FYI, the higher resistance slows the coil's drain rate at discharge, lengthening the spark a bit for a more complete burn in this engine.
FYI, that remains to be seen. I've asked three parties (science, mecs in the field and a publisher of automotive technical literature) and they're still studying it.
No wonder, they have to come with ideas
themselves as there's no mentioning of this effect in the automotive technical literature and yes, I have searched.
And it reduces some of the current, which helps this hotter heat range spark plug last longer.
Some? How much is that? Will we notice 'some'?
There isn't a single SOHC4 dealer - and we have quite a few in Holland, UK and Germany - that sells 10KΩ sparkplugcaps. The advice I got from Honda back then (80s), select 5KΩ and you'll be fine. Is there anything against using both resistor caps and resistor plugs? Yes, resistors eventually can fail, both in caps and in plugs (some riders for this reason won't have resistor plugs anymore) and where 5KΩ is fine to have a good working ignition, you would add a possible extra source for trouble. For what? A longer duration? How much longer and even then, will we ever notice it?
Now I'm at it, some more about this feared drawing of 3Ω coils compared to standard 4,7Ω coils. Elsewhere I have posted my results when I took the effort to actually measure something (was I really the first?). Ofcourse readings fluctuate due to the nature of the dynamic system, but with my 3Ω coils, without even a ballast resistor, I measured an average 3A at idle and iaround 2A average when revved. In total that is. Not much to be afraid of, now is it? For those that have 3Ω coils and, in spite of my reassuring measurements, still fear extra burning of the points (on mine it did not happen, a bit to my surprise I must confess) in the pic a simple scheme to add a ballistor resistor bypassed at starting. That resistor, some wire and a diode is all what it takes. I myself had this arrangement long time ago but after one terminal of that 1R2Ω resistor broke of, I never bothered to repair it anymore. Again, I would have expected more pitting of the points, but it didn't happen. This is the practice I experienced in real life. Do with it what you like. And why not do some measurements yourself? Every time someone, no matter who, 'presents' a 'picture' of a longer spark duration, there will be a similar answer. Not that I deny the possibility - I'm open to it - but sofar we have seen no proof. Please surprise us and
show us the picture, so to say.
