Coil Relay Mod w/Big pictures

I found this on another forum and seemed to clear things up quite well over there.

I have an electronic ignition and this article mentions not needing a relay. Can someone dumb down this mod for an electronic ignition?

www.armbell.com/kz400/viewtopic.php?t=10...start=0&mforum=kz400

You can try asking at www.wgcarbs.com as he has used this electrical modification on some of his bikes.

calvin17d wrote:

I found this on another forum and seemed to clear things up quite well over there.

I have an electronic ignition and this article mentions not needing a relay. Can someone dumb down this mod for an electronic ignition?

www.armbell.com/kz400/viewtopic.php?t=10...start=0&mforum=kz400

Yes..... cure your wiring harness woes instead of putting a band aid on them with this mod

I've found that using a very good brand of electrical contact cleaner/presevative called "De-Oxit" on switches,and the many and various connectors on my bike, has eliminated the need to add a relay to the ignition coils.

www.deoxit.com is their website, it can be purchased at Radio Shack Stores in the U.S. and other electronic supply places.

I understand this suggestion to be a sidestep to the modification? Do you feel that cleaning and replacing faulty existing(stock)connections would actually produce a system which runs more efficiently than a system with the mod. Similar voltage drop issues are resolved in vehicle headlighting in a similar fashion. Some light research has given me the impression that a simple bypass of the switching devices provides for more efficient delivery of voltage. I am not too concerned with keeping my wiring harness stock for the sake of preserving the bikes innocence. If their is a cost effective way to improve the performance and reduce required maintenance I would be interested to hear more about why "stock" is your preference?

Why are you choosing to do this mod? If it is to "increase performance" you will be sadly disappointed. Most people who do this mod are trying to troubleshoot low voltage problems to the coils and rather than fix the issue, they bypass it. There is no other reason to consider this mod - it's not a magical HP increase.

I have not chosen to perform this modification. A closer look at the OP would indicate only that I am seeking further information that I was unable to obtain in the write-ups that I have already read. The abundance of posts regarding this issue would tell me that corrosion and poor connectivity is a common problem in these bikes. I have every intention of going through my wiring during my restoration. I was merely exploring this modification as a potential measure of preventive maintenance for a system which seems prone to poor performance. So far I have received a suggestion for component cleanser and repeated questions as to my intentions with this modification. I thought I had answered this question previously but perhaps you skimmed over it. Cheers....

if youve got low voltage to the coils due to bad/dirty connections chances are pretty good you have the same problem with other electrical items on bike,thats why i suggest cleaning all the connections and grounds throughout the system you possibly can to avoid further issues arising.
simple enough? :laugh:

PLUMMEN wrote:

if youve got low voltage to the coils due to bad/dirty connections chances are pretty good you have the same problem with other electrical items on bike,thats why i suggest cleaning all the connections and grounds throughout the system you possibly can to avoid further issues arising.
simple enough? :laugh:

+1

BTW, bikes and cars run a lot of current because the system voltage is only 12V. If you have resistance build up at connectors or switches, it can do more than starve the voltage to systems: it can melt wires and start fires. This is because the resistance at a corroded connection dissipates a lot of power and it will cook the attached wires. You might see melted wires around fuse boxes on old bikes because of this type of heating.

Thanks for the help guys. Their does not appear to be any major drawback worthy of mention with regard to the modification, except that its a modification...haha. Shortening the current path and reducing voltage drop seemed like enough of a reason to look further. From what these posts say, it sounds like the electrical systems need to be monitored closely and maintained regularly for proper function and to minimize malfunction. That being said, I still dont see how the modification has a downside..........I still see value in the mod even with a clean system, for preventative reasons of course.

no regular monitoring required once you get things cleaned and tightened up unless you live next to a salt factory or the florida coast! :laugh:
it took 20 plus years for it to get in that shape,should be good for many more without need of major repair if done right

calvin17d wrote:

Thanks for the help guys. Their does not appear to be any major drawback worthy of mention with regard to the modification, except that its a modification...haha. Shortening the current path and reducing voltage drop seemed like enough of a reason to look further. From what these posts say, it sounds like the electrical systems need to be monitored closely and maintained regularly for proper function and to minimize malfunction. That being said, I still dont see how the modification has a downside..........I still see value in the mod even with a clean system, for preventative reasons of course.

My primary objection to the mod is couched in the million relays I have seen fail in my illustrious career in electronics (they are one of the most unreliable electro-mechanical components). Many of them fail with the contacts fused together (won't open) in which case it would leave you with a 12V hot wire attached to the coil with no way to turn it off (unless you start unhooking wires). Main power lines that don't go through the ignition switch make me nervous.....

And if you do decide to put in the mod, make sure you get a very good relay with gold contacts or it will give you grief. BTW: relay contacts also have resistance, you need one rated for at least 20A.