Installing a Zeeltronic PCDI-30 on a Kawasaki H2B
Disclaimer, this is how I did it my H2B, should be similar for an H2 or H1 with a CDI, but I don’t know that, check your lengths and mounting location, your timing could vary that’s why you must use a dial indicator and a two stroke timing light. It may effect jetting as well. If using a zeel, please post your info to share with others. Disconnect your Battery. Use only a grounded tip soldering iron.
The Zeel PCDI-30 is a complete CDI ignition with the programmable controller built in, this replaces your stock CDI on a triple and allows programming an advance and retarded curve. The unit allows for two maps and can be switched on the fly, it also has other features such as a power jet output, shift delay, shift light, quick shift, tach
NOTE: if you have a rebuilt Stock Box or Lakeland CDI, you may just want to get the VCDI-30 controller only and save $140 and it allows for up to 12 curves but fewer outputs as the PCDI-30 (which I don’t use anyways)
Fast From The Past, Jim Hinshaw sells them in the US and he runs one on his RR H2.
PCDI-30 is $315, the Handheld Programmer is $75 and the USB cable is $60 ($457 delivered), I highly recommend the USB programmer via a Laptop, it is very easy to use. The VCDI-30 controller only is $175
You will need resistor plugs, I am using Iridium BR9HIX per Jim (pricey at 9$ each). They also have BR9HS regular resistor plugs if desired. Also, it is recommended to run a 10 gauge ground wire from the engine to the ground point on the frame under the seat.
McMaster Carr, if you search Bullet connector get a 10 pack of each male/female, these are nice because they are heat shrink, 7835K56 and 7835K54
Panduit sells a HSTT-YK1 heat shrink tubing kit with mixed sizes get 1 pack
I also replaced the Coil Wires with a good stranded 7mm core and new NGK Non-Resistor Caps 90 degree, I dug the “hump” off of the H2B coils, just score a bit and pry off, soldered the new lead directly on the tab, epoxy the hump back on and painted.
The wiring for the PCDI-30 is different than the VCDI-30 controller. The PCDI-30 comes with a long sleeve and 17 wires coming out of it. I have a connection diagram that shows F or M for the connectors and an approximate wire length, leave 4” on the big sleeve out of the zeel.
NOTE: In my diagram, the wire length to use is from the end of the 4” big sleeve to the connector (so 5” is actually 5” +4” (the sleeve) from the zeel box). I did the wiring so that I did not have to alter the H2 wiring harness and could put my old CDI back on if needed.
I bundled my groups of wires by purpose and then used heat shrink to separate the groups, turned out very nice and makes for a clean install, I then slide the heat shrink into the 4” sleeve about an inch and then heat them up. Don’t cut any wires yet.
The 3 prong connector to the old CDI Blue\Green\White is no longer used
The Zeel runs on switched +12 Volts, this is the BROWN wire coming out of the harness Female, I made a 3 way connector M/F/F pigtail about 2” long (M is Male, F is Female), it then goes to the Zeel Red M connector and the existing Brown M down to the brake switch. Tie them all together.
Primary\Secondary (or the stripe)
Blue\Green, Green, Green\White and Black…….leave full length and bundled and shrink with two tubes as this will go the ground where the CDI ground used to go, you will need a round ground terminal, which I soldered it all together.
Blue\Black=R, Red\White=C, Brown\White=L and bundle 8” after the Sleeve, M connectors to the Pickups
Orange\White=R, Orange=C and Blue=L and bundle 5” after the sleeve, F connectors to the Coils
Black\White by itself 5”, to Black\White F is the kill switch
Brown/Green full length to MAP switch F, I am just using a ground pigtail with an M for now, will add a switch later. Unplugged for initial set up Map1 (plug in or ground for Map 2)
Pink, Green\Brown, Violet\White, Red\ Black and Green/Black are bundled 5” from the sleeve with F connectors; these are for future use and miscellaneous outputs and are not connected at this time.
I used a DC grounded Soldering Iron and tinned the leads after I stripped them, do NOT use a regular soldering iron or gun as the tip is electrified and could destroy the electronics of the unit.
Crimp the Bullet connectors on well using a connector tool (Ideal) ., make sure they will not pull off by tugging on them. Then use a lighter (whatever) and heat shrink the connector tubes down till around the wire
I removed my stock CDI and plate, the Zeel mounts well underneath where it was, drill two screw holes and use two sheet metal screws, the wire bundle heading towards the front of the bike and dropping down over the battery box.
Connect everything up, use some Ty-Taps loosely and connect the battery if desired. The Zeel supports up to 18 volts in, the H2 can put out up to 16 volts. You can run with the headlight on and drop that down, I got a Lakeland “Super Regulator” from Jim Hobbs as it won’t pass more than 13.7 volts and won’t cook your AGM battery (as fast anyway).
Remove the Stator cover, and get access to the pick ups. I went to Ace and got Stainless Allen screws, note that the 3 for the plate are shorter (so it doesn’t hit stator rotor), then 6 for the pickups with lock washers.
On the pickups, remove the little wire holder's on the right of each pickup as this will bind. Also remove the black ground wire screws as this will limit travel. Rotate the plate as far as it will go clockwise, you may want to leave the three plate screws out to verify full travel, there is a notch at the bottom you can fit a flat stubby screwdriver in to turn the plate. Install your three plates screw and TAB. Move each Pickup as far clockwise as they will go, I set the air gap at .020” between the rotor pick up and the wiper on the rotor. (You may want to check the book; mine were at .014 before, which is too close as any wobble can destroy the pickups). I then cut the corner of the little wire holders as to not cut into the wires and then re-installed them. Now reconnect the three black ground wires.
Pull your plugs out and connect them and lay them on the heads, you can test from the Laptop, key ON, test fire, it will do L then C then R, should see a good spark on each, that verifies the wiring is correct.
To set static timing, some people do their own marks and do it different ways. You must use a dial indicator in the L cylinder, H2 is 3.13mm or .124” before TDC which is 23 degrees advance (stock setting), The motor turns counter clockwise. I then moved my “TAB” to line up exactly with the “L” line on the rotor (the mark to left) as there are two marks. Line it up so that looking down from the tab to the mark straight down to the center of the stator bolt. This gives you a reference and a starting point. You can then mark a line before and after on the rotor for finer setting once ready to dial it in and 5.27 mm around the circumference of the rotor is 10 degrees from the initial setting.
The Zeel program for the PCDI-30 and USB driver must be loaded on your laptop and it is available from the Zeeltronics main website. You can use the handheld, but it can be confusing, the laptop is very easy, I do like the handheld as a back up.
When connecting, start the Zeel program and plug in the USB, then plug into the PCDI-30 and it will read the unit (with the key off, on, running or sitting) as does the handheld.
I used a flat curve on Map 1, just 23 across the board for initial setup (and a basic Borut H2 map for Map 2). Check AUTO READ, Check MAP SW, 3 pickups, Static angle 28 (mine moved to 27 once strobed) more is retarded which is good for initial, ADVANCE at 0, Delay at 30, Advance per CYL at 0 for now, Shift Light whatever 6800, Rev limit whatever 9500, POWER Jet off, SMART SHIFT OFF.
8 points (MAP 1 flat, Borut H2 MAP2)
RPM MAP1 MAP2
1500 23 23
3000 23 26
4000 23 25
5000 23 24
6000 23 23
7000 23 22
8000 23 21
9000 23 20
I used a drill with a 13mm, with the plugs out, pencils to hold the carb slides up, Innova 3551 timing light on, Key On and spun the motor as it was in the basement at the time. I could see I had to back my STATIC TIMING back to 27 degrees, then it lined up. Note, this could back your bolt out and may not be good idea, just start with 28 Static and then back it down once running as needed.
When strobed and it shows a cyl to be slightly advanced, then program its value "-" for that cylinder
When strobed and it shows a cyl to be slightly retarted, then program its value "+" for that cylinder
Once you get the L strobed with TAB and it lines up (my static was 27, main advance at 0, each 8 curves set at 23), I then did each individual cylinder, I had to do L at -.7, C at 0 was good, R at -1.2……..now everything lines up perfect at 23 degrees with the initial flat curve. At least One cylinder should be at 0, or move your static so that one is zeroed, then adjust the other two as pickups to a - value. This will give you the MAX static capability possible.
When revving and watching the mark, it should not move as it did on the early CDI’s because signal DELAY is preventing that.
It does not take much to be off a degree or two, so double check everything.
Now you can test the bike on MAP 1 flat, then try MAP 2 by plugging the switch in, I noticed an immediate improvement. This could effect jetting, and NEVER go over 23 MAX advance when at MAX Torque on the pipe or you can Deto and Destroy the motor.
Here is a link to Dales Excel file to calculate timing degrees and measurements
http://kawtriple.com/mraxl/pistonposition.xlsxI will try some different MAP’s once I get my jetting corrected due to the new JA squish heads.
Any .zee file, Maps, suggestions, jetting, etc, please post
THX Phil Mosher 2015