I know this has been covered many times but is worth repeating, a good cap is a must and the best $3 you can spend on upgrades. I buy mine at the local cycle shop, I picked up a spare yesterday for $2.95 .
Replacement spark plug cap
- Thread starter Greg58
- Start date
Enough can't be said for the benefits of getting rid of that plastic POS that comes with the China Girl kits. Why the engine distributors can't get it through their heads that it is the weakest link in the kit, I don't understand.
It is the first thing that goes in the trash when I open a new kit box. They do not provide a good electrical connection to either the wire or the spark plug. They're heavy and vibrate. They fall apart and have been responsible for more grief with new builders that any other aspect of the kit, even the infamous 'rag joint'.
Thanks for bringing it up, Greg. Every newbie should read this thread and heed our advice. Replace the kit spark plug boot with a good automotive/motorcycle quality boot and use a spark plug with the top cap in place.
Tom
It is the first thing that goes in the trash when I open a new kit box. They do not provide a good electrical connection to either the wire or the spark plug. They're heavy and vibrate. They fall apart and have been responsible for more grief with new builders that any other aspect of the kit, even the infamous 'rag joint'.
Thanks for bringing it up, Greg. Every newbie should read this thread and heed our advice. Replace the kit spark plug boot with a good automotive/motorcycle quality boot and use a spark plug with the top cap in place.
Tom
Thought I would include a couple of pix of what I use for spark plug boots.
This is a standard automotive boot with a metal connector that snaps down on the top cap of a plug. I'm sort of anal about good electrical connections so I solder the plug wire to that connector then slide the boot down over it. Of course soldering the wire maybe isn't necessary and if you use resistance wire you can't solder it, but like I said, I'm fastidious about making sure the high voltage goes where its supposed to go.
Tom
This is a standard automotive boot with a metal connector that snaps down on the top cap of a plug. I'm sort of anal about good electrical connections so I solder the plug wire to that connector then slide the boot down over it. Of course soldering the wire maybe isn't necessary and if you use resistance wire you can't solder it, but like I said, I'm fastidious about making sure the high voltage goes where its supposed to go.
Tom
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Tom some of the kit suppliers may be changing the cap in their kits, the last kit I bought came with a cap that is molded to the wire like we used on 60-70 street rods, needs the threaded adapter on the plug also. It seems to be of good quality but time will tell.
My first kit bought from a fella named Chris Hill, not the preacher, back in 07 came with an automotive style boot. He was an early importer, based in Thunder Bay, Ontario and he disassembled and cleaned his engines, replaced the fasteners and installed the upgraded boot. Unfortunately Chris went out of business due to import regs.
That's good news that some of the suppliers are finally responding to this problem. Now if we could just get them to stop gluing the high voltage lead into the CDI....
Tom
That's good news that some of the suppliers are finally responding to this problem. Now if we could just get them to stop gluing the high voltage lead into the CDI....
Tom
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Should start selling CDIs with a key ignition switch, I add one to my builds, install the CDI in a project box with the key wired directly to it, makes it look more legit, and assures that the lights and such are off.
They do sans the coil itself. Lightning CDI has a keyswitch. Its on my bike
And my 12v electronics are entirely separate
My electronics are seperate too, but my ignition switch has 4 wires, 2 for the motor and 2 for other stuffThey do sans the coil itself. Lightning CDI has a keyswitch. Its on my bike
And my 12v electronics are entirely separate
