Ignition Coils

[shane-r13]

I’m looking for an ignition coil for my 1978 Suzuki 20hp. I’ve found some used and new on eBay. Cost more than the motor cost me. Anyways is it possible to use a different ignition coil? I’ve found some for Suzuki bikes that are CDI and look almost exact to mine. Is it possible to use such a coil as long as the mounts line up and it has the same connections? This outboard is a CDI ignition as well.

Also my single coil does both cylinders, is it possible to purchase two coils that do individual cylinders and make it work?

Just throwing ideas out since I’m cheap and refuse to pay $100 plus for a coil, that I’m not 100% I need.

Shane

[rco]

Is there a manufacturer code on the coil itself ( different from the Suzuki number)? Most of the Japanese outboards I have worked on use Nippon Denso or Mitsubishi ignition parts that are common to many manufacturers and engine types. You could also get a resistance reading from a known good coil and sub one that has the same specs and mounting bracket.

If it the one I am thinking of with the single orange wire and dual towers, it is the same as the ignition coil used on most Arctic cat snowmobiles from the 70’s through the early 2000’s.

[shane-r13]

quote RCO:

Is there a manufacturer code on the coil itself ( different from the Suzuki number)? Most of the Japanese outboards I have worked on use Nippon Denso or Mitsubishi ignition parts that are common to many manufacturers and engine types. You could also get a resistance reading from a known good coil and sub one that has the same specs and mounting bracket.

If it the one I am thinking of with the single orange wire and dual towers, it is the same as the ignition coil used on most Arctic cat snowmobiles from the 70’s through the early 2000’s.

I have the Suzuki part number but i know it is a Denso. I’ll have to look for a manufacture number and see if I can match up. I cant find any resistance readings for any of the electronics on the outboard. CDI website doesn’t list Suzuki. I’ve been told Merc are similar, but then have also been told Yamaha is similar. I’ll post a photo of the coil in a bit. It doesn’t have an orange wire though. it has a hot in from the CDI, a ground, and then 2 plug wires out.

Shane

[shane-r13]

This is my current coil.

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[shane-r13]

This is probably a silly question. But can I use a coil that matches up but says 12V not CDI on it? Not likely I’m sure but figured someone may know the definite answer.

Shane

[outbdnut2]

quote Shane.R13:

This is probably a silly question. But can I use a coil that matches up but says 12V not CDI on it? Not likely I’m sure but figured someone may know the definite answer.

Shane

That may or may not work. 12 Volt battery ignition coils are different from modern CDI coils, although back in the 1960s /1970s there were CDI conversion units for cars that used the original 12 Volt coils that came with the car. The "Delta Mark 10" CDI was one of the most popular.

These units converted 12 volts to approx 400 volts and used Capacitive Discharge (CDI) to dump pulses into the coil primary. I had two of them in cars back then.
Dave

[Author]

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