: Weak Spark

Fri Dec 19 12:57:12 EST 2003

  Hi Todd,

   In my days of fooling around with tuned  two strokes with poor igntion, a
good heating of the business end of the plug with the blow-torch often got
things going again. Try to heat evenly  with a bit of movement around the
electrodes and insulation.
5 to 10 seconds should be fine. I don't know how much they can take, but
prolly quite a lot more than that.

  As regards carb cleaner, I've no idea whether thats a good idea or not, so
personally I wouldn't.. if you see what I mean.

  Cheers,

rob
----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Phenneger" <tquattroguy at yahoo.com>
To: "rob hod" <rob3 at hod3.fsnet.co.uk>; <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 9:59 AM
Subject: Re: : Weak Spark

> Rob,
>  You may be onto something here.  I have not actually measured
> that its exactly 1/2" that its gapping.  I'll measure it out
> exactly and see.  I wasn't aware there was a spark test like
> that for the coil.  But it seems that it was about .5" gap.
>   As for the plugs, they are new but did get very flooded with
> fuel.  Multiple times. Spark was weak and not enough to fire
> them.  However, spark is even weaker to non existant now.  I've
> sprayed them with Carb Cleaner to clean them up, and taken the
> cloth to them to clean them up.  Do I need to actually heat them
> up fully.  Like with a propane torch for about 5-10 seconds?
> Maybe I sould try my old plugs. :-)
>   Thanks, things to look into.
>      Todd
>
> --- rob hod <rob3 at hod3.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
> >   Air gap testing is a pretty good indicator of voltage, even
> > allowing for
> > varying atmospheric conditions. There's no 'weak' spark that
> > can cover half
> > an inch air gap.
> >
> >    My trusty Gunsons' Sparktest indicates that a spark that
> > crosses a
> > half-inch(~12.5mm) air-gap is over 20KV. So if you're sure
> > that's the gap
> > it'll cross then you definitely have a healthy output from the
> > coil.
> >
> >   Incidentally the range 8.5 to 4.5mm is described as
> > "Ignition fault
> > developing" and less than that as "Ignition Fault Exists".
> >
> >   So you have a new rotor, cap and leads(wires?) with new
> > factory 5KOhms
> > suppressors and they are trunked correctly, and the plugs are
> > new and have
> > not been flooded, run rich or otherwise carbonized up? Maybe
> > try roasting
> > them over the cooker to be sure?
> >
> >   Cheers,
> >
> > rob
> > ----- Original Message ----- Message: 2
> > Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 02:59:08 -0800 (PST)
> > From: Todd Phenneger <tquattroguy at yahoo.com>
> > Subject: Re: Weak Spark
> > To: Jim Green <jeg1976 at yahoo.com>
> > Cc: Quattro list <quattro at audifans.com>
> > Message-ID:
> > <20031218105908.52818.qmail at web12824.mail.yahoo.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> >
> > Jim,
> >   You really think so.  I spose I could swap over the starter
> > from the S4 and see what happens.  Read my previous post as
> > well, not sure what that means.  Everything makes sense from
> > testing.  I do get some sort of intermittent spark at the
> > plugs.
> > And a MUCH Stronger spark at the coil wire.  I mean it will
> > arc
> > 1/2" to the nearest piece of metal.  But for some reason the
> > nice spark wont make it to the plugs.  So either
> > 1) the spark from the coil just looks strong but after going
> > thought the resistance of the plug, etc its not really that
> > strong.
> > 2) It is strong and the problem is AFTER the coil.  But what,
> > its all been replaced.  Could I have an entire BATCH of bad
> > plugs?  They only have about 100 miles on them and I couldnt
> > have burnt them up THAT fast.  (my motorcycle could thought,
> > it
> > eats plugs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
> >
> > Thanks
> >    Todd (Wanting to get this thing running so I can DRIVE it,
> > Not to mention sell it.  Boy, this must be inspiring for
> > anyone
> > who may have been considering buying it. :-)
> >
> > --- Jim Green <jeg1976 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > Todd, I had a episode this weekend, took the car to
> > > get it alighned, and when the guy went to start it to
> > > drive it off the rack, the car just would not start,
> > > or even hint at starting.  I sat there for a good 5
> > > min trying till my battery started to sound weak.
> > > They brought over the shop's battery charger/car
> > > starter and it fired right up.  Later that day my
> > > starter died completely at the gas station.  It
> > > wouldn't even spin.  Thanks to some of Denvers finest
> > > for pushing me through the parking lot so I could drop
> > > the clutch and get home.
> > >
> > > Anyways, I just installed a rebuilt starter and the
> > > car starts instantly now.  Before it would crank for a
> > > few seconds, kinda fire, and with a little care from
> > > the throttle settle into a nice idle.  I always
> > > thought my EFI settings were just a little out of
> > > wack, and that I'd fix it later.
> > >
> > > So my whole point is a bad starter can really 'F'
> > > things up!  I'd look at that and your ignition switch.
> > >
> > > HTH,
> > >
> > > =====
> > > Jim Green
> > > '89 80q slow
> > > '89 90tq fast, really fast
> > > http://www.mswanson.com/~jgreen/car_home.html
> > >
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