• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

weird spark problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter r.t.snake
  • Start date Start date
R

r.t.snake

Guest
I have an 82 550l and after sitting for a month won't start. Has fuel and intermttent spark. Fires occasionally but wont start.
Here's the weird part:
pulled out a plug and laid it on the head- cranked engine, no spark but then moved it away from ground and have spark. If I ground the side of the plug then no spark but if I pull it away slightly "Voila -a spark" It's not a nice fat blue spark more of a yellowy one????

Any guesses.
 
I had a similar problem on my '81 GS100G. After an extensive complete rebuild, it didn't run as well as it should have - it was missing during idle, picked up a bit at higher rpm's. While idling, #3 cylinder would miss - but would begin to fire if I pulled the plug boot nearly off the plug. Seems it had carbon tracks down the inside of the boot, which was sending the spark to ground rather than through the plug. I also could hold the boot in my hand while the engine ran, but received only an annoying shock, not the JOLT you would expect. Bought a set of Accell coils, and solved all my problems...runs better than new! After 25 years, I would replace the coils and wires..they have to be pretty worn out.
 
You probably just need new spark plugs. A fouled plug (not necessarily fouled to the eye) will allow the current to ride the "foul" to ground with out a spark.
Foul=shorted
Giving the plug and auxiliary gap (moving it away from the head) forces the spark to "build" and then jump the gap. Kinda like you having to jump over a stream once they removed the little bridge that was there.
Cleaning the plug may not help.
 
Thanks for the suggestion. As a matter of fact I came to the same conclusion and will try new plugs tomorrow.

RT
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top