Powerdynamo brings new ignition & light 
to your vintage motorcycle

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Assembly instructions system 70 81 999 00

Version 25.09. 2008

 


IMPORTANT:

 Please read these instructions fully before starting work on your bike or any modification on the supplied system. Also, please note the remarks on the information page for this system.
If you have no expertise for the installation have it done by an expert or at a specialist's workshop. Improper installation may damage the new system and your motorcycle.
Before you order a system, please check against the section "you should have received those parts" whether all parts wanted are in the kit. You might want to order a puller tool, light bulbs, fuse, horn, flasher unit etc.
Never use anything other than  a puller tool M27x1.25 to pull the new rotor again. In case of damage to the rotor as a result of use of other (unsuitable) tools and facilities, the warranty claim expires! 

If you have access to the Internet, see those instructions online. You get larger and better pictures by clicking onto them and possibly updated information. System list at http://www.powerdynamo.biz

 


Check packing
and rotor!

 The rotor is sensible to blows during transport. We therefore double pack the material (box inside box). Should the system have been despatched to you via a reseller and arrive not packed like this, please inform us.
Before assembly, please always check the magnets (try to push them aside with your fingers). After impact the glued in magnets might have broken loose, sticking to the rotor however by magnetic force, so that one does not notice right away. During run there would be considerable damage as a result.
Before putting the rotor to the engine, please make sure that its magnets have not collected metal objects such as small screws, nuts and washers. That equally would lead to severe damage.
To disengage your old rotor, you will need a puller screw M8x90 (part 70 80 899 90).
To disengage your new rotor again, you will need a puller M27x1,25 (part 99 99 799 00 -not provided-).

Note: Never use a claw puller, a hammer or any other device, that will shake the magnets off.

Notes on wiring:
Experience shows that over time nearly every motorcycle experiences changes to it's wiring. Additionally, most wires may have lost their original colours. For your reference we provide the original wiring diagrams of BMW 51/3 to 67 and  R50/R60 on our website.
You should have received those parts:
  • stator unit
  • rotor
  • twin ignition coil with bracket
  • holder plate with advance unit 
  • HT cable and harness
  • wire binder

Please note that the stator coil is only loosely fixed to the plate as you will have to lift it off a little for assembly. Further note that the sensor is only loosely fixed, as you will have to set it to correct gap.

Make sure your motorcycle rests securely, preferably on an elevated work bench and that you have good access to the front of the engine. You will have to turn the front wheel from time to time for better access.

Disconnect your battery and take it out of the motorcycle. Note that you will install a 12 volts system, so you will either need a 12 volt battery or you use the option of driving without a battery. You will still have to replace all lightbulbs to 12 volt ones. The horn may stay at 6 volts.

Drain your petrol tank into a safe canister. Make sure you do not spill petrol. Refrain from smoking. Disconnect the connecting tube under the petrol (gas) tank and take the tank off. Put it into a safe place for the duration of the works.
Unscrew the generator cover and take it off. Disconnect the wires from the old generator, regulator and magneto. At the generator there should typically be:
  • one blue wire at generator terminal 61 (which runs to the charge light),
  • one heavy red (might also be black) wire at generator terminal 30 (which runs to the battery plus)
  • one heavy red (might also be black) wire at generator terminal 51 (which runs to the headlights main switch)
  • one heavy brown wire (ground) which is attached to the ground terminal next to the negative (-) brush

  • At the magneto unit you should have a red/black wire running to the ignition switches OFF position.

Use a hex key (allan wrench) 5mm and remove the two screws retaining the field of the generator to the engine casing. Remove the field. You might need to gently bump its side with a rubber hammer to disengage it. Use a hex key 6mm and remove the screw that retains the advance unit and the magnetic rotor on the nose of the camshaft. To do that, you will have to hold the generators rotor with your hand using a piece of cloth to avoid injury. Take the centrifugal advance unit off.

Now remove the 2 nuts (spanner 10) which hold  the magnet unit and take the part off the engine casing. Use again the hex key 6mm and remove the screw that retains the rotor on the nose of the crankshaft. In place of the now removed holder screw install the BMW rotor puller  and screw it in till the rotor pops off (again, you will have to hold the rotor with your hand,  and you might well have to use a little force on the puller).

Lastly, pop the magnetic rotor off the camshaft, using the same puller and the same method already used for the rotor of the generator.
Rewire as follows:
  • the blue wire at generator terminal 61 (which runs to the charge light), gets connected to the red/green of the new regulator (unless you want to drive without battery, in that case do not connect, leave insulated idle)
  • one heavy red (might also be black) wire at generator terminal 30 (which runs to the battery plus) is connected (bridge) to the heavy red running formerly to terminal 51 of the stock dynamo (see next item).
  • one heavy red (might also be black) wire at generator terminal 51 (which runs to the headlights main switch) is connected (bridge) to the heavy red running formerly to terminal 30 (see item above)
  • one heavy brown wire (ground) which is attached to the ground terminal next to the negative (-) brush secure to some other ground point.

Integration between the original general electric system (lighting, horn etc) and the new system is at the battery (or should you drive without at the wires normally running to the battery).

Check the diameter of the sealing stud on the original magneto rotor.
You normally have here 25mm. On R68 and some R69 however that is 28mm.

Should you find 28mm there, you will have to replace the existing oil seal 28x40x7 by one with 25x40x7. Otherwise you will not seal the oil there.

The new stator unit is pre-assembled so that you can recognize its structure more easily. To install it, it has to be partially disassembled however.

Take care not to damage the paint insulation of the coils.

Unscrew the new stator coil from its base plate (the 3 hex screws) and lift it a little away from it so that you can access the mounting holes in the base plate.
Now put the base plate consisting of
  • the steel ring with holder plate for sensor (pick up) and pickup module
  • and the base plate (aluminium)

onto the engine block and screw it down with the 2 screws M6 (socket screws for 17mm shaft, countersunk für 20mm shaft) provided.

The pick up module will show into the direction of about 2 o'clock. The stator coil will still hang loosely from the assembly.
Now put the stator coil back into its position on the plate, taking care not the damage the wires. Make sure that the inner opening of the stator unit slots evenly over the elevated fixing rim of the base plate - otherwise the coil will sit loopsided and will touch the rotor, damaging it.

Screw the coil down with the 3 hex screws M6x30 and tighten. The thick black coil will now face upwardly, the cable should be in the little recess of the engines casing (top of generator).

The single white wire will be screwed to ground at the left sensor holder screw.

Screw the 2 high tension cables (if supplied as one, cut it into 2) into the ignition coil.

Fix the pre-assembled coil unit with the provided 2 screws M5 at height of the camshaft - there where the magneto unit had been fixed.If you have a low cover, use the upper set of holes.

Connect the plug with the female terminal on the yellow wire from the sensor with the fitting plug with the male terminal at the green wire which you find at the ignition coil unit.
The short harness pieces running from the new generator und the coil unit will be ushered with theirs plug-ends through the top opening into the rear top engine compartment. They wait there to get connected to the rest of the assembly.

The new harness piece sports a rubber grommet that fits the original wire exit on top of the engine.
You will now have to bring the crank into the position of maximal advance (FZ marking). Sure that you first take both spark plugs out to get rid of the compression. Start moving the crank with the kick lever and finetune by hand using the new rotor which you provisionally and loosely put onto the crank's nose.

You have a "FZ" marking on the flywheel which can be seen through the inspection hole on the bike's lefthand side.

Once FZ is found, pull the rotor carefully off again. Make sure not to change the crank position during the operation as this will spoil timing.

Now reset the rotor onto the crank in such a way, that it aligns with the rotor protrusion as shown here.

No need for any goniometer, just let the metal pin of the rotor sit about 1mm (0.04 inch) from left into the protrusion.

To disangage the rotor again, use a puller M27x1,25 (never a claw puller or hammer blows!).
Turn the new rotor by hand and check the gap between the pick up and the elevated nose (protrusion) on the circumference of the rotor. This has be be set to 0.5mm. You may set the gap by loosening the 2 holder screws a little and shifting the unit accordingly. After setting the gap, make sure to fasten to 2 screws properly. Even if by chance the gap was correct, fasten the screws! They are loose at time of delivery.
With the rotor set, check that the protrusion runs (about) the hight of the sensor and not outside its track.

This problem actually only happens if there is a different crankshaft in or a wrong rotor fixed. Still, worth checking, as you will not get spark with a situation like that.

Equally check that the rotor turns freely above the base.
Now, the advance unit and the new regulator/rectifier have to find a place on the motorcycle. The regulator is well dimensioned and does not need to get direct airflow. The following is a (pre-configured) proposal. Sure that you may install the units in any other convenient place.
The new electronic advance unit is pre-mounted on a holder plate which itself will be fitted with 3 clamps to the frame under the petrol (gas) tank.

Have a look at the advance unit (the black box). You will notice on the side the wires come out 4 small switches. They are used to activate different advance curves inside the bow.

There are 2 curves which will work with your BMW. They are activated as follows.
Switches 1/3 to ON, switches 2/4 into direction of the numbers (OFF position) activate ignition at 4° BTDC at idling revs, increasing to 34° at 2,500rpm and ending advance of 40° at 3,500rpm.
Switches 2/3 to ON, switches 1/4 into direction of the numbers (OFF position) activate  ignition at 5° BTDC at idling revs, increasing to 40° at 3,000rpm and throttling it at revs higher than 8,500rpm.
First, take the loosely pre-assembled 3 clamps off. Than screw the new high tension (HT) cables into the outlets of the new ignition coil (this would be more difficult once the coil is on the bike) and unfasten the strapping of the original wiring harness to get some needed flexibility. Put the 2 larger clamps with the black rubber insets onto the upper frame tube (the one directly under the tank). Make sure to put the closed, straight side of the clamps to the right side, with the hole facing downwards. The first clamp has to sit about 15mm away from the steering head and the second about 170mm from the head. As the clamps get widened by putting them on, use a pair of pliers to close them again. Now put the 3rd, smaller clamp onto the frame tube below the 2 clamps between horn and engine mount. Again with the closed, straight part of the clamp to the righthand side.Put the holder plate (with the pre-mounted electronic parts) from the left side to the 3 clamps. Do not put the holder plate between the clamps, but to their left sides. Attach the plate to the clamps, using the supplied screws. For the upper front clamp the screw goes in from the left and for the upper rear clamp from the right. The screw for the bottom clamp will be inserted too from the right side. Arrange the plate between the 2 frame tubes so that none of it could - under the influence of the bikes vibrations - scratch the frame. It should sit vertically a little outside centre to the right. Fasten the screws of the complete holder assembly.
The new regulator/rectifier could be fitted under the rear holder for the petrol tank. (On this proposal the customer has used a selfmade unit plate.) For this, unscrew the nut (spanner 13) securing your BMW's tank holder and put your new regulator plate (with the regulator on it) underneath. The regulators cooling fins will face upwards. Put the nut back, do not forget to put the washer back.

You may fit the regulator/rectifier in any other way.

Connect the wires of the new additional harness as follows:

*

The 4 pole plug on the wires running from the dynamo with the wires 2 x black and 1 x red

... has to be connected with its fitting counterpart at the new harness piece sporting wires in the same colours. Please note that this piece of loom DOES NOT REPLACE the original wiring at your motorcycle, but is supplementary. 

*

The 6 pole plug on the wires green, red, yellow, blue and 2 x white running from the new ignition coil unit

... has to be connected to its matching counterpart with wires of same colour on the new piece of harness.
* The new piece of harness divides after exiting from the engine. Its end terminals outside the engine will be connected as follows:

*

The 4 pole female plug with wires red, white and yellow (only 3 wires) 

... gets connected with the fitting opposite plug at the advance unit. Here you get a colour change from yellow to blue/white (on the advance unit).

*

The 4 pole male plug with wires red, white and green 

... gets connected with its opposite member at the advance unit. Here you have again a change of colours from green to yellow.
* The single blue wire ... is the kill wire. It has to be led towards the ignition lock and connects there to pin 2 (as had been the old magneto). If this wire connects to ground, ignition is off.
* The 6 pole plug on the wires red, brown and 2 x black ... will be connected to the 6 pole plug at the new regulator/rectifier. 

*

The wires red and brown running from this above plug

 ... will be connected to the battery. Red to plus, brown to minus.
NOTE: and mix up between them, even if only briefly will destroy the regulator!

*

The red/green wire on the new regulator 

... is for the charge control light. It represents terminal 61 of the original regulator. You have in the pack a prolongation wire blue/red and some terminal material to connect to the green/red. If you opt to drive without battery just keep this wire unconnected as the light will not illuminate anyway.
* High tension cable ... have to screwed into the ignition coil before you fix the coil (it will be easier). Please do use the cable arriving with the pack. Do not use any old cable and do not use Nology supercables (hot wire).

You will do yourself a favour to treat your bike to a new spark plug and a new sparkplug socket (preferably one between 0-2kV). 

*

 Finally - and before installing the battery and before the first kickstart - check all connections against the wiring diagram and connect the now 12 volts (!) battery.

Should something not work, please consult our trouble-shooting guide on our homepage. As a first step, pull the blue wire from the coil and re-test.

Connect the parts as shown in wiring diagram 92xk12:

*

 To facilitate the wire exiting through the often small openings in the engine casing, the plastic plug of the generator's wiring that leads to the advance unit have not been put onto the wire terminal. You should place the plug there only once all has been properly installed on the engine side.

Look for the advance unit with its female plug and the three wires (red, yellow and white).

Put the provided 4-position plug housing onto this plug and insert the three wires (red, yellow and white) from the generator. Make sure that the terminals engage securely in the housing and that you connect:

  • red to red
  • yellow to yellow
  • white to white

Should you need (or want) to get the terminals out of the plug housing again, enter a paper clip from front next to the terminals and push the little barb aside. Than pull the wire out.
*

The second plug at the advance (a male plug) will be connected to the plug at the ignition coil. This two plugs can only be connected in one position. Note the changing colour:
  • red to red
  • white to white
  • blue/white of the advance unit to yellow of the ignition coil
*

Important! Never run the high tension cable(s) and the cable(s) of the advance unit closely in parallel (say in one shielding). This will trigger back coupling that disturbes ignition and might even damage the advance unit.

*

The new regulator/rectifier has a compact plug with 6 positions, of which one is not used (before November 2007 it were two). From November 2007 onwards a female plug cover fitting to this plug is delivered. Into this female plug you have to insert the following wires (which have terminals that snap into the plug):

*

The two black cables leading from the generator ...

... connect to pins 1/4 of the new regulator (from there correspondingly black wires lead inside the unit). It does not matter which wire connects to which of the both terminals (1/4) as they carry alternating current.
* The new brown cable with the round eye terminal  ...

... connects pin 3 of the regulator unit (from there correspondingly a brown wire goes inside the unit) with the negative terminal on the battery or (in case you drive without battery) to ground/earth (chassis).
*

The new red cable with the round eye terminal ...

Take care:
Wrong polarity will damage the electronics!

... connects to pin 5 of the new regulator (from there correspondingly a red wire goes inside the unit). Here your regulated positive voltage comes out to connect to positive terminal of the battery, or (in case you drive without battery) to the positive pin of the main switch (ignition lock, German bikes: pin 51/30).
Make sure that you have a 16A-fuse between battery and vehicle circuitry.

*

The green/red wire at pin 6 of the new regulator ...

 

Remark:
Until November 2007 this wire has been a single wire outside the compact plug.

... is for the charging light. You connect there the wire that formerly did run from the control light to the original regulator.

Sure that this control only functions with a battery present. Should you drive without battery but still connect the wire, you will see that the light glows even as the generator generates voltage. So without battery, do not connect it.
The charge light control function is based on a transistor switch and is an additional function. Even if that should fail, the regulator might still be in ok working condition. Simple check: have the engine running, turn lights on, disconnect the battery. If you have bright lights the unit is ok.
*

Remains the blue (sometimes blue/white) wire at the ignition coil. This is the kill (cut-out) wire.

Note:
Should you experience ignition failures, disconnect as a first measure this blue wire. In  many cases that will permit you to get mobile again (particulars see: technical help)!

 Connected to ground - it will stop ignition!

This type of wiring is used in motorcycles which originally already had magneto ignition and therefore switched off by shortcircuiting against ground.

Those vehicles have by design a main lock (or some kill switch) that connects a pin to ground when in OFF position (German bikes: pin 2). The blue(/white) wire of the ignition coil will be connected here. In that way the cut-out works like previously.
* Screw the high tension (ignition) cables ...

Please do not use any spark amplifying cables, such as "Nology supercables" or "hot wire". This will disturb the system and possibly damage it.

 ... into the ignition coil and pull over the rubber seals before mounting the coil (it will be easier).

Please do use the cable arriving with the pack and not any old cable.
You will be doing yourself a favour to treat your bike to new spark plugs and spark plug caps (preferably some between 0-2kOhm). Plenty of problems are to be traced back to "apparently good" (even completely "brand-new") sparks plugs, terminals and cables.
Do not use spark plugs with an intern suppression resistor. NGK (e.g.) offered such spark plugs coded with an "R" (for resistor).
*

 

 
 

In our twin outlet coils both ends of the secondary go to the spark plugs.

Typical resistance between both exits is 6.2kOhm. Both exists fire at the same time (as many twin systems do). Sparks will be polarised however at a 180 degrees difference which might manifest when you strobe it.

Ignition will only work correctly if both plug terminals are connected. You may not test one side with the other open (not sitting on the mounted spark plug). This is because (effectively) each exit uses ground from the other. That means also that both plugs are working in serial, adding resistances, so better use low resistance spark plug (resistor) sockets and make sure they are good. If in doubt, measure resistance on a hot socket (warm it up before measuring).

Is the flow from ground of one side via spark plug there, via coil, to the other spark plug and its ground interrupted you get no spark - on neither side. If you really want to test only one side, put the HT wire of the other to ground (earth it) than it will work. Sometimes a coil deprived of its ground from the other side searches for a substitute - with some solid fireworks around it to the chassis.

*

Finally - and before installing the battery and before the first attempt to kickstart - please re-check carefully all connections and fitments with the wiring diagram. Do check battery and light bulbs for correct voltage (12V).

Should something not work, please consult our trouble-shooting guide on our homepage. As a first step disconnect the blue wire from the coil and re-test.
* IMPORTANT: During crank shaft repair the dynamo shaft is often machined and gets shorter. The result is a rotor sitting lower, possibly touching now with its rivets the stator coil. The result is a destroyed stator and ignition failure.
For more detail and how to check see (online) here.

 

Important safety and operating information

#

 Safety first! Please observe the general health and safety regulations motor vehicle repair (MVR) as well as the safety information and obligations indicated by the manufacturer of your motorcycle.

#

 Ignition systems generate high tension! With our material right up to 40,000 Volts! This may, if handled carelessly, not only be painful, but outrightly dangerous. Please do keep a safe distance to the electrode of your spark plug and open high tension cables. Should you need to test spark firing, hold the spark plug socket securely with some well insulating material and push it firmly to solid ground of the engine block.

#

 After installation, please check tightness of all screws, even those preinstalled. If parts get loose during run, there will be inevitably damage to the material. We pre-assemble screws only loosely.

#

 Give the newly installed system a chance to work, before you start to check and test values, or what is worse is to apply changes to customize the firing point before running the system.
Our parts have been checked before delivery to you. You will not be able to check much anyway. At any rate do refrain from measuring the electronic components (such as ignition coil, regulator and advance unit). You risk severe damage to the inner electronics there. You will not get any tangible results from the operation anyway. Bear in mind that also your carburettor, your spark plugs and spark plug sockets (even if completely new) might be the reason for malfunction. The general experience with our systems is that the carburettor will have to be re-adjusted to lower settings. Should the system not start after assembly, first disconnect the blue cut-off wire directly at the ignition coil (or in some cases advance unit) to eliminate any malfunction in the cut-off circuitry. Check ground connections carefully.

#

The spark of classic, points based ignition systems has with about 10,000 Volts with little energy and looks therefore yellow and fat (hence it's visible). The spark from our system is a high energy spark with up to 40,000 Volts and therefore very sharp (needle thin focused) in form, and blue in colour, which makes it not so visible. Furthermore you get spark only at kickstart operated speedss and not by pushing the kicklever down slowly with your hand (as you might get with battery based ignitions).

#

 Systems using a twin outlet ignition coils have a few percularities. Please observe that during tests on one side, the other has either to be connected to an fitted spark plug or securely earthed/grounded. Otherwise there will be no spark on either side.

#

Never do electric arc welding on the bike without completely disconnecting all electronics.

#

 Electronics are very sensitive to wrong polarity. After work on the system, do check correct polarity of the battery and the regulator. Wrong polarity creates short circuits and will destroy the regulator, the ignition coil and the advance unit. As a rule, wiring will always be colour to colour. Instances, where colour differs between wires it is expressly mentioned in our instructions.

#

 When you handle the new rotor, take care not to damage its magnets. Refrain from direct blows to the circumference of the rotor. When transporting never put the rotor over the stator. Observe our information relative to transport of the material.

#

 Do not use spark plug sockets with a resistance of more than 5kOhm. Better use 1 or 2kOhm ones. Bear in mind that spark plug sockets do age and thereby increase their internal resistance. Should an engine start up only when cold, a defective spark plug socket and/or spark plug is very probably the cause. In case of problems check high tension cables too. Never use carbon fibre HT-cables, never use so called "hot wires", never use resistor spark plugs.

#

 It is a good idea to cover the rotor in a thin layer of oil to reduce the risk of corrosion.

#

 Never use a claw puller or a hammer to disengage the rotor. Its magnets might become loose in the event. We offer a special puller screw for disengaging the new rotor again (see assembly instruction)!

#

 Should the motorcycle not be in use for some longer period, please disconnect the battery (so existing) to prevent current bleeding through the diodes of the regulator. Though, even a disconnected battery will empty itself after a while.

#

 Please do observe these remarks, but at the same time, don't be afraid of the installation process. Remember, that before you, thousands of other customers have successfully installed the system.
Enjoy driving your bike with its new electric heart!