GM 6-pack coils on KZ1300

There has been a lot of talk on the web about mounting the GM/Buick 6-pack coils on the KZ1300. These coils are 0.7 Ohms and intended for CDI ignitions. Even with the ballast resistors in the system the resistance will not be enough to match the IC unit of the KZ1300 and you will risk burning out the IC box on your bike. The KZ1300 ignition is a 3 Ohm ignition.

otakar wrote:

There has been a lot of talk on the web about mounting the GM/Buick 6-pack coils on the KZ1300. These coils are 0.7 Ohms and intended for CDI ignitions. Even with the ballast resistors in the system the resistance will not be enough to match the IC unit of the KZ1300 and you will risk burning out the IC box on your bike. The KZ1300 ignition is a 3 Ohm ignition.

Hi Otakar,

Have you read this?

kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_content...view&id=33&Itemid=11

Bill

Based on this:

The stock coils read 1.7 ohms and are fitted, in series, with a 200 watt 1.7 ohm ballast resistor for a total primary resistance of 3.4 ohms.

I eventually settled on the Dyna DC1-1 which is a twin output coil rated at 3 ohms. They sell for $155.00 per pair,

Considering the price, I would get the EMGO 4 Ohm coils (dual output) that run $36 each at Z1. Slightly smaller than the OEM coils. If the stock setup was 3.4 Ohms total, a four Ohm coil will drop right in and actually give a lot more spark energy than stock since it isn't wasting power in the ballast resistor. I'm sure the Dyna coils are good, but kind of pricey for my taste.

BTW: those super long plug wires in the picture are not your friend. The added inductance slows the rise time of the spark and will also increase ringing (radiated noise). I'd figure out a way to get the coils closer to the plugs.

Actually it was a 2.9 ohm system. That is why the Nology mini coils work very well. The Accel 3.5 Ohm coils give a prety week spark. The Dyna blue coils work quite well.

good to know thanx for the info, read somewhere one of the first things to do when trying revive one of these is to change coils, that and the cam chain tensioner

Hi BH,

"BTW: those super long plug wires in the picture are not your friend. The added inductance slows the rise time of the spark and will also increase ringing (radiated noise). I'd figure out a way to get the coils closer to the plugs."

I wondered about that and the fact that one of the coils is in the stock location and the other two are in the tool tray.

I could have used the Nology coils, because the're smaller, but the engineer at Nology advised against using their coils because the 1300's ignition is not current limited and he was concerned that the Nology coils would over heat.

Bill

At the beginning they had that concern. Now they list those coils in the accommodations for that bike. Also now there is a new MSD mini coil that is 3 Ohm that would work. Part #4573. It is rated at 2.8 Ohms but measures about 3 Ohms.

Cool Otakar!

I'll get back around to that bike sooner or later.

Thanks

Bill

here;s another article on this
www.kz1300.com/techfaq.html#cp2

I bought my Nology coils before that article was written and I did quite a bit of research before I bought them. The advantage of the Nology is the very high output voltage and the very small size. I would rate the Nology and the new MSD coils about the same or the new MSD a little better. Making the MSD coils the best coils for the bike to date.

just a heads up , there are quite a few other good tech articles on that site, and also some links to parts and such, ALSO one link to a company that does the bigger bore piston kits,

www.kz1300.com/linkspage.html

also a pic of the kz 2300 in on there DAMN what a motor

KZCSI wrote:

Hi BH,

"BTW: those super long plug wires in the picture are not your friend. The added inductance slows the rise time of the spark and will also increase ringing (radiated noise). I'd figure out a way to get the coils closer to the plugs."

I wondered about that and the fact that one of the coils is in the stock location and the other two are in the tool tray.

I could have used the Nology coils, because the're smaller, but the engineer at Nology advised against using their coils because the 1300's ignition is not current limited and he was concerned that the Nology coils would over heat.

Bill

The coils will definitely work with those long wires, but those antennas will really shoot some EMI at the world. probably won't hurt on a "vintage" design, but anything modern that is loaded with CPU's and engine control electronics would probably have a heart attack....