for "coil".

Enjoy!

I can pretty much guarantee this mod shown in the pics will start having problems in a month or two due to oxidation. I have long suggested using a female pigtail which plugs directly to the relay and then you solder wires on the pigtail... If you don't use the pigtail PUT SOME DIELECTIC GREASE on those spade contacts on the relay... I know this from personal experience! Otherwise looks good!

I did the same on my 82 KZ550C, took me a whole ten minutes to lay everything out and installed. The difference? WOW! Much more even idle and easier to start.

wiredgeorge wrote:

I can pretty much guarantee this mod shown in the pics will start having problems in a month or two due to oxidation. I have long suggested using a female pigtail which plugs directly to the relay and then you solder wires on the pigtail... If you don't use the pigtail PUT SOME DIELECTIC GREASE on those spade contacts on the relay... I know this from personal experience! Otherwise looks good!

I read that about the pigtail... not sure what that means though. I can't say I've seen a female pigtail for that relay unit...

You're right about the grease though. I put it on everything, but neglected to do it here. I'll get that done this weekend...

It's on the list here but plan to use big MOSFET instead of relay and solder connections. Will post results when I get it done. Working on chassis at present. Also looking for good deal on someones abandoned megasquirt project for down the road. Glommed a set of throttle bodies and injectors off kz750 and would like to play with EFI on the same kz1000a1 that's gonna get the ignition mod.

-Duck

Is that relay something you can get at an auto parts store? If so, what's it called? Would they have the pigtail as well??? I want to do this mod too!

They have them at ALL autoparts stores. Problem is most are for specific applicatons... like a relay for a 1997 Chevrolet Biscayne sedan's left hand framitz... The trick is to find someone in an autoparts store who will sell you a 5 pin (4 pin will also work) relay that is rated at least 15A. They will charge you $10-15 for one of the relays... The guy will be irritated he actually has to look at them to find one that is 15A.

There are also GENERIC relays in Pepboys and perhaps Autozone with the neon lights and most truck accessory places will have them for using those big ol' truck lights.

The pigtails are a female receptacle you plug the relay INTO. The female pigtail has wires connected to the connections inside. You can them solder to the wires and not have to put those crimp on connectors on your wires and shove them on the lugs on the male relay. I buy both relays and pigtails at an audio/alarm place on Bandera Road in San Antonio. They are also only about $1 for both pieces so I buy them in BUCKETS... Usually buy a couple dozen at a time.

Thanks WG. Helpful as always.

Radio Shack sells a 15A automotive relay for under $7, but I can't find a socket for it in their catalog.

Parts Express looks more promising. They sell a socket for $0.99 (normally $1.50, but on sale), and a relay for $2.19. Add $7 for shipping and that's on the low end of the $10-$15 range, delivered to your door. And there's no arguing with a parts jockey either.

They also offer volume discounts starting at 10 units. I know some of you guys have a garage full of bikes... do the WG coil upgrade to all of them at once!

Post edited by: GargantuChet, at: 2005/10/25 00:42