wiredgeorge wrote:
What is superior? If you use an OEM ignition, it is the pickup coils and igniter (purposely ignoring other components since this is a Dyna S comparison). Please explain whether the home made igniter used with the OEM pickup coils OR the OEM ignitor with OEM pickup coils is superior. If one or both are superior, give an explanation. Also, is there an easy to follow write up for making your own ignitor replacement? I have seen references to Loudhvx's statement that there is an easy to make home made alternative but can't recall seeing this written up. Also, can the bits needed be had at a Radioshack or does one need to go to an electronics specialty place to get the stuff?
The OEM system with OEM ignitor is more reliable. That alone makes it superior in my opinion. But it also has a few other advantages.
If you accidently leave the OEM ignition "on", the ignitor and the coils won't be damaged.
In the OEM, the dwell structure puts less stress on the coils and uses much less power. This means it also has a lower current requirement for the wires and switches.
The long-winded details have been discussed at length many times on KZrider.
I don't know if the $30 homemade ignitor is as reliable as the OEM since it only has a few thousand miles on it (and about a year). However, the ignitor uses two GM HEI modules available at any auto-parts store, and is being used in a far less stressfull application than in the V-8 application (less current and less duty cycle). It is also mounted to a heat sink exposed to air. In a V-8 distributor it gets real hot. On the bike it barely gets warm. It should last longer than it would in a car.
The 3 other nickel-and-dime parts are available at Radio Shack.
This has been gone over many times on KZrider but the search doesn't work well.
It's also been covered to death on the archive site.
here's the link to the details:
www.geocities.com/loudgpz/GPZgmHEImod.html
Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2006/07/06 15:19