arcing from plug wire to coil?

[Greg Lawrence]

im getting a miss on cylinder one, and i look under the hood, and there is a spark jumping from the plug wire where it hooks onto the pack to the pack itself? it is intermittent, so it seem that the plug wire is not getting a good ground from the plug? or connections inside the plug wire? could it be a bad plug wire inside?

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Re: arcing from plug wire to coil?

any suggestions on what to try?

 

[HowieDean]

Re: arcing from plug wire to coil?

Start by pulling the wires and cleaning all the contacts with contact cleaner... I use the cheapest **** I can find at the autoparts.. Disc brake cleaner, joke and carb cleaner... what ever's 99 cents.. it's all the same ****... While you are at the parts store pic up a couple of packets of Dia-Lectric grease... and use it libiraly on the boots.. when you plug evrything back together... Texas Gulf coast seems to be a really good place for that black crud to grow on your plugs and contacts.. it's has something to do with EMF and Ozone and Humdity.... that black **** conducts electricity... I usually whipe down my spark plugs and around the boots with the above cleaner about once a month.. Run her on the hose in the dark every now and then... you will be suprised at the sparks jumping around... hose it all down with cleaner... it won't hurt...<br />Now do I get to go fishin'''''' He'll I'll give you a ride on my other boat...<br />

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Re: arcing from plug wire to coil?

heck yeah we can go fichin.. first got to get this stoopid motor bullet proof. i got stuck in the middle of the lake last week and trolled back to the ramp. 4 stinkin hours and get home to find out the block off screws for access to the low speed jet vibrated out of two outta three carbs! man... i got extra screws in my tool kit this time. and a whole bottle of loctite.

 

[HowieDean]

Re: arcing from plug wire to coil?

How many fillings you have left in your teeth...<br />Think you need to jack on that prop shaft a little more... and get rid of the vibration....<br />Had to pick on you a little...<br />Be good<br />Be nice<br />Behave<br /><br />And take me ****ing fishing....

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Re: arcing from plug wire to coil?

ok looked at it some more today, shot it with cleaner, pulled te boots off, and the wires piercing thingys fell out, they are loose i tak eit, so i twist the wire some and stab those back in. put it all back together and it is still arcing. so i wipe it down like you said. still arcs and ticks. so i move the number one plug wire to num 2 and 2 to 1. still arcing on num 1. hrmm so its not the plug wires. could it be the plugs? or something else? i just cleaned the plugs a few days ago and havent gone anywhere just tuning on it.

 

[HowieDean]

Re: arcing from plug wire to coil?

You've got an insulator cracked some where... try changing the plugs from one hole to the other and see if the spark moves with it... Sounds like you are about ready for some new plug wires as well... drop my a motor cycle shop and pick up a couple... I like the pretty pink ones my self... They are a lot cheaper and better then the Boat ones... Think the Cirlce D gang is coming to Houston to hang out on the San Jac this weekend..<br />So I woun't be coming to Beaumont this week... You'll just have to get that thing fixed and go fishing for both of us... I'll stop by next week and pickup my half of the felts.... Trout of corse, no Sheep Head... ok

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Re: arcing from plug wire to coil?

ROFL how about some of them catfishes? i catch them sometimes! J/K no catfish on my boat ever. cept i did catch some one day on jigs. like three in a row! no shrimp tip either. anyways what are these motorcycle wires? i pulled the boots off and it looks like someone used heatsink compund in there instead of dielectric grease! it is a wonder some people get by as boat mechanics. so i cleaned all the crap out and off of everything, and the clips that hold onto the plugs and coil are crappy looking in design! wth is with that they just stab into the wire and hope for a connection? that just seems ridiclous, are the motorcycle wires the stab style? im seriously thinking about taking some taylor wire and ends and making up my own crap! although the motor cycle crap sound good. long story short, it seems the arcing is gone, will have to wait until darker hours. i filled the boots goin into and out of the coil and the plugs full and smashed all the leftovers out. i did notice a cracked edge on the top coil that exposed some rubber. like a 1/4 " off the corner.. doesnt seem to be a problem yet. Ok i just went to wal mart and got a soft sided cooler, the small 18 pack can ones. (should have gotten two.) I made this my new boat tool box. i have carb kits, test light, crimpers, connectors, wires, cleaner, engine tuner, screw drivers, picks, extra plugs/cig. lighter, compression checker, various s/steel brushes, paper clip, electrical tape, and dielectric grease. oh im thinking about including some duct tape as you dont ever know when you will need a bunch of duct tape. i wish i could fit an extra motor in there too. so whenever the weather straightens out, im ready for anything. i think.