2 coil/lead questions.

[Guest]

Hi tried to search this out & check BassCliff's site but still have question. 1981 GS850G, Roadkill by name. Got set of Dyna leads from Z-1, am replacing the 34+yr old leads & caps with the new items.

Does it matter which lead from each coil goes to which in the plug pairs? Meaning for plugs 1 & 4 does it matter if they are switched. I think not but because I don't always think well, though I'd check in.

2. Saw BassCliff mention in a reply about this procedure NOT to get the suppression wire. Someone else said this suppression wire is the way to go. I got the suppression wire but wondering what the edict was not to go this way.

Thanks as always for the great help

DH

[78550GS]

I can answer number one.... The wires do not matter as long as 1&4 are on the opposite coil as 2&3 of course provided they are being fired by the correct signal wire. I believe the system is called "wasted spark"

As for question 2, I have not had to replace any plug wires, so someone else will need to answer that.

[Steve]

I will concur with the lead swapping answer, it does not matter which lead goes to which plug, as long as 1 & 4 are on one coil and 2 & 3 are on the other.

As far as wire type, let's just say that there should be some suppresion somewhere in the system. Your three options are: 1. wires, 2: plug caps, 3: plugs. The stock system has the suppression in the caps. You only need suppression in one location, so if you have suppressor plug caps, you don't need suppressor wires or resistor-type plugs.

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[suzukizone]

I will concur with the lead swapping answer, it does not matter which lead goes to which plug, as long as 1 & 4 are on one coil and 2 & 3 are on the other.

As far as wire type, let's just say that there should be some suppresion somewhere in the system. Your three options are: 1. wires, 2: plug caps, 3: plugs. The stock system has the suppression in the caps. You only need suppression in one location, so if you have suppressor plug caps, you don't need suppressor wires or resistor-type plugs.

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Thanks Steve & 78550GS. Thought that was the rationale for both issues. I am ready now to wire up in order to fire up.

78550GS, those are nice & not so commonly seen. Back in the day I didn't appreciate them as I rode a 77 GT500 & liked it for the larger frame, about the size of a 750of the time. Now I'd look at one if the GS850 gets too hefty for me to toss around. (A lot of weight to push around unless it's rolling, then feels light.) I have recommended the GS550 to my daughter-in-law who lives in Portland & is sick of looking at her CA160 Honda dead in garage & not worth paying a fortune to restore to running. Hardly see any on eBay and not sure if she can afford a bike now as they try to get a business running.

I really don't want to do this but if I hit lottery, does a set of newer coils, like Dyna coils for instance. make such a big difference???? I think mine, old as they are are fine tho the leads were really ugly.

Thanks again, don't know what I'd do without this site. I recommend it to riders of all brands as a valuable resources.

DH

[suzukizone]

Well, as it were, as I get into it some issues or questions arise. Again-1981 GS850G. Stock coils, was replacing the leads/caps with the 7mm Dyna Coil set of the suppression wire persuasion.

1. Thought I'd test the coil per info I got here or links at BassCliff site. I did get a reading right in the middle of the specified 3k-5k ohm range across the primary leads on both coils. (4.something as I remember) When I checked secondary wind on the 1/4 coil I got about 11.4k or 11.5k ohms. That was direct on the little spiked post in the "well" where the coil lead goes.

Tried the 2/3 coil, still mounted & the old leads & caps untouched. Reading by contacting the inside of caps where the end of spark plug clips to,.....Zilch! Tried over & over, no reading. That was supposed to be 30k-50k according to the instructions. Removed the caps & tried reading the caps themselves. NO READING!?!? Read the secondary side of coil with caps removed by contacting the metal core of the two leads. Got same 11.5k ohms as the 1/4 coil.

Tried all 4 caps removed an freestanding,....got NO READING from one side of the caps to the other. Perhaps this is normal as bike has been running well so plugs getting spark.

I also tried a reading on the new Dyna Suppression type leads. NO READING! Strange, the old wire leads show full continuity.

2. So perhaps I lack knowledge about some of this equipment that would clarify why I get a fully open resistance reading with the old plug caps & the new Dyna leads which are, I take it, not the steel multi strand wire core but some other medium to pass the charge through from the coils.

3. I do not understand why I get that 11.5k reading from secondary side of coils when all info from here state I should get 30-50k on stock coils and even the aftermarket readings are higher than what I got. What does that mean? I hope not that the coils are shot as really don't need to spend bucks right now to replace.

Hope you all can guide me through my ignorance on all this.

4. A last thing, the little post in the coils that engages with the core of the new leads seem short & thin & does not really "hold" onto the lead wire very well. It is very easy to pop loose. I know the leads need to be secured with epoxy but the connection seems a bit fragile. The equivalent post on the NGK plug caps is much longer & more robust and the threads seem more prominent.

Sorry to throw all this in but I thought better than piece-mealing it out & it's what I came upon this afternoon.

Thanks again so much for all your help.

DH