HOW MUCH SPARK?

**GROOMER** · 6th April 2005, 15:17

Hey all,

This might make me sound like a thick shit

But how big and beefy should the spark at the plug on my GSXR250?
I know my MX bikes used to have HUGE sparks, and I noticed on Sat when working on NC30Chicks bike that the spark was quite fat. However mine seems to be really narrow and light blue. And I do have some running problems so I'm not just worrying bout things for nothing

Any ideas?

Cheers
Adam

**T.I.E** · 6th April 2005, 15:24

NC30'S spark was fat? wow i can only imagine and yours was a bit small. i'm sorry i could help it. hey it was there. sorry, i'm terrible

**vifferman** · 6th April 2005, 15:37

Sounds like your bike might need a repaint to a more manly colour, or you may need to fit a testosterone injector.

Either that, or put some fish oil in the tank to increase its Omega3 levels and make it a bright spark.

**GROOMER** · 6th April 2005, 15:42

All such original replies...obviously I was expecting a few....

**vifferman** · 6th April 2005, 15:46

Well, seriously though folx (hang on - I'll just get my serious hat...), it's hard to diagnose spark size/colour over the interweb. But the variation can be due to spark plug type/design, the health of your eelectrical system (Yeah - I meant to spell it like that - those wires that connect to your plugs are little electric eeels), and so on.

The important thing is - does your bike run OK? Start readily? Have no misfiring at high revs? If so, don't worry about it. No-one will know about it.

**GROOMER** · 6th April 2005, 15:49

No, it doesnt run great. When its hot it will start missing at high revs then after a bit more riding it dies and wont start again, but by the time I get home and take everything off to get to plug+leads its had enough time to sulk and fires up again!

Put some 2nd hand Honda coils on after it killed one of my Suzuki ones, maybe I'll just have to leave it with a mechanic....more money

**vifferman** · 6th April 2005, 15:53

Originally Posted by GROOMER

No, it doesnt run great. When its hot it will start missing at high revs then after a bit more riding it dies and wont start again, but by the time I get home and take everything off to get to plug+leads its had enough time to sulk and fires up again!

Put some 2nd hand Honda coils on after it killed one of my Suzuki ones, maybe I'll just have to leave it with a mechanic....more money

Yeah, sounds like coils to me.

**Hitcher** · 6th April 2005, 15:59

And you think you've got spark problems now? Just wait until NC30_chick reads your original post...

**GROOMER** · 6th April 2005, 16:16

Originally Posted by Hitcher

And you think you've got spark problems now? Just wait until NC30_chick reads your original post...

Quick how do I delete this thread?!?

**Hitcher** · 6th April 2005, 16:57

Originally Posted by GROOMER

Quick how do I delete this thread?!

Dead man walking...

**Legolas** · 6th April 2005, 17:28

Groomer.
Start by making sure that all the electrical connections are clean and tight. Are the plug leads and caps in good condition with no cracks.

I once had an intermittant running problem on my Blackbird that turned out to have been caused by a loose plug cap where it connects to the to HT lead. I unscrewed it and found that the conductor (carbon in this case) had burnt away in the end of the lead causing the spark to have to jump the gap and give a weak spark at the plug.

Happy hunting. Steve.

**Motu** · 6th April 2005, 17:54

Watching a spark in the open air is not a very um..scientific test proceedure...wow!,that's a fat one!....I think I see a tinge of red there,no,maybe more peach as it fades....it needs to be looked at under load,as it's working with a good scope,like my DSO - we need to talk numbers,not fat or thin,white or blue.

**craisin** · 3rd May 2005, 12:54

well I dont really now either but what legolis said reminded me of my mates sons 70cc Honda trike had burnt out all bar about 2 copper strands in the non-removeable honda spark plug lead (coil+pluglead one unit) So I put on a diahatsu charade coil and a carbon fibre pluglead on it. It starts first pull from cold. Had to use longer bolts and some packers as is bigger and hit the tank. The charade coil had three low tension wires so I went to the library to find out which 2 wires to use one going directly to ground as the original coil only had one low tension wire. Hope you understand

**Drew** · 3rd May 2005, 18:20

I agree with the coil diagnosis. Often only presenting itself after it warms up. Putting in different types of coils is a bad idea. There are hundreds of those gixxer's in wreaking yards, shell out for the right bits, and chances of success greatly increase. Coils can be tested by an auto sparky, which will remove all doubt.

**WINJA** · 3rd May 2005, 18:41

Originally Posted by GROOMER

Hey all,

This might make me sound like a thick shit

But how big and beefy should the spark at the plug on my GSXR250?
I know my MX bikes used to have HUGE sparks, and I noticed on Sat when working on NC30Chicks bike that the spark was quite fat. However mine seems to be really narrow and light blue. And I do have some running problems so I'm not just worrying bout things for nothing

Any ideas?

Cheers
Adam

FORGET THE BIKE A SMART GUY WOULD GET SOME ACTION FROM NC30 AS PAYMENT FOR LOOKING AT HER BIKE