Topic: Anyone running dyna ignition and dyna coils on their cb..?

[bluezboy]

You couldn't pay me to put another dyna in my bike after the hell and expense it put me through. Now if you have deep pockets for towing charges, go right ahead and put one in your bike. You have been warned.

[Terry in Australia]

 

You couldn't pay me to put another dyna in my bike after the hell and expense it put me through. Now if you have deep pockets for towing charges, go right ahead and put one in your bike. You have been warned.

Well I've been running Dyna's in just about every bike I've had for the last 30 years mate and I've never had one die on me, so I'm not too concerned............ 

[Gordon]

Being old fashioned Terry, I'm going to run it initially with points then swop over to the Dyna 'S'. 

Well mate, from what I've read from a couple of disgruntled ex-Dyna owners here you're making a huge mistake, so don't blame me when you're sitting on the side of the road with a dead bike and Dyna's customer service lady is sounding like Regan from "The Exorcist"!

I've also heard from a reliable source that it's now their company policy to hunt down dissatisfied customers, round out the corners in all of their 10mm sockets and adjust their toilets so they run all night long unless you get up and jiggle the handle. 

[dergs713]

I talked to tommy, and he said that if im going to run the dyna-s in the near future he recommends the 3ohm coils.  More performance can be pulled out of that.  I see many of you 750 guys are running that setup, but the 550 guys seem to keep saying 5ohm coils and dyna-s.... I just dont wanna screw myself.  If I just buy the whole setup at once which route should I go.. 5ohms and dyna-s or 3ohms and dyna-s..? 

He said the honda ignition sytems on both are the same.  This will be my daily driver, so I dont wanna be stuck on the side of the road...

Matt

[heffay]

my 350f with a dyna S and stock coils wouldn't keep the battery charged... I'd recommend getting the coils too.

[Greggo]

5-ohm coils.  The 3-ohms draw more power, and deplete your battery while the rpm's aren't high enough to start charging it back (traffic, stop lights etc...)

[dergs713]

Greggo,
even w a dyna-s system you suggest a 5ohm?
matt

[Greggo]

Greggo,
even w a dyna-s system you suggest a 5ohm?
matt

Yes, especially.  I didn't read thru the three pages of this thread, but I'd be surprised if someone hasn't mentioned that the Dyna-S itself draws more power than the stock points.  A 3-ohm coil by nature draws more power than a 5-ohm coil (which is the stock coil ohm rating btw), so with all things even, a Dyna-S with 3-ohm coils draw more power than a Dyna-S with 5-ohm coils, which draws more power than the stock points/condensers w/stock 5-ohm coils.  My '71 CB500 does just fine with the Dyna-S and 5-ohm Dyna coils.  Some folks have had charging issues with the 3-ohm coils.  Me, I've never had problems with the Dyna-S and my stock coils either before replacing them a few months ago with the 5-ohms.  I do occasionally sit in traffic, or at stop lights.

[TwoTired]

The Dyna-s draws more electrical power than points do from ANY coil used on the bike.  This is because of the way the Dyna-s is designed.

With points, each coil is turned on through 190 degrees of crankshaft rotation.
The Dyna-s leaves each coil drawing power through 330 degrees of crankshaft rotation which is an additional 40% increase in power drain from the electrical system, regardless of coil choice.

3 ohm coils draw 4 A while on.  5 ohm coils draw 2.4 A while on.  So, 3 ohm coils draw ~40% more electrical power than 5 ohm coils regardless of points or Dyna-s trigger.

None of that extra power draw will make any difference in performance unless you also increase the spark gap at the plugs, (which marginally helps engine efficiency).

The stock 5 ohm coils and points set up draw about 35 watts from the electrical system, and is part of the normal draw of the 120 watts to run the bike and lighting (stock).

A Dyna-S and 3 ohm coils draw nearly 100 watts and increase standard bike electrical load to 185 watts.

The CB550 alternator self limits its output to about 150 Watts (spec'd at 5000 RPM).  At idle speed, the alternator makes 40-50 Watts.
The battery will supply the deficit in power draw until it is depleted, by which time you get no spark at all, and the bike becomes street side eye candy.

I'll just note that the stock coils and points were good enough to propel the bike down a 1/4 mile track in 14.02 seconds.   
I don't know what or if a Dyna-s would effect that time.  But, I am skeptical it would.

Cheers,

[ofreen]

I'll just note that the stock coils and points were good enough to propel the bike down a 1/4 mile track in 14.02 seconds.   

Jeez, that's like an eternity.

[dave500]

the boyer micro power unit complete with the .6 ohm coils that come with it draws about 2 amps,,these units free up some charging power.

[Terry in Australia]

I wonder what the statistics are for bikes fitted with Dyna ignitions sitting on the side of the road becoming "street side eye candy" due to their batteries going flat because of their massive power draw compared to good ol' points?

You know, like most motorcyclists, if I see another biker broken down on the side of the road I'll pull up and lend them a hand, and to this day, I've never had anyone just roll to a stop because their Dyna ignition has completely depleted their battery? Amazing, this must be a North American peculiarity, I know that American gallons are around 20% smaller than Imperial gallons, so maybe American Watts and Volts are smaller too, and that's why I've never experienced this phenomenom?

As exciting as a blistering 14 second quarter might be to some of the old farts here, there are plenty of modern bikes doing sub 10 second quarters, but they're all running electronic ignitions of course, points went out of fashion with capes and buckled shoes!

[ofreen]

Capes and buckled shoes are out of fashion?  When did that happen? 

I don't have any trouble with the Dyna S drawing down the battery on my bike, but it does deplete the batteries in surrounding vehicles.  It comes in handy for practical jokes in the parking lot at work. 

[CycleRanger]

Capes and buckled shoes are out of fashion?  When did that happen? 

I don't have any trouble with the Dyna S drawing down the battery on my bike, but it does deplete the batteries in surrounding vehicles.  It comes in handy for practical jokes in the parking lot at work.

Oh no, the Dyna S is much more powerful than that!

[dergs713]

Cool, cant tell you guys enough how much I appreciate it.  I will go with the 5ohms and the dyna s.  Ill take the hit and buy it all at once.  I feel by reading this thread thuroughly, that this is the better way to go, so I am not drawing so much power with the 3ohm setup.  I feel this seems to be the right route to go with a cb550.
Thanks all
Matt

[dergs713]

To all,

What size spark plug wires should i pick up? (Or better off, what should i stay away from..lol) I would like to uses a "cool old cloth wire" look if possible.  Also I need boots? Anyone recomend a certain brand/type. Remember its for a Cb550 if it makes any difference...  Just want to make sure everything fits together well.

 You guys seem to know whats up so im ridding on your coat tails, stir me in the right direction
Thanks again
matt

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Matt, Z1 Enterprises (the proprieter, Jeff, is a member here) do some pretty good deals on Dyna stuff so I'd suggest you take a look at their site. Before you mentioned the "cool old cloth wire" I would have suggested the Dyna 7mm copper cored wires with boots that Z1 sells for 17 bucks per set, but I think their wires only come in red (the ones I bought) or black, so you might need to check out a hotrod shop for the wires. Cheers, Terry.

http://www.z1enterprises.com/catalog.aspx?pid=HPIG0

[TwoTired]

As exciting as a blistering 14 second quarter might be to some of the old farts here, there are plenty of modern bikes doing sub 10 second quarters, but they're all running electronic ignitions of course, ...

I never claimed a 14 sec. quarter was "blistering".  But, I also never heard of an electronic ignition being the sole cause of reducing that to 10 seconds.  Reports from Australia, indicate that all you need to with any bike to brag about a 10 sec quarter is to glue an electronic ignition unit on it somewhere, at least that's what I've been led to believe, ...from some reports.     

Of course, the almighty Cb750 does have a 210 watt alternator to feed that power sucking Dyna-s (while it's doing those sub 10 sec quarters ??).  I believe that some CB550 haters just might enjoy their owners stranded with a depleted battery.  (They'd probably stop to hurl insults and other denigrating epithets, rather than help them, I expect.)

Question:
Is it ludicrous to laud "modern" on a forum dedicated to 30 year and older motorcycles?  Kinda makes you wonder why anyone would prefer ANY old technology SOHC4 components over a modern bike unless they plain and simple didn't like them in general as well as their "currently owned modern bikes"?

Then again, those who confuse the Dyna-s with a truly modern ignition system, would likely have difficulty differentiating a tube radio from a plasma television.

Cheers, 

[heffay]

Ask Sscardefield or jj_tooney about the kickass wires they have on their bikes.  They run exactly what you're after.

[heffay]

Wow, TT!!  I think you should re-read Terry's comment!  I believe he was, how do they say it over there?  " taking the piss"?

Go RIDE, man!

[TwoTired]

Wow, TT!!  I think you should re-read Terry's comment!  I believe he was, how do they say it over there?  " taking the piss"?

Nah, he said what he meant.

[Terry in Australia]

Wow, TT!!  I think you should re-read Terry's comment!  I believe he was, how do they say it over there?  " taking the piss"?

Go RIDE, man!

Ha ha, you got it Heffy, poor old Lloyd can understand rocket science, but he doesn't understand humour. No matter, there'll always be a job for him at the Post Office.............. (I wonder how long it'll be before he complains to Bob Wessner about me again...........)

[heffay]

Ok then, I thought it was hilarious anyway. 

[scottly]

3 ohm coils draw 4 A while on.  5 ohm coils draw 2.4 A while on.

As you have noted before, those are DC, static numbers that ignore the inductance of the coils. What is the total current draw at 1500 RPM? At 3000 RPM? At 4500 RPM, and so on.?

[Markcb750]

It's ground hog day...Again

Rita: You're missin' all the fun! These people are great! Some of them have been partyin' all night long! They sing songs 'till they get too cold and then they go sit by the fire and they get warm, and then they come back and sing some more!

Phil: Yeah, they're hicks, Rita!