Coil Sticks no more!

[HackyMoto]

Am fortunate to have two GS’s a’ 04 1150 36k and a ’06 1150 adv 47k both twin spark. Both started running ruff dropping a couple hundred rpm’s at idle and missing under load. The coil sticks (one each) on both bike’s went bad within a couple weeks so that’s 2 time’s 140.00 or 4 time’s if one’s to replace them all. I didn’t want to go back to the coil sticks because of the fail rate and the price so I started thinking what kind of alternative action I could take. I wanted a coil that was small available everyware and (cheep) (inexpensive) reasonably priced, I found it 1999- to present 5.4 Ford F-150‘s C.O.P. coils checked the specs (Ohms) close enough and at 30 bucks each it’s worth a try.
Pick-up two coils from the parts house and a wire harness from a ford 5.4 at the auto recyclers for the connectors on the coils. Plug wires I’ve had laying around.
I didn’t want to cut the bikes wiring in case I wanted to ever go back to the stick coils, so I got four sub-d connectors that fit right into the bikes coil connectors.
Hook it up and I’ve got spark
The coil are zippy tied to the frame for now if this works out I’ll mount them-up this winter.






Got about 200 miles so far all’s well.
2 coils 60.00
Wire harness 10.00
Sub-d connectors 2.00
Plug wires ????

[vagueout]

Often thought about similar. So refreshing to see such a useful sensible mod to the bike. Here in australia i paid $400 !!!! for the pair of shitty stick coils.

[jsb223]

Keep us up to date on this mod.

Just the kind of info that could be VERY useful if /when OEM parts are hard to get.

[rdwalker]

Remember that DC resistance (what you measured) is only one of many vital parameters of the coils. Turns-ratio and inductance are very important as well.
BMW does not publish these specs (I think), so it is very hard to match a replacement.

Keep an eye on your setup and keep us posted about your experience. If the coils are not right you could have poor spark under some conditions or you could be stressing the coil driver in the ECM.

[jantarek]

Nice mod, I hope it will work.
for a single spark I got set at Beemersboneyard for just about a 1/3 price from oem

[rebelpacket]

Brilliant solution to an expensive problem! I'd like to hear how it works out a couple thousand miles down the road; though I don't think you'll have too many problems.

[wjherrick]

...I just spent $125 for one!!

Bill in OR

[Lobby]

[Beezer]

rdwalker is right about the turns ratio but if the ohms are the same then the current is the same, so that means no extra stress on the primary side components. If they spark then it should be good to go. Way to go Hacky!

[Speedy Stamps]

Vagueout was lucky to pay only A$400- for the pair - I paid nearly A$500-! It was interesting to see though that the BM parts listing had three different part numbers for the coils, two of which were superseded. That in itself makes you wonder if they were a dodgy part from day one, only to be replaced again and again until they (hopefully) made them right. My new stick coils have only been in for 10,000km, but if they do go again I'll definitely be looking very closely at your post. Keep us informed as how it goes over time!

[HackyMoto]

Thanks all for the interest
Just some short city riding with some 4th gear uphill full throttle pulls from about 2500 rpm to redline today and the HackyMoto coil mod seems to be putting out.
I’ll need to take a minute and do a kv test to see what I got in coil output. I did find some spec. on the bmw single coil with duel tower output at 0.50 ohms primary 7.500k ohms secondary. The C.O.P. ford coils at 0.55 ohms primary 5.500k ohms. But didn’t find specs. on the coil sticks.
So im crossing my fingers on the stressing the coil drivers in the ECU.
Working great so far.

[Beezer]

should be good bro'... slightly higher ohms on the primary will reduce current in the ECU. pretty sure all the ECU does is pulse the coil with system voltage, so as long as they made spark initially in the new system they should last as long as Ford coils are good for.

[mikered17]

Does anyone know if the stick coils from a f bike or k bike will work? Its hard to believe that BMW makes unique coils for 1150's.
Like most of the threads here -- I had a failure at K and unfortunately paid a $120+ shipping to the dealer. I do have another coming from the beemer bone yard as a spare.

[Emoto]

Originally Posted by mikered17

Does anyone know if the stick coils from a f bike or k bike will work? Its hard to believe that BMW makes unique coils for 1150's.
Like most of the threads here -- I had a failure at K and unfortunately paid a $120+ shipping to the dealer. I do have another coming from the beemer bone yard as a spare.

Why, are those cheaper?

[def]

Originally Posted by HackyMoto

Got about 200 miles so far all’s well.
2 coils 60.00
Wire harness 10.00
Sub-d connectors 2.00
Plug wires ????

Just saw a set of 8 Ford COP coils new for $108.00 on Ebay (that translates to less than $15.00 each). And, they're yellow like the plug wires...probably Accel brand.