Weak spark

Helpful information and requests for assitance and advice
Ib-Denmark
Member
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: FYN DENMARK
Contact:

Weak spark

Post by Ib-Denmark »

Hi
I believe that my sparks could be a lot better.
How do I test it?
Is there an electrode distance to try it out with?
Is the a way to measure the voltage?
My bike is a 1965 G12 equipped with Pazon ignition and a double ignition coil.
-Yes I have tryed to search the Forum, but not found what I want-
Regards Ib
Groily
Member
Posts: 2151
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2002 1:00 am
Location: NORMANDIE FRANCE

Re: Weak spark

Post by Groily »

http://www.pazon.com/news/cat/3/Technical-Help.html
There is some limited tech help here Ib, but I don't know much about these systems myself. The sparks are pretty high voltage and may be hard to see in daylight for being very fine and 'thin' to the eye, as is the case with quite a few of the electronic options. That can make people think things aren't right, when in fact they are, as fatness of sparks isn't really the be-all-and-end-all, much as we like to see them. I'm not sure exactly what type of Pazon you have - is it a mag conversion or a distributor version I wonder? (Not that that adds anything much to what I don't know!) But if it's misfiring, won't start or whatever, battery voltage or a wiring faults may be the culprits I suppose. Pazon say that some of their systems work on very low battery voltage, 3v even (which, eg, Boyer systems simply won't/don't) but it might be worth calling them up to see if they have any suggestions for testing routines. There are probably a LOT more volts there than you'd find in a magneto, and probably in a standard battery/coil/points system too. When you say a 'double coil', I guess that means it's a wasted spark system, where there's a spark on the exhaust strokes? So two at once every time?
Ib-Denmark
Member
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: FYN DENMARK
Contact:

Re: Weak spark

Post by Ib-Denmark »

Yes it is a wasted spark system
The bike is born with battery ignition, so I just exchanged the contact plate and retarding system with the Pazon. (Analog system)
The reason why I came up with this question is that this system has served me well for many miles (at least 8.000), but this year I have problems starting from cold and the bike has some hick-ups after some time (when hot?)
Looking at the spark it does not look impressing, but this is a bright shiny summer!
Until this year it started at first kick ( well mostly) after tinkling the carb until petrol running down the road.
Spark plugs are Iridium with integrated resistance and no resistance in the spark cap. (This has also worked well for years)
I will take a look at the Pazon link.
Regards Ib
poptsova
Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:36 am
Location: hampshire

Re: Weak spark

Post by poptsova »

Hello and morning if it was mine i would change the plugs back to ordinary types, my experience with electronic ignition iridium plugs work fine for a while then they dont , i cant explain why., give it a tryand see.
g80csp11
Member
Posts: 1567
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: Weak spark

Post by g80csp11 »

the biggest problem with most electronic systems is input voltage
If the ignition switch has corroded contacts its enough to cause the system to cut out all together
my advice is to check the voltage at the , other side of ignition switch and the coils

to test the unit you can usually disconnect the two wires that go to the electronic points plate then when you touch them together the coils should spark

a good electronic unit should be able to jump 6 - 8 mm ( HT lead to earth )
Ib-Denmark
Member
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: FYN DENMARK
Contact:

Re: Weak spark

Post by Ib-Denmark »

poptsova wrote:Hello and morning if it was mine i would change the plugs back to ordinary types, my experience with electronic ignition iridium plugs work fine for a while then they dont , i cant explain why., give it a tryand see.
It is worth trying.
Which conventional spark plugs would you recomment? (I have never used anything else than Iridium sparks)
Regards Ib
g80csp11
Member
Posts: 1567
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: Weak spark

Post by g80csp11 »

I fit NGK B7ES plugs in my twins
McBob
Member
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:17 am
Location: AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND

Re: Weak spark

Post by McBob »

I had iridium plugs fail on a carburettor car engine, according to the bits of the net I read these plugs don't like carbies.
Ib-Denmark
Member
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: FYN DENMARK
Contact:

Re: Weak spark

Post by Ib-Denmark »

McBob wrote:I had iridium plugs fail on a carburettor car engine, according to the bits of the net I read these plugs don't like carbies.
Reminds me of the old truth:
80 % of all ignition error comes from the carburettor.
An 80% of all fuel problems come from the ignition. :D
Ib
poptsova
Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:36 am
Location: hampshire

Re: Weak spark

Post by poptsova »

I use b8es ngk plugs with good results,
Locked