You might consider this item: GL1200 Carburetor Repair Manual written by Howard Halasz
This Tech Tip is provided courtesy of Howard Halasz – noted early ‘Wing Guru. Howard is a frequent contributor of technical columns and other information to GWRRA’s Wing World Magazine
Here’s the Problem…
All 4 cylinder Gold Wings – GL1000, GL1100, and GL1200 – use the right hand coil to fire the two front cylinders (1 & 2) and the left hand coil to fire the two rear cylinders (3 & 4).
The firing order for the GL1100s and GL1200s is 1-3-2-4, the same as it is for the GL1000s. The only difference is that the 1000s have mechanical ignitions driven off of the left camshafts while the 1100s and 1200s have electronic ignitions driven off of the crankshafts.
The error that I found – for which I would like to offer a correction – in the Genuine Honda 1984-1987 GL1200 Service Manual occurs in Chapter 15, Ignition, Page 15-5, which states the following:
“NOTE: When installing the coils, the B/W and Bl/Y wires go to the left coil (2-4). The B/W and Y/Bl wires go to the right coil (1-3). Coil polarity has no effect on performance.”
I feel this quote should be corrected to read the following:.
“NOTE: When installing the coils, the B/W and Bl/Y wires go to the left coil (3-4). The B/W and Y/Bl wires go to the right coil (1-2). Coil polarity has no effect on performance.”
Here’s Why…
Although the B/W, Bl/Y, B/W, and Y/Bl primary 12 volt wiring is correct, in my opinion the first quote suggests that the right coil fires the right cylinders 1&3 and the left coil fires the left cylinders 2&4.
If the spark plug wires are connected to coils and plugs as the Genuine Honda 1984-1987 GL1200 Service Manual suggests, the engine will run on two cylinders only – 1 and 4! Spark plugs 2 and 3 would spark only when pistons 2 and 3 are at bottom dead center. However, the wiring diagrams in Chapter 19 at the back of the manual indicate the correct wiring from the coils to the spark plugs.
If you use Page 15-5 to connect the coils to the spark plugs, your GL1200 Gold Wing will chug along like a steam locomotive. (The GL1200s really have no inherent ignition flaws.)
In my opinion then, the Clymer Manual is also incorrect (on Page 198) where it states “There are 2 ignition coils; one fires the plugs for the No. 1 and No. 3 cylinders and the other fires the plugs for the No. 2 and No. 4 cylinders.”
I believe the correct statement should read:.
“There are 2 ignition coils; one fires the plugs for the No. 1 and No. 2 cylinders and the other fires the plugs for the No. 3 and No. 4 cylinders.”
[However, the wiring diagrams in the Clymer manual (Chapter 15, starting on Page 387) are correct.]
FIGURE 1 (Below) – Here, the red spark plug wires indicate what I feel both the Clymer and Honda manuals suggest (and is incorrect).
FIGURE 1 – Wrong Spark Plug Wiring Diagram
FIGURE 2 (Below) – This shows what I believe is the correct spark plug wiring.
FIGURE 2 – Correct Spark Plug Wiring Diagram
FIGURE 3 (Below) – This shows the correct coil connections from the wiring harness.
FIGURE 3 – Correct Coil Connections
Howard Halasz, Wing World Technical Contributor – Houston, TX
Note from Randakk: A version of this Tech Tip is also published in the June, 2009 edition of WingWorld.
I just got this 86 goldwing engine seeing the way it was set up , not marking any spark to the left coil which was to 1&2 right coil to 3&4 did make spark , I was unable to start to make it run , it just back firer late . then I check the cdi box to a running bike it good . just the vacuum hose was not hook up , an it did . thank I will try rewiring see what happens still can not understand why the left coil not making spark . if you change the coils wire a around it works ? what I can not get why the rear fire the two front cylinder do not but they are wired to the right coil ok . just the left coil not ? this must mean it wire wrong right . thank for the help
After buying somebody else’s gold wing nightmare and two weeks of time tracing wiring,doing compression checks,fuel system cleaning and assorted other pointless part swapping it finally runs and rides like it should. I tell you that because I am not a motorcycle mechanic and I followed that gold wing repair manual like it was written in stone. After finding your website I had it running better than it ever has in less than an hour.You can bet the bank next time I have an issue with this bike I’m looking at your site FIRST. That section of the manual just may get used as stuffing around Christmas gifts because your version is now printed and stapled in its place.
Wow, thanks for the compliment! Feel free to reach out to our awesome customer service and tech team any time. We’re always happy to help!
2021 and this shit is still relevant. Thanks for the write up, you got me straight.
83 Gl1100A
Thanks, I disconnected mine long ago, tried to mark it with sharpie and it smudged off, and I forgot how to reconnect them. Good thing I didn’t go to the manual!
thanks for that info,
This guy is absolutely correct….
I have a 1986 goldwing and 2 people previously owned and worked on and had it in to the shop twice and nobody could fix it. And going off of the two manuals I was about to make the same mistake but I caught it.