Kz550 pickup coils

I have a 1981 kz550 that is not firing on 2 and 3. I have changed the ic igniter and the coil. I have checked all the wire connections and they are all good as well. I payed $100 for the bike and got the thing up and running for cheap. Dyna pickup coils are expensive (130- 160). I have seen many pick up coils on eBay for cheap. Will a coil from an 85 kz1100 work on my bike? The fitment looks right. Any help would be appreciated.

Sbanes81 wrote: I have a 1981 kz550 that is not firing on 2 and 3. I have changed the ic igniter and the coil. I have checked all the wire connections and they are all good as well. I payed $100 for the bike and got the thing up and running for cheap. Dyna pickup coils are expensive (130- 160). I have seen many pick up coils on eBay for cheap. Will a coil from an 85 kz1100 work on my bike? The fitment looks right. Any help would be appreciated.

Hello, Sbanes81, and WELCOME to KZrider!

Am thinking it's the left-hand coil that's supposed to fire #2/3 spark plugs.

Perhaps a couple of confirmations before ruling out other possible issues besides the pick-up coil --

What voltage is actually being received at the coil (likely a red or red/yellow wire)?

Has the secondary loop been ohm-checked?

Good Fortune!

11.6- 12 volts. And yes the ohms were checked and they were confirmed within spec. Thanks for the reply so quickly. I have been on this forum for many questions that have been answered before I've even asked until now.
Love the Kawasaki community! It seems closer than the other Japanese bikes.

Could see whether the other (right-hand) coil will fire #2/3 spark plugs, by swapping the signal wires to the primary terminals and attaching the right-hand coil to #2/3 spark plugs.

The result could aid diagnosis.

Are both #2/3 spark plugs good ?
Could confirm by using them in the #1/4 cylinders with the normal right-hand coil.

Good Fortune!

I don't see a listing for a KZ1100 in 1985 in the U.S.

You can use the pickup coils if they look like this:





But not if they look like this:

Both coils fire when switched. I have switched the power and ground from 1and 4 coils ( the old coils) pluged it into 2 and 3 coil and it fired on 2 and 3 plugs. So That means my coils are good? All the plugs are clean and gapped correctly.

Loudhvx, that answers my question because that is what the kz1100 look like! Is there another solution besides buying the dyna kit? I know I am cheap but whatcha gonna do?

Have you looked for pickup coils from a 650 or 750 or 1000?

To confirm, you should probably ohm out the yellow and red wires from the pickups to make sure that pickup is dead. (The pickup with the yellow/red wires fires the 2/3 coil.)

If you get a used set of pickups, you can even use the black/blue pickup and just mount it upside down where the red/yellow pickup was mounted.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationThis one would work if they are not broken.


You have to unbolt the pickups from the timing plate and put them onto your timing plate.

Read this link on how to get the magnets correct, in case you take it apart:
home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/Ignitio.../PickupAndRotor.html

Thanks to all who replied!! :woohoo:
I will get this one. It looks like it will work.

Ohm Checking Pickup(Pulsing) Coils

The pickup(Pulsing) coils on the Kawasaki’s with the factory supplied electronic ignition can sometimes fail or become intermittent due to heat and vibration.

1.Trace back from where the pick up coils are mounted,(BEHIND A RIGHT SIDE, CD SIZED COVER) locate and disconnect a small 4 pin connector. Using a multi-meter set on OHMS and range of 2K, check between the BLUE and BLACK wires(#1 and #4 sparkplug wires) for between 360- 540 OHMS.

2.For #2 and #3 sparkplugs the wire colors will be YELLOW and RED, again 360-540 OHMS. The 550’s,650’s & 750’s may be backwards to the Z1’s,Kz900’s,Kz1000’s & Kz1100’s.

3.If the pickup coils are suspect of failing due to heat, they can be stressed using a hair dryer without the need of the engine running.

4.A replacement set of pickup coils might be obtained from a dealer who serviced the police Kawasaki’s.

5. If replacement pickup coils are not available, your next choice would be to order a Dyna “S” electronic ignition system from www.z1enterprises.com It replaces the IC igniter with a smaller module located where the mechanical ignition advancer was mounted.

6. Checking with Kawasaki.com website has determined that the Pick up(pulsing) coils are available . The pulsing coil # is 59026-1133 and replaces the older # 1002, 1012 which were used from the MKII motors until the 2005 P24.

7.Check the small 4 pin connector that the pickup coils connect to for corrosion/loose pins too.