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another no spark problem

alke46

alke46

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looking for some help. I admit to having little or no electrical knowledge but after sitting for two weeks in the garage, my GS suddenly has no spark at the plugs.
It was running fine while on a trip to Arkansas last month, then I get it home to replace tires and do some other work and I go to start it and nothing.

I finally replaced a 12 year old AGM battery and the only thing I have done is checked the valve clearances, cleaned and re-gapped the plugs and also clean and re-gap
the points.

I am not getting spark at the plugs. I have good voltage going into the primary side of the coils and the resistance between the +/- is 4.7 ohms. Now for the kicker,
the resistance between pairs of plug caps is only 21.4K between #1 and 4 and between 2-3 it is 21.7k ohms. I have read that this should be in the 30-40k ohm range.
So does that mean the caps need replacing? and would this be the reason for no spark?
 
the values you measure are correct, see snippet from the service manual.

coils.jpg

Are you using one spark plug to test for sparks on all leads ?
That one may be bad.
Ask me how i know :shame:
 
Last edited:
No, I thought about that possibility so I used a different (new) plug to test.
 
Is there a method for checking the voltage at the end of the plug wire? Is it just going to be 12+ volts or will it be a different number?
 
that's high voltage, like being tazered, and it's something you do not forget.
Ask me how i know :D:D

Spark is created when the closed circuit of power supplied to the coils,
and coils being connected to ground, is broken by the contact points.

You have 12v on the coils, now you also need to have the circuit broken.
Since you worked on the points, i would check there.
Points assembled/mounted correctly, points do open, wires connected properly ?
 
i do not recommend this :D but it shows you a very crude way of testing.


 
Last edited:
Rijko said:
that's high voltage, like being tazered, and it's something you do not forget.
Ask me how i know :D:D

Spark is created when the closed circuit of power supplied to the coils,
and coils being connected to ground, is broken by the contact points.

You have 12v on the coils, now you also need to have the circuit broken.
Since you worked on the points, i would check there.
Points assembled/mounted correctly, points do open, wires connected properly ?[/QUOTE]

I only opened the points as they were installed and slid some emory cloth between the two surfaces. Did not dismount or disconnect any wires. Also, with a test light and ignition on, rotating the crankshaft causes the light to go on when points open and go off when they close.

Thanks for your suggestions
Click to expand...
 
Well, if your points are working and you're not getting a spark, either

a wire came off between the points and coils
your condensors are dead

If you pull a plug and set it to check spark, does it spark if you open the point set for that coil?
 
Big T said:
Well, if your points are working and you're not getting a spark, either

a wire came off between the points and coils
your condensors are dead

If you pull a plug and set it to check spark, does it spark if you open the point set for that coil?
Click to expand...

You mean manually open the point set for that coil? Have not tried that. I have just removed a plug and with the plug into the cap, have grounded the plug to the engine. Then hit the starter button and watch for spark at the plug-----nothing happens.
 
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