No Spark - Whats the Cause??

[Mr.Goodtimes]

So I get spark when my plugs are out and touching metal, but it seems as soons as i put the plugs into the head, i lose the spark and flood the engine (since its not igniting the gas...the plugs are acturally dry). I have a couple of ideas of what may be the problem, but i am definitely longshotting it here...any help would be great (as in telling me my ideas are useless, or giving me ones that could be causing this).

1. Compression - its currently at 210 (way too high for my liking, was gonna change domes to lower it to 170-80ish) with stock electrical - - is the spark just not hot enough or something?

2. Battery - Although its hooked up to a booster, could the cell be so dead that the spark just isn't hot enough?

3. Bad gasoline - Been using premium (91 octane) to try and get it started (after turnover i was gonna fill a tank with race gas) which is some older gas...could this be an issue?

4. Bad ground - throwing it out there, could this be the cause of my situation?

5. Timing is off - i advanced my timing and replaced my flywheel with an aluminum one...not sure if this would have anything to do with it.

6. bad electrics - stator not working, CDI blown out (?)

It seems odd that i have spark Outside of the machine, but as soon as i put the plugs back in it doesn't wanna spark.

Any one else have this issue? If so what did you do?

lemme know im DYING to get my ski going...help a fool out!!

 

[hangtime]

How do you know it's not sparking when it's in the head when you can't see it ?? Are you sure you have gas in there to make the explosion .

 

[Mr.Goodtimes]

good point - - i shoulda mentioned this is sheer speculation...gas is definitely entering the system ( i had to drain my crankcase the first time this happened), so its entering the system, but not igniting...

could it be something other than electric???

im open to anything, im so ********ing lost its not even funny!!

 

[DAG]

first see if its has spark.. easy and quick start

pull spark wire/boot from plug
remove spark plug from head
place plug in boot (outside the cylinder)
place end of plug on headbolt.
while holding the rubber boot and plug is firmly grounder to head bolt press the start button and see if its sparking.

what color is the spark/if any?

 

[wetjet701]

At 210psi you should be using about 98-105 octane to get it to fire properly

 

[Mark44]

Sounds like you may have a needle and seat stuck open if you are getting that much fuel in your motor.

Mark44

 

[Mr.Goodtimes]

Sounds like you may have a needle and seat stuck open if you are getting that much fuel in your motor.

Mark44

funny you mention it...thats exactly what i thought...so i took it to my pal who has been working on these skis forever, and he said the same thing. He rebuilt the carbs...Tried to start up the ski with the new carbs and the same thing happened.

He called me last night and told me my WATERBOX exploded (fuel sitting in it i suppose)...no idea why that would ignite before the gas in my cylinders would...so i need to replace my waterbox.

im totally stumped as to what the problem could be...

 

[DAG]

kinda getting off topic, but i'v alsways wondered that myself. How the hell does a spark reach the waterbox? Even the vapors i cant see traveling back up the pipe to the exhaust ports? But the only thing i could think of.

 

[Mark44]

It could still be the carbs you have for some reason an access amount of fuel dumping in the engine and the only way it can get in there is through the carbs.

Mark44

 

[Talsivar]

when the box explodes usually it's a backfire from a timing issue,or built up vapors

 

[Mr.Goodtimes]

one way or another, my waterbox is in about 40 pieces.

so it could be a timing issue? I think with all the fuel that was not being detonated, it flowed through the exhaust system into the waterbox, which built up and exploded.

right now the most feasible solution seems to be a new SJ!!!

o well, i will keep trying to get this thing going...appreciate all the advice/thoughts.

keep it coming, it cant hurt.

 

[Mr.Goodtimes]

hmmmmmmm just read some other threads...

could a sheared woodruff key be the cause of a weak spark? sounds like this could be the culprit...i would assume this would throw off the timing thus making it an obvious issue.

any thoughts?

 

[Mr.Goodtimes]

it was a sheared key!! what a little pain in the ass that thing has been!!

waiting on my AJS order so i can pop it back together and finally ride the ********ing thing!

thanks for all the troubleshootin' help dudes.