smoke coming out of ignition module?

[83gl1200]

Are you sure its a standard frame? I had a parts guy look up the vin a while back and he said it came up 83 interstate.
I'll look for a tag on the harness tomorrow.

No it didn't have a fairing when I got it. It looked like this:

Sorry about the upside down pics, mod please flip them I don't know how.

 

[backlander]

One of your pics showed the neck tag which read 1983 model. Normally this indicates a Standard, and Interstate model should read 1983- I and the Aspy should read 1983-A.

 

[slabghost]

83gl1200 » Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:25 pm[/url]":g6ouj077]
Are you sure its a standard frame? I had a parts guy look up the vin a while back and he said it came up 83 interstate.
I'll look for a tag on the harness tomorrow.

No it didn't have a fairing when I got it. It looked like this:

Sorry about the upside down pics, mod please flip them I don't know how.

You could make life easier for all of us if you upload the pictures to your gallery.

 

[83gl1200]

That's news to me. I thought when people said things like "This thread is useless without pictures" that they actually wanted pictures in the thread itself. Myself I usually don't even bother to go look when people say "pics are in my gallery" or elsewhere... I figure if they're too lazy to post pics to the thread as asked then I'm also too lazy to go look elsewhere.

 

[mcgovern61]

83gl1200 » Tue Nov 11, 2014 4:21 pm[/url]":2r20qlml]
That's news to me. I thought when people said things like "This thread is useless without pictures" that they actually wanted pictures in the thread itself. Myself I usually don't even bother to go look when people say "pics are in my gallery" or elsewhere... I figure if they're too lazy to post pics to the thread as asked then I'm also too lazy to go look elsewhere.

I think you may have misunderstood Slab's request. When pics are in your gallery, we can access them and flip them over easier. It is a chore to flip them after they are posted as attachments.

 

[83gl1200]

mcgovern61 » Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:37 pm[/url]":18jjtgev]

83gl1200 » Tue Nov 11, 2014 4:21 pm[/url]":18jjtgev]
That's news to me. I thought when people said things like "This thread is useless without pictures" that they actually wanted pictures in the thread itself. Myself I usually don't even bother to go look when people say "pics are in my gallery" or elsewhere... I figure if they're too lazy to post pics to the thread as asked then I'm also too lazy to go look elsewhere.

I think you may have misunderstood Slab's request. When pics are in your gallery, we can access them and flip them over easier. It is a chore to flip them after they are posted as attachments.

Oh ok, yes I misunderstood.
If only this stupid tablet worked properly then it wouldnt be an issue.

 

[ekvh]

I'm pretty sure the tablet was made in Australia. Hang in there, 83gl1200, you'll get there.

 

[Ansimp]

What you talking about? Upside down pictures, what upside down pictures? :smilie_happy:

 

[83gl1200]

I found a pair of ignitors for a bargain and snagged them, got lucky. All i need is an 83 wiring harness and a vac advance unit/pickups/rear housing and I'll be set right?

Is the 83 harness another one year only part or can I choose 81,82 harnesses? I ask because there's a cheap 81 harness on eBay...

 

[slabghost]

81 harness should work I think. Someone who knows for sure will chime in soon. Might be a couple connectors need changed though.

 

[joedrum]

there is differences 80-81 ...are same....82 is different.....83 is different again ...so id keep looking for 83 ....need to know about the coils ..if honda what number on them and also is there a ballast resistor on them ...this is probably where the mismatch was that got the black box bad maybe .....i can tell you all this works as i have an 82 framed bike with a 84 1200 running with the 1100 rear ignition set up .... there is a small drive pin in the 1100 rear drive ignition unit that likes to fall out and get lost ... so be careful if you take the unit apart

 

[83gl1200]

joedrum » Wed Nov 12, 2014 4:42 am[/url]":u1dstl5t]
there is differences 80-81 ...are same....82 is different.....83 is different again ...so id keep looking for 83 ....need to know about the coils ..if honda what number on them and also is there a ballast resistor on them ...this is probably where the mismatch was that got the black box bad maybe .....i can tell you all this works as i have an 82 framed bike with a 84 1200 running with the 1100 rear ignition set up .... there is a small drive pin in the 1100 rear drive ignition unit that likes to fall out and get lost ... so be careful if you take the unit apart

Oh yes, thanks for reminding me, I forgot about the coils. I'll try to get out there and get numbers off the coils and harness. Its just freezing cold and were having a windstorm at the moment or I'd already be out there.

You are probably right about a coil issue being the problem because when I checked resistance on the primaries I got only 0.4 ohms on both coils, and that's with a digital meter that has no problem showing low resistance like 3 ohms accurately.

 

[ekvh]

Bingo.

 

[dan filipi]

Ok but would this fry the icu.
Probably yes but.....
Still more checks to be done before plugging in the replacement.

 

[83gl1200]

dan filipi » Wed Nov 12, 2014 1:49 pm[/url]":bynqkanr]
Ok but would this fry the icu.
Probably yes but.....
Still more checks to be done before plugging in the replacement.

Agreed. And I was interested in trying dodge neon coils as a cheap upgrade alternative so I just went to look up the specs on those.

I found:

According to Haynes...

Primary:
Steel towers 0.45 to 0.65 ohms
Brass towers 0.53 to 0.65 ohms

Secondary
Steel towers 11.5 to 13.5 k-ohms
Brass towers 10.9 to 14.7 k-ohms

So apparently if it was low primary coil resistance which blew the cdi, neon coils look like they would blow it also.
I suspect bad grounds had something to do with it also though. Or my loose ignition switch, or all of the above.

 

[ekvh]

Guys have had luck with Neons on 1100's without a ballast resistor, I think, but it sure seems to me that they are low enough to cause problems. I am weak on electrical. The ones I know who did it with 1000's had trouble with the associated wiring and start button. I am not aware of any who've tried it on the 1200's. 1200's and 1500's had around 3.1 ohm coils, I think. Your readings from the book are what I get on my brand new Neon coil that I have been afraid to use. 0.6 ohms

 

[backlander]

GL 1200's
Ignition coil resistance: Primary coil 2.4-3.0 ohms

 

[83gl1200]

Ok I couldn't get pictures in my garage, too dark, but I was all over the bike looking for numbers, etc. On the coils it shows bw82-tr1 and above that tec and below that made in Japan, no Honda part number I can see. No external ballast resistor I can see either.

I looked all over the wiring for labels and such, nothing of the sort.
I started pulling tape and it looks like a complete hack job underneath, I don't think this harness is worth re-wiring for ignitors it should be replaced.

Anything else I need to check?

 

[dan filipi]

Sounds like your best bet is to get a good 83 harness, 2 ignitors, and the rear ignition assembly.

 

[83gl1200]

dan filipi » Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:22 pm[/url]":3mt5hue7]
Sounds like your best bet is to get a good 83 harness, 2 ignitors, and the rear ignition assembly.

Are these coils ok with ignitors and no ballast resistor? ( remember these only showed 0.4 ohms on both primaries)


I have 2 ignitors on the way, so I only need a harness and what ever rear ignition assembly parts it needs.