Spark plug lead gone bad, what do?

[Blackshear]

Afternoon, gents.
I played sponge with my bike yesterday, giving it a decent outer clean.
Went to fire it up and ride my sparkling beast around the block.
That noise, it's only running on 3 cylinders.
So I figure it's just a lead with a bit of water being all cool and wet, and let it sit overnight.

Still doesn't run. Off goes the tank, and it's immediately apparent as to WHY.

So I tried screwing it back in after cleaning it, nothing.
Do I just need a new lead or whut?
How much does a foot cost, if so?

[Henk]

If the lead unscrews from the coil, cheap as from repco or your local auto sparky. If not you may be looking at a new coil if you can't shorten it.

[F5 Dave]

Just beware that car silicone typre coil wire isn't suitable, you need the copper core stuff. So you found the lead had come off the cap huh?

Try trimming back the lead until you see wire & then screw it back in. Then you could measure between both caps with a multimeter on ohms (~$10-$20 for a meter from Dick Smith & worth owning one, you will learn to drive it).

Each cap should have resistance of ~5kohms, maybe up to say 8 on std suzi stuff, so you'd expect to see maybe 16kohms between the leads depending on the coil. If you're seeing more measure the caps & coil separately.

More than likely having the lead off for a while has fouled the plug & it needs replacing or if lucky could clean under a gas torch.

[Subike]

I recently got 1 meter of coper cored lead from a local sparky for $5.

[CookMySock]

clean under a gas torch.I have done this and it works well, but be careful that you dont overheat it as I had one go BOOF and blow its guts out all over the floor. Fucked if I know why a sparkplug might do that, but I was fortunate not to get VERY hot shit sprayed in my eyes.

Wear safety glasses at least, please.

Steve

[F5 Dave]

eek. I guess you found the temperature that the porcelain could cope with, it's localise temp probably doesn't get that hot for that long. I was just using a propane torch, not sure how hot that gets.

[CookMySock]

eek. I guess you found the temperature that the porcelain could cope with, it's localise temp probably doesn't get that hot for that long. I was just using a propane torch, not sure how hot that gets.Oh this was an ordinary venturi propane/air heating torch, not an oxy-propane set. I just heated hell outa the fucker, for fun mostly.. as ya do. :lol:

Steve

[vifferman]

Oh this was an ordinary venturi propane/air heating torch, not an oxy-propane set. I just heated hell outa the fucker, for fun mostly.. as ya do. :lol:
I'd imagine the metal bits expanded more than the brittle porcelain could cope with.

[Blackshear]

Cheers for the prompt replies, gents, much taken aback after looking at the few 'active' threads here.

I would cut back the lead, but doing so would be silly. There is literally only enough lead there to get from the thingy, to the cap. I'm going to call supercheap/repco and see what they have stocked.

I took her out just for a little test ride after ramming the lead up the caps ass as much I could, and it was sad. Full/no throttle would yield the dull sound of a missing cylinder, but 'coasting' throttle would produce sad little random spurts of full power. Poor girl :(

Are copper-cored leads generic, or is there a vast range of resistance out there?

EDIT: After calling cycletreads, they have been priced at $18 per lead, for a specific-to-my-bike lead.
I guess after 20 years, the original ones had a pretty good life.

[vifferman]

Are copper-cored leads generic, or is there a vast range of resistance out there?
Copper leads have very little resistance - that comes from the caps. All you really want is summat the same diameter, with a decent core for the spikey thing to connect to - everything else is kinda immaterial.

[Blackshear]

The $18 was for a spark plug :Oops:
Time to ring around the other bike shops and see if they have what I want!

[Ixion]

OEM HT leads (cars certainly, bikes maybe) often are not copper cored. The electrical conducting core consists of black string. A penny saved etc I guess.

You can buy proper HT cable from Supercheap. You may also be able to buy from them (failing that, any good auto sparky) a HT cable joiner. Basically a bit of plastic with a spikey at each end. Useful if you have one of those damn "moulded direct into the coil" leads.

[Blackshear]

OEM HT leads (cars certainly, bikes maybe) often are not copper cored. The electrical conducting core consists of black string. A penny saved etc I guess.

You can buy proper HT cable from Supercheap. You may also be able to buy from them (failing that, any good auto sparky) a HT cable joiner. Basically a bit of plastic with a spikey at each end. Useful if you have one of those damn "moulded direct into the coil" leads.

Ja I gave supercheap a call and they were all 'yeah lol, wut r u tlkin boot?', so left a message at the old neighbours residence. Not sure if he still works as a sparky or not since he was laid off a few months ago.
Either way, no point fixing it until I get my exhaust tip bracket re-welded.

I may as well re-do all of them while I have an abundance of spare time, cost notwithstanding.

[batboy]

Are u sure is a crimp type fitting? if its a screw type just screw it back in? but shine a light up the end and check

[jonbuoy]

OEM HT leads (cars certainly, bikes maybe) often are not copper cored. The electrical conducting core consists of black string. A penny saved etc I guess.

You can buy proper HT cable from Supercheap. You may also be able to buy from them (failing that, any good auto sparky) a HT cable joiner. Basically a bit of plastic with a spikey at each end. Useful if you have one of those damn "moulded direct into the coil" leads.

I think that's a resistive lead - no need for resistors in the plug caps with that type.

[Ixion]

It is. The string is carbon impregnated. In my experience, however, they are a notorious fail.

[F5 Dave]

I think that's a resistive lead - no need for resistors in the plug caps with that type.

Just beware that car silicone typre coil wire isn't suitable, you need the copper core stuff. . .

:argh:How many times does one have to say it? Car lead doesn't work on bikes, just too much loss. Fixed a few bikes by changing back to copper cored wire.

[jonbuoy]

:argh:How many times does one have to say it? Car lead doesn't work on bikes, just too much loss. Fixed a few bikes by changing back to copper cored wire.

As many times as pleases you - I didn't say to use it - I said it was a resistive lead.

[Blackshear]

It's a screw type fucker, and apparently cycletreads doesn't stock them. Nor does supercheap or repco, and my old neighbour is no longer a sparky.

GUYS WHAT DO, wrecker perhaps?

[jonbuoy]

Ebay or wreckers

[Ixion]

It's a screw type fucker, and apparently cycletreads doesn't stock them. Nor does supercheap or repco, and my old neighbour is no longer a sparky.

GUYS WHAT DO, wrecker perhaps?

The HT lead has a screwy thing that screwys into the coil?

Cut the old one off, buy bit of cable, solder endy bit on after sliding cut of screwy thing on.

[Blackshear]

Ok, got a new spark lead - still not firing. Spark, but no bang. Plugs out, two are pretty rusted on the expodes side, and a bittuv carbon on them all.

-Fuck I-4's are a cunt to work with lol-

Measuring the gaps and preparing to put them all back in.



TOPTIP: Don't check the radiator water with the spark plugs out. God I am a fucking idiot. Only two drops, luckily.

WATCH THIS SPACE

Ok, spark plugs are all getting kinda old, especially #3. $21 a pop at repco, NOT HAPPY but I guess it's one of the great things about bikes.

Bike ran fine for 20 minutes before, turned shitty when I started it back up again.
Bah. WOF and new spark plugs tomorrow.