In the event that I have to replace the ignition coils on my 1993 Ducati 900 Superlight, I am looking at a replacement kit sold by Ca-Cycleworks. Being unfamiliar with the company, I would appreciate any feedback on the company & their products. Thank you so much.
He's a good egg plenty online regarding his reputation, I have dealt with Chris for nearly 5 years now as his European Distributor and have never seen any bad press. He always looks after his customers beyond any reasonable expectation...
I have a somewhat embarrassing question. Yesterday I replaced the OEM HT coils and plug wires with new coils from CA-Cycleworks. Installation was quite simple. However, when I attempted to start the bike, the engine cranked but would not start. When I applied some choke, the engine would backfire with the report of a high-powered rifle. My first thought was that I had somehow reversed the plug wires. However, I verified (in the Hanes manual) that the left coil feeds the horizontal cylinder & the right coil feeds that vertical cylinder. Am I missing something really obvious here? Thank you. Kit
did you copy the existing connections? - does sound like a Horizontal/Vertical swap might have happened and it could be that someone swapped over the low-tension loom connections at the coils at some point making standard plug wire orientation now incorrect. Might be worth swapping plug leads just to rule it out?
Hi, Chris. Yes, I am confident (I shouldn't use that word!) about the electrical connections to each of the coils. In fact, the orientation of the connectors coming from the loom are such that it would seem unlikely that I might have reversed them. However...will verify this. I just wanted to be sure that I didn't miss something obvious when installing the new coils. Thank you.
I know what you mean, the low-tension leads to the coils don't swap "happily" do they? It's clear to see which goes to which due to this. I only know this from doing swaps to rule out faulty coil or coil lead in the past. I can't think of anything obvious but hope someone else will - if the kit is intended for your bike then it's a real head-scratcher. just a long shot - have you got resistor spec spark plugs and resistor type plug caps? I make a point of removing both on early 2 valve as the std ignition system needs all the help it can get.
Well, I reversed the 2 electrical wires to each HT coil. I'm disappointed to say that the problem of not starting & loud backfire still persisted. I suppose that I can take some minor satisfaction in knowing that I had the wiring to the coils correct in the first place. Nevertheless, that leaves me dumbfounded as to why the engine backfires & won't start. Although this thread is related to a previous thread I started regarding losing spark to the rear cylinder, I am now wondering if the non-start/backfire issue is related to the original problem of losing spark at the rear cylinder. In my rudimentary logic (electrical issues are not my strong suit!), maybe both issues are the result of the pickup coils and/or the wiring harness to the HT coils. (?) Any thoughts would be very appreciated! Thank you. Kit
Try contacting Chris Kelly, I'm sure he will be able to direct you and help - he opens in a few hours - I guess you are all sleeping over the pond at the moment
Here in The Colonies I just woke up & having coffee. Yes, I did send an email to Chris. But I will follow up with a call today since I had not heard back. Also, I wanted to ask him about the fitment of the new HT coils. On his ExactFit coils the plug wires exit from the top of the coils; rather than from the bottom like the OEM units. When the fuel tank is lowered into place, the plug wires contact the inside of the fuel tank. Other might have raised the same question. Kit
Yes this is the case, but personally have never had the question from a customer over here that I can recall.
HT leads are each going to the correct spark plug aren't they? You wouldn't be the first person to get them the wrong way round and it's a very quick and easy thing to check.
Arquebus: As I recall, the coils cannot be flipped over since the plug wires won't clear the base of the airbox assembly. Ah.. I stand corrected. After talking with Chris at CA-Cycleworks, he recommended the coils be mounted with the plug wires exiting downward. It is, however, a snug fit against the airbox.
Yes, the left coil connects to the horizontal cylinder & the right coil connects to the vertical cylinder. However, thinking that I might have somehow reversed the low-tension signal wires going to the coils, I swapped them. Still the engine wouldn't start & backfired.
FYI...After explaining my issue with the engine backfiring & not starting after installing the new HT coils, Chris at CA-Cycleworks strongly advised that I use the NGK DR9EA plugs which were inadvertently omitted when he sent the new coils. (I have always used the DPR8EA-9 plugs with the OEM coils). After he sends me the new plugs, he suggested that if the problem persists that I should call him back. Of course, I have not abandoned the possibility of defective pickup coils and/or wiring harness. The saga continues.
Unfortunately, my saga of "the-engine-that-won't-fire-after-installing-new HT coils" is not over. After communicating with Chris Kelley, we are both still scratching our heads over the problem. Logic suggests that I somehow re-wired something incorrectly. (BTW, I will be ordering new pickup coils & wiring harness from ElecTrex soon to address another ignition issue). In the meantime, I need to be sure that my wiring is correct. If I am not incorrect, the grey wire from the ignition control module connects to the HT coil for the vertical cylinder and the brown wire (with green stripe) connects to the HT coil for the horizontal cylinder. Is this correct? (I ask this because I have found other discrepancies between the Haynes manual & the Ducati factory manual). One of the pickup coils has red & white wires. The other pickup coil has black & yellow wires. To which ignition control modules (i.e. vertical or horizontal cylinders) do these wires go? Thank you kindly. Kit
Horizontal pickup - red & white Vertical pickup - black & yellow The wire from the horiz ign module to horiz coil is green/brown. The wire from the vert ign module tovert coil wire is grey. These can also be seen in the above photos.
Thank you, Derek! You are consistent with the Haynes manual & my original understanding. The reason I broached the question was because some people claimed that the red & white wires from the pickup coil went to the vertical cylinder. Again, thank you!
