help with 81 kz440 spark

[WillyT]

I'm at my wits end with the spark I'm getting. If i ground the plug body to the engine I get little to no spark.
If I hold the plug about 1/8 away I get a beautiful bright blue spark that is strong enough to zap my arm!!! Any ideas why this may be happening?
Thanks, WillyT

 

[Nebr_Rex]

New plug? Sparks from what area of the plug. What part of the plug do you ground
against the engine?


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[WillyT]

New plugs, I'm holding the threaded section of the plug against the engine and I get nothing. If I hold it 1/8 away I get a strong arc from the engine to the plug body and a bright blue spark at the tip of the plug where it should be? does this make any sense?
WiilyT

 

[Nebr_Rex]

Points or electronic ignition ? Does both sides of the coil act the same?

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[DesmoBro]

if your running Original wires try cutting off the tips of the wire and threading the plug cap back into the non-corroded copper wire. Also if you havn't checked the timing/tettering unit it probably could use oil as well

 

[Sonreir]

Sounds like your coils are on the way out.

When a spark is able to jump a large gap, but not a big one, it's means the coil isn't fully charging. So rather than discharging several times (weakly), your coil is probably discharging only once, but with "normal" strength.

This is because of the increase in resistance the spark needs to overcome when the gap is large. At smaller gaps and lower resistance, the spark has an easier time, so the coil fires when it isn't fully charged.

Do you have another coil you can swap out as a test?

 

[WillyT]

I don't have another coil I can swap it out with. Using a multimeter I measure 2.6 ohms, I should see 3 ohms. I will take the coil to a Kawi dealer and have them check it before I buy a new one.
Thanks, WillyT

 

[Nebr_Rex]

The manual says; primary measured at 1 ohm - 3.2 to 4.8, secondary at 1k ohm - 10.4k to 15.6k.
Are the points set? Tried another capacitor?

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[WillyT]

Good news! I installed new wires with new boots. I used non resistance boots, when I grounded the plug out I got a big blue spark at the end of the plug. I installed the plugs in the engine, pressed the starter and she fired up right away!
Thanks to everyone for all the help
WillyT