Motorcycle Repair: Coil ohms

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

We have a 1987 Honda VT700C Shadow and we are trying to find out how much ohm's are in the coils, the stock ohm's.

Thank you

ANSWER: James, I don't know if I have specs on bikes that new...

http://www.regulatorrectifier.com/catalog/Honda-111 may have answers if you don't have a shop manual.

Other models from that time have about 2.5 ohms  and 500 ohms on the pulser coil. That was taken from a copy of the VT1100 manual, though.

If both coils are reading the same, then I would assume that they are both good and problems lie elsewhere.

Bill Silver

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Bill,

Thank you for responding, I don't believe there is anything wrong with the coils on this bike, I'm trying to find out about the OHMS of the coils because I'm considering installing Accel Coils and in order to try and find an Accel Coil that will work I need that information. We installed Accel Coils on our 1984 Honda 650CB and they make a huge difference especially when trying to start the bike. It use to be very hard to start but with the Accel Coils almost immediately it would start. Thanks.

Answer
The quickest way to find it is to measure the ones on your bike. From info I see on the web, CDI coils have .7 ohms and inductive coil systems use 3.ohm coils. Check coils with a volt meter on the primary connector. If you have no volts on the primary side with ignition ON, then the ignition is CDI. If you do have battery voltage there then you have inductive ignition.

Option 2 call them directly.   http://www.accel-ignition.com/

Bill Silver