Spark units

[79cbx]

Is it possible to run 81-82 spark units on a 79 cbx? If so, how do you wire them up to work? Thanks.

Jerry

[EMS]

Jerry, I still owe you a wiring diagram and/or picture. And I still have to check, if I have a spare adapter pigtail. Sorry! Maybe I can get to it the next couple of days.
Problem is, like some of the other guys here, I am not retired.....

[79cbx]

Hey, no problem EMS...I can sure understand the daily grind as I do it also. Thanks.

Jerry

[EMS]

O.K., everybody, here you go. Any other questions, post away or send me a pm or e-mail


CBX OKI Swap
You want to replace the early model igniters (OKIs) with the late model (red shrink wrap) igniters.




You should consider relocating the OKIs from under to above the battery case. The Prolink rear inner fender provisions to hold the wire ends will really help.





You will have to make a small wire harness for the connection. Make sure it is long enough to connect to the three original early model connectors – a 6-pole connector for the 3 blue and 3 white wires, a 4-pole connector for 3 yellow and 1 black/white wire and a 2-pole connector for a black/white and green wire.




The connection is a little complicated as the number of wires doesn’t match – the early CBX OKI set has 12 wires and the 3 separate OKIs from the late model have a total of 15 wires.





It would be extremely helpful to have a wiring diagram for both models in order to compare and fully understand the wire routing.

The blue, white and yellow wires must be in a specific location as they correspond with the ignition pick-up and the respective coils for cylinders 1-6, 2-5 and 3-4.

For ease of description, the OKIs and their connectors are identified with numbers: 1, 2 and 3. No1 corresponds with pick-up and coil 3-4, No2 corresponds with 2-5 and No 3 corresponds with 1-6.

Let’s start with the blue and white wires, 6-pole connector.

OKI No1 blue and white wires connect to the pink wires in the original connector
OKI No2 blue and white wires connect to the yellow wires in the original connector
OKI No3 blue and white wires connect to the blue wires in the original connector
Make sure the white wires connect to the wires in the connector with the small white tubes.

The yellow wires, 4-pole connector

OKI No1 yellow wire connects to the yellow wire with the red tube
OKI No2 yellow wire connects to the yellow wire with no tube
OKI No3 yellow wire connects to the yellow wire with the blue tube
The fourth pole for the black and white wire bridges to the black and white wire connection of the 2-pole connector

The black/white and green wires, 2-pole connector.

All 3 green wires connect to the one green wire connection in the 2-pole connector
All 3 black and white wires connect to the black/white connection in the 2-pole connector
A bridge needs to be made from the black/white wires to the fourth pole of the 4 pole connector (above)

Plug in!

[Jeff Bennetts]

That's a great write up Mike, as soon as my network is back up I'll be printing it for my manual.

[79cbx]

Thanks Mike.

Jerry

[NobleHops]

Great content Mike, awesome.

N.

[EMS]

My pleasure, guys!
Only thing I did not mention was, how and where to source the connectors, bescause I don't know. I got them from a friend of mine in Germany. If anybody knows a good source for connectors with clips, please tell us.

[Jeff Bennetts]

K&L carries them, I listed the part numbers on another thread here somewhere but I don't remember if I included the six spade connector or not, I'll check.

K&L part # s
Coupler set:2 pin W/Snap M/F 34-6932
3 pin. 34-6935
4 pin. 34-6936
6 pin. 34-6937
9 pin. 34-6938

You can also buy just the male or female coupler but they only come in 100 counts, the coupler sets above are packs of five. K&L also sells the matching terminal pins and complete terminal kits that are also OEM quality.

[barryadam]

You should consider relocating the OKIs from under to above the battery case. The Prolink rear inner fender provisions to hold the wire ends will really help.

First of all, thank you very much for this help, Mike. It is very timely as I have proceeded to take your recommendation and do this swap.

However, the mounting bracket on the frame for the rear of the battery box, and the flat surface of the battery box itself (where the Prolink spark units mount), are not the same on my 1979 as the above picture, and have no room to mount the spark units there. I really don't want to put them back under the battery box. Where have you located them on your 1979?

If anyone has any pictures of the Prolink spark units mounted somewhere on the 1979, please post.

Barry

[EMS]

[ ... the mounting bracket on the frame for the rear of the battery box, and the flat surface of the battery box itself (where the Prolink spark units mount), are not the same on my 1979 as the above picture, and have no room to mount the spark units there. I really don't want to put them back under the battery box. Where have you located them on your 1979?

If anyone has any pictures of the Prolink spark units mounted somewhere on the 1979, please post.

Barry

Barry: I apologize for this. Yes, the space on top of the toolbox of the '79 is not the same as on the Prolinks and besides that, it will be difficult to route the wires underneath the frame bracket to the rear fender.
As the Spark Units require no input from any other location, you can mount them anywhere you want. You can mount them on the rear inner fender. I suggested to use the Prolink wire bracket as it will give them a little additional hold when you do this.
I have to take a picture of my '79 set-up. I have made a simple, flat aluminum bracket and mounted the units under the side-cover close to the plugs they have to connect to.

[barryadam]

I finally ordered and received the connectors to make up the wiring harness design Mike provided for the Prolink Spark Units on a 1979 bike.
Got 'em from:
http://www.cycleterminal.com

They are exactly the same as the OEM HONDA ones (Sumitomo 0.250 Locking type), the same as Mike shows in his photo, and the same as on the OKI spark units (MTW 0.110). Some of the other connectors available on the internet did not seem to match the configuration of the OEM units, although they looked similar.

Got an extra set of the 2-pole connectors (with larger wire gage terminals) for the fuse to harness power connection replacement. Original red one looked like toast. Plus some extra 0.110" female terminals as they match the mini relay pins for doing Aris' voltmeter modification.

[ecopley79]

Hi Barry ,
I'm in need of a wiring harness just like what y'all have been chatting about . I have an early 1979 and I have purchased a set of ign modules for 1981. Could you make me up a set of wiring like you did for your bike .If you can or will , my email address is moecanic@yahoo.com .I would appreciate any feedback .
Thank's Randy

[barryadam]

The custom harness required would depend on where and how you mounted your replacement units.
How and where are yours mounted? Got pics?

I have mounted, but not wired up my own yet, and based on the situation in my workshop right now, it may be quite a while.
If I get to that task, and it looks like something I can offer, I'll let you know.

Barry

[herdygerdy]

G'day Inmates,

Have finally finished installing my 3x new Procom ignitors into my TS CBX and am very happy with the result. It was definitely a journey of discovery & many thanks to EMS for his post, which inspired me and gave me the confidence to do it.

Bike just purrs on idle now, but am yet to ride it (weather crap here for last week)

Am putting finishing touches to my 'How To' document so if/when others want to do this, their job will be a lot easier.

But this will take a little time yet, so figured I would give you a sense of what will soon be coming your way.





















I will be creating a Word document that I hope I can post here that will contain the above images and more, and my lessons learnt.

Cheers..Tony