TOPIC:

Hey guys,does anyone have a diagram of loudhvx's cdi conversion, or a site where i could down load it,the geocities site is no more.all help is appreciated..

This one? C:\Users\-.-\Documents\General Motors HEI Ignition Module For GPZ550_files\GPZheiMod.gif

It's not CDI, but here is the new page location.
I'm not positive It will be here permanently, but at least until I find another free server.

For some reason the forum doesn't like the ~ (tilda) symbol.
It only works in the boardcode using the "url" tag, but then it doesn't show the entire path.

home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/Ignition/GPZgmHEImod.html

home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/Ignition/GPZgmHEImod.html

Thanks everyone for the resources,and info.Lou D,I really hope you can get a server,that can provide you with a base, to share that valuable knowledge you share. Thanks again..

Hi, on the GM HEI Ignitor Substitute For a Kawasaki Gpz550
diagrame you show two diodes and a resistor. Could you please let me know what they are for?

One other thing. This link shows me all the different GM HEI modules www.megamanual.com/ms2/GM_7pinHEI.htm
The 4 pin one is the one I am looking for. On ebay I find quite a few same looking ones, but different make. Do you know of a cross reference table? Motaquip has one, but it is not much good as there is not much listed.

cheers

The diodes create a reference voltage due to their voltage drop. The resistor supplies power to the diodes.

The reference voltage is needed for the HEI modules to operate with the KZ reluctor pickups. This is because the GM reluctor system is quite a bit different. I'm not using the built-in dwell extension system in the HEI module because the one inherent in the KZ reluctor is already well-suited for the KZ. The GM dwell system is ignored, but in doing so, a reference voltage was needed for the KZ system.

There are a lot more details involved and I have quite an extensive write up on the GM 4-pin system. On the KZ HEI page, there is a link to my notes on the HEI module and another link for details on the KZ system.

As far as which modules to get, I think the general rule is to get the cheapest ones you can. The more expensive "performance modules" may behave differently.

On my page I list the two I have used so far and they work ok. I am assuming you are not in the U.S. (by the "cheers" ). If I get a chance, I'll see if I can locate an online source for some modules that will ship internationally. Maybe even ebay.

This place ships internationally, I believe, and they are the lowest price I've seen in a while.

www.rockauto.com

You are looking for a gm ignition module for a 1977 Chevrolet Nova 5.7L v-8.

They have one listed for $12.90
Part # LX301T
I've seen that part number listed at several suppliers, but I can't guarantee it is the same as the Wells model DR100 or Niehoff model DR400cs or the BWD model CBE4P (which seem to be nearly identical to each other). At that cheap of a price it may be worth a try. I'm not sure how much the customs charges will gouge you, though.

If you can get Autozone to ship it to you, they sell the Wells/Niehoff/BWD under their in-house "Duralast" moniker.

I couldn't find any on ebay that looked promising.

Do you have any auto suppliers near you that deal in vintage Chevrolet/GM cars?

I am not sure about vintage Chevrolet/ GM cars, but I have not really looked. On ebay I find similar 4-pin looking modules for European cars and some Japanese cars. They are for cars build around 1978-1988. I would think that they had mechanical timing advancers (vacuum or centrifugal) and should be of the same than the ones you have used?

No, I am not in the US, I am in the UK. I have purchased a Kawasaki KZ1000 CSR 1981 (M1) and I tried to fire it up the other day. It only run on two cylinders and since it is getting winter and we had a colder day, my feet got cold and I gave up. On the following weekend it would not start at all and strobe lights on the ignition leads did not show any sparks. So I think it is the igniter unit gone as I checked all the other obvious things like connectors, cables and switches. I have bought a used igniter and hope it will sort out the problem, but whilst I was looking around for some answers I came across the GM HEI upgrade and maybe there is another little project for me. So I am very grateful for your helps …… cheers

If the modules look identical, then they may be worth a try. Iwas not familiar with any Japanese or European models that used the GM HEI ignition. I've seen those models where people have retrofitted the GM units onto those cars. In those cases, the ignitors may be the same as what I've used.

Generally, I would stay away from the Accel and Moroso brand modules. For one, they cost a lot more, and they make claims of higher performance. This may or may not work out well for the KZ. If the extra performance comes from altering the dwell, or altering it's behavior relative to the reluctor signal, then it may not work well with the KZ.

The fastest way to determine if it's the igniter, (as you are already doing), is to swap out the igniter with a replacement.

Look, here is one on ebay:
cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alfa-Romeo-Alfetta-33-75-...?hash=item1e59051ae8
It looks the same and is for older cars.

I just hope that the replacement igniter is not faulty as it is always a risk buying from ebay.

What is the difference between the Kawasaki ignitor and the GM HEi module? Are the basics not the same by switching off the ignition coil, hence collapsing the magnetic field?

I may have asked this before but I forget. Are there any outright benefits to the GM module ignition over the stock Kawasaki ignition as an Upgrade? I am running better coils the Dyna "Gray" coils intended for the 2.2 Ohm ignition.

Schorly wrote:

Look, here is one on ebay:
cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alfa-Romeo-Alfetta-33-75-...?hash=item1e59051ae8
It looks the same and is for older cars.

Yes, that definitely looks exactly like the HEI module. I did not know that Alpha used those. Very interesting. If it's cheap enough, then I'd say give it try.

Schorly wrote:

I just hope that the replacement igniter is not faulty as it is always a risk buying from ebay.

Very good point. Even if it does work, it's already close to 30 years old or more. One rain storm and who knows where you'll be when it breaks.

Schorly wrote:

What is the difference between the Kawasaki ignitor and the GM HEi module?

Besides being $500, new? Actually there are a few diferences.

Schorly wrote:

Are the basics not the same by switching off the ignition coil, hence collapsing the magnetic field?

That part is basically the same. It's a big, Darlington, bi-polar-junction transistor that does the switching. That's only the output section of the modules.

The KZ system uses variable dwell in a very elegant, simple way. It uses the shape of the timing rotor's iron slug to determine the dwell characteristics. The faster the rotor spins, the larger the pickup signal, and the result is a larger dwell at higher RPMs. That makes the system very efficient. At idle, any ignition will have plenty of dwell to charge the coil. At higher RPMs, it needs more dwell angle, to get the same dwell time to charge the coil. By reducing the dwell at lower RPMs, it reduces the wasted electrical power wasted at lower RPMs. This works well to reduce battery drain at idle.

Points or Dyna S ignitions use a constant dwell-angle. The points compromise high RPM dwell in order to have a reasonable dwell at idle. The Dyna S uses a huge, constant dwell-angle to promote better high-rpm running, but the downside is that it wastes huge amounts of power at idle. This makes the charging system struggle at idle.

The GM HEI system uses electronics instead of the KZ's rotor-shape to determine the variable dwell characteristics. Because the two systems would interfere with each other, we simply ignore the HEI's electronic dwell control and use the KZ's inherent, natural dwell control. That's why we leave the one pin unplugged on the HEI module.

The HEI has a few other advantages. Because it has a current-limiter built in, it can use a wider range of ignition coils. In fact I've designed a few systems using Chrysler coil packs, GM coil packs, and even some super tiny coils from Dyna. They all worked well, but the coil packs were way too big to fit in the bike so I couldn't use them... shame too, because they were only like $10 on ebay. I plan on using the tiny Dyna coils, but that was a luck purchase on ebay. Those coils retail for a lot more than standard coils.

Here are more details you can download and open in notepad:
KZ ignition notes.txt
GM HEI notes.txt

And here's more notes about the reluctor signal on the KZ.