Coils

[jusgus]

I am unhappy with the yellow/orange spark that Billie is producing, and I am contenplating replacing the coils.  I would prefere to keep her stock with 2 new bosch coils but I was wondering about the alternatives.

[Danie]

My R65's original coil has been replaced at least 3 years ago with a coil from a Honda CD 200 - it works perfectly.

[montmil]

IT's not a "stock" BMW ignition coil but it does bolt right in and is better than the "Crack-O-Matic" it replaced. Call Rick Jones and get one of his Dyna coils. More economical than Beemer bits, too.

http://www.motoelekt.com/index.html



Monte

[larstorders]

may be need for caution, according to 'snowbum' non stock coils may be a threat to the primitive ecu on our R65 s. Details of characteristics required from coils appear on his website, just google snowbum.
If the worst happens, however, an adequate and very cheap substitute for the expensive stock ecu can be found on older 1980s Volkswagen and Audi cars. This is also a source of replacement Hall effect triggers and it seems logical, therefore, that you could even substitute the coil too, if it'll fit   .
Many years ago I squeezed a couple of auto ignition coils onto an R65 while when the original coil went open circuit a LONG way from, home. All worked well for a few thousand miles then the ecu died. So who knows?

[Justin B.]

Although Gus left out the year of his bike a stock 2 Bosch coil setup would b3e 79-80 and use points so his coil options are not as limited as the ones with electronic ignition.  The Dyna "Brown" coils have the proper resistance to keep the ECU and Hall-sensor happy...

[jusgus]

Dog gone, I made another post and got careless on the second. The coils are for my 1980 R65. She has two Bosch coils with points and condenser in a can.  By the way, what is meant by ecu?

[steve hawkins]

I found the Bosch Blues a little heavy - As they broke the coil frame mounts on both my R65 and my R100 - as well as the clamps.

On my 1979 R65 I am using a second hand black twin output coil off a BMW K100.  Works a treat.  Although there was a littel bit of 'hack and bash' on the coil mounts to fit it.

I still have a points ignition.
Steve H

[beemer]

I found the Bosch Blues a little heavy - As they broke the coil frame mounts on both my R65 and my R100 - as well as the clamps.

On my 1979 R65 I am using a second hand black twin output coil off a BMW K100.  Works a treat.  Although there was a littel bit of 'hack and bash' on the coil mounts to fit it.

I still have a points ignition.
Steve H

I was told about the K100 coil from Motorworks as a replacement coil for my R65LS so i bought a used one from them and it's been fine,i used part of the original bracketing and fabricated a very sturdy mount for it,it fits in the same position

[Justin B.]

Gus, ECU=Electronic Control Unit...

I would hesitate using a coil from an electronic ignition on a points system as it may draw enough current through the points to damage them.  From experience on 4 wheeled hot-rods I can verify that if your coil's primary draws much more current than designed for the points arm will distort to the point where the "gap" goes away and the engine quits.

[steve hawkins]

Justin,

Can't remember when I changed my last set of points.  Think I did it 'on spec' about 3 years ago.  Nothing really to be worried about.  Nothing really wrong with the set I took out.  I still have them as spares.

I have enjoyed such great reliability that I have no plans whatsoever to go electronic.

I mounted my K100 coil off the bottom of the 'relay tray' near the front coil mount.

The coil was significantly cheaper than any after market jobie.  And kicks out a great fat reliable spark.

Cheers

Steve Hawkins

[jusgus]

Thanks all, I am cogitating (that is the second best thing in the world) and will report results when aquired.
  PS, I assume that no Electronic Control Unit is required for a breaker points system?  

[Ed Miller]

Thanks all, I am cogitating (that is the second best thing in the world) and will report results when aquired.
  PS, I assume that no Electronic Control Unit is required for a breaker points system?  

It's needed but won't work until you upgrade the rest of the ignition system to electronic ignition.  

[drewboid]

Omega ignigion has a good reference on coild and viable substitutions:
http://www.stephenbottcher.net/~omega/faq.html#coil
In summary - the older points type ignition took a higher resistance coil (over 2 ohms) the newer electronic ignition can handle the greater current of a lower resistance coil.
I picked up an older used goldwing coils with dual leads to use as a spare. Haven't tried it yet so I can't report. At 2.1 ohms it should be suitable to both systems.

[BooG]

Where do you spot cracks on stock coils? I guess they must be of the hairline variety?

[larstorders]

This cracked coil is from a 1982 R65. Hall effect ignition trigger, and I believe, typical. Way bigger than hairline, yet the coil still works good, though, too risky to put it back on a bike.
However, sometimes, I guess, cracks are just internal in the windings.