Neon coils and smoke

[Kuba]

Hello Guys!

I just put my carbs back after cleaning and head gasket replacement and decided to upgrade my 84 Aspencade with Neon's coil.

The problem is the bike was running pretty fine, ofcourse needs some carbs balancing, but after let say half an hour I noticed a smoke coming from Ignition Module! I opened it up and found out those two marked things get very hot. After a break I was able to start it again, but it dies after a few.

I don't know what to do now...

I have my coils with connector on the left side of the bike and spark cables go like 1 and 3 on right side and 2 and 4 on left side, starting from the front. All cylinders are firing.

[Rambozo]

Most likely the output transistors. They will need to be replaced. Why they blew is too much current. Maybe wrong or missing ballast resistor?

[Kuba]

I don't really know what that means. I'm not best with electronics. What I know it wasn't smoking with OEM coils. Maybe my wiring is wrong or what else can I do? Is this Ignition Module repairable? I could bring it to someone who works with some stuff like this. But maybe it's not fried away. It works when not too hot. Maybe it was just this greasy stuff on those squares smoking from heat ..

[Rambozo]

Yes, it can probably be repaired. I've done a similar repair on other ignition modules. As to why this happened, I have heard of the Neon coil mod but don't know the details. Ignition coils typically have a ballast resistor either as a separate part, or built in to the coil. You would have to review the instructions for this mod to figure out what you missed.

Before anything else happens, carefully clean up those transistors and record the numbers. Then have someone look them up and verify the specs.

[Shadowjack]

1200s have no ballast resistors since they have the ignition amplifier box. The ballast resistor is only installed in vehicles with points, to reduce normal operating current to what they can handle without burning up. Once they went to electronic triggering, the resistor was gone. It's not there to protect the coils, contrary to what some people say. If it was, it would still be there on modern vehicles.
I don't recall the details of the Neon coil conversion, but the point is to increase the high-voltage output. What you've done is exceed the current capacity of the stock driver transistors on the coil input side. Can't get more lightning out without putting more juice in. Whether or not this can be repaired depends on if you can find replacement transistors, and can get them changed without damaging the circuit board.

[WingAdmin]

Fortunately those D1071 transistors are freely available still today. You can even get them on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jhgyrtu-CMM-Tran ... ref=sr_1_4

[Kuba]

Thank you so much guys. I am really a noob when it comes to electricity.

So now I know the guys who could replace them for me (he replaced a micro chip before in my xbox. I know he's good).

If there is a chance they just got hot and burned that goo on the top of them and may still work fine?
1. Maybe I should try it with stock coils?
2. If it's bad and I need fix the ignition box, how do I go back to neon coils to not burn it again? I didn't find anything else that I need to do to mod it.

[Kuba]

I could take ignition box from my other Goldwing, but I don't wanna risk frying the other one as well. Should I replace it and run on standard coils?

I took the fried unit out and it looks like pcb swollen a bit just on the other side of transistors. Idk if it's repairable.

[Rambozo]

If they got hot enough to stop working. I would replace them. Even if they still partially work, you are on borrowed time with them. No problem to replace them on that board.
They burned from too much current. You can either go back to stock coils or lower the current of the Neon coils using the proper ballast resistor. What size I have no idea as I have never taken any measurements of that setup. Go over the Neon mod directions and compare with what you did. I'm not even sure about the differences between any of the four banger GoldWings. There is always something to limit current in a coil ignition system. Sometimes it's a separate part, sometimes built into the coil, sometimes built into the ignition box (CDI, Amplifier, ECU, Ignitor, etc) When you mix and match parts from different designs, you need to take care of that. I'm sure all of this is covered in the threads about the Neon coil mod. There may be differences between the 1100 and 1200 as to what needs to be done.
It sounds like this isn't your thing so you may want to go back to Honda parts if they are available. Were your stock coils bad?

[Kuba]

It was running ok on my stock coil. There are also not cracked or anything. I will follow manufacture's service manual to test them on the bench and yes will go back to them probably and repace the CDI box with one from my other bike.

I hope this fried box can be fixed. I don't like the way how PCB got swollen. My electrician friend offered me a help so maybe he'll figure something out.

[Tparr]

I have an 83 1100 that I have been running neon coils on for about a year and several thousand miles without problems. 83's have a ballast resistor and I removed it. I did a lot of research prior to making the change and remembered someone having 84 1200 transistor heat issues like you. Here is the link to the discussion. Apparently later 1200 ignition boxes have a larger heat sink. Just put the old coils back on and run it, I don't think there is any detectable performance increase.
https://www.goldwingfacts.com/threads/n ... 137/page-4

[Rednaxs60]

There is no ballast resistor on the 1200. The OEM coils have a primary coil resistance of 3 OHM and a secondary resistance with wires attached in the range of 19K OHMs. If your OEM coils spec out at this, use these.

If you are looking for a stronger spark, you can reduce the resistance in the wiring from the coil to the plugs by removing the resistor in the plug cap and replacing with a #10 sold core copper wire. Do a search for this on several of the other forums, has been used successfully. Easy to revert back to stock and put the resistors back in.

You can replace your plug wires with suppression style wires, I use copper core wires instead of the steel core wires. Early and late model cars use suppression type wires and resistor plugs. Honda designed these engines with an automotive flavour so the same premise should apply.

Agree with Rambozo, It was working well, fix the module and go back to stock. New aftermarket OEM style coils for the 1200 are only approximately $50.00 CDN each if needed. Check out RMStator, CDN company - give this company a call, you get a real person on the phone - no affiliation but buy Canadian! https://rmstator.com/en_ca/