Accel coil install

[Rasputin]

I have been installing a new set of Accel coils on my bike. They are from Dennis Kirk (Dennis Kirk Part #: 20309) (Manufacturer Part #: 140403 . I have hooked everything up the best I could given the scant instructions that came with them. I now have what appears to be weak spark at cyls 2+3 (but it was fairly light in the garage) and no spark at cyls 1+4. Has anybody installed these that could give me tips to look for. I know someone will have ideas for me. I went out and bought a multimeter so I can check voltages etc. Anybody wish to give me a starting point and suggestions as to what I may be looking for. Thanks, Doug

[Peter G]

Hi Raputin

I've been running Accel coils on mine for about 8 years, 40 000 volts and never missed a beat. Excellent coils supplied by Mr Jones.
The destructions were non existent, when I done mine. Also please bear in mind I'm going with the best I can remember from 8 years ago

Firstly the very important bit. Your XS1100, does it have a ballast resistor? thats the little silver box doda . If it does your bike is an early one running 1.5Ohms via the coils and 1.5Ohms via the ballast resister making up a 3 Ohms circuit on start up. The Accel coils have a 3 Ohms circuit so you don't need the ballast resistor so please unplug and connect the two ends together, a short circuit.

I am fairly sure your TCI box will not be a very happy chappy running a 3 Ohms coil with a1.5 Ohms ballast resistor, total 4.5 Ohms on a circuit designed only for 3 Ohms. hopefully someone can give you an electronic engineers answer on that one!

If you don't run with ballast resistor then ignore the above.
If your unsure whether you are then post your TCI p/n or have alook under your front left cover to see if your pickups have a bob weight vacuum assemble with a pipe connectig to Pot 2 on your carbs.

The new Coils come with a crimping tool to connect with the HT leads, you pop the tool in the vice, then the stripped HT lead and connectors are placed on top with the other half of the crimping tool over the HT lead giving it a good whack with the 'Irish Screw Driver' , Hammer.

One coil should be connected to Pot 1 and 4, it doesn't matter which way round the HT leads are connected. Now simple remove the connector from the old coil, make up two wire extensions to the new coils and attach to screw bolt down. Again it doesn't matter which way around they connect to the coils.

Repeat with the other coil connected to Pot 2 and 3

My bike was hand re-wired but I believe the colour coding was red/white which is common to both coils, grey wire and orange wire to each coil. Hopefully someone reading this will advice on which colur goes to which coil, Pots if you need that info or check out that great circuit diagrams on this site.

Hope this helps

Cheers Pete

[Rasputin]

Everything you said is bang on to what I have. I have removed the ballast resistor and plugged the two wires together. I hope that was right. I have them installed complete with the sparkplug wires. I put the red/white to the same primary post on both coils and I ran the green and orange to the other post. I have 12.5 volts at the battery. I just got home from work so I am going to do a little work with my multimeter. I will see what voltage I have to the coils and the resistance across both primary and secondary circuits. If all else fails I will switch the coils and see if I get spark on 1+4 to be sure my wiring is ok. If anyone has any other suggestions on what to check, please send em. Thanks Doug

[Rasputin]

update

The coils have 3.2 ohms on primary and 7.2 K/ohms secondary for resistance on the one that is showing spark.

3.3-3.4 ohms on primary and 11.39-11.4 K/ohms secondary resistance on the one that has no spark.

I do not know what the acceptable range is for the secondary circuit but I think they should be closer than that to each other.
Apparently so does Dennis Kirk as they are sending replacements out. I am finding them very good to deal with.
I hope this fixes my problem. Thanks, Doug