Spark plug replacement

Bikeguy Joe said:
There is really no need to change your plug for cold weather. If you are planning on running the bike in really cold weather, you should concider wrapping the cylinder, but not the head, in screen. I'm talking temps below freezing.
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Forgive my ignorance Joe, but what do you mean "in screen"? Is that some sort of heat tape?
 
Bikeguy Joe said:
There is really no need to change your plug for cold weather. If you are planning on running the bike in really cold weather, you should concider wrapping the cylinder, but not the head, in screen. I'm talking temps below freezing.
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Not with heat tape as first guessed, but regular screen? Because? This will limit airflow into the sides of the engine, thus keeping the engines ability to stay warm in freezing temps? This makes sense to me.
 
Can you guys be a little more specific, lots of you are saying that new plugs/wires make a "huge difference" and "run great," but what the heck do you mean. Is there an increase in power or top speed? Can the engine idle slower or start up easier, any better fuel mileage or cleaner exhaust?
Also, when you replace the cables do you need to replace the ignition system too? And is there anywhere to buy these upgrades locally?
 
You don't need to change the ignition to change the plu wire. The basic premise is that the Chines wire is poor and is easily replaced by a better one. I use a 7MM cable from a High Capacity Discharge system I had from a VW project. I cut only one end as the spark plug end fit (standard plug) and then I screwed the other end into the ignition (CDI). The old cable just unscrews from the CDI. The is a brass screw which threads into the wire. I had more trouble finding a wire up here in good old Canada that was stranded copper than changing it. Everywhere I asked they only had resistor wires. I knew I had some decent VW wires around from my Beetle projects so I sacrificed one for my Omnipak.
 
More info - The idea of changing the plug is that the consensus is a lot of the stuff in these kits is cheap. Since the plug is an easy swap folks have been replacing them. I will be too as soon as I get out and pick one up. having a spare plug is always a good idea anyway for little 2 strokes.

Search the forums and you will see that people will replace clamps, gaskets, studs, screws cables and anything else they can 'beef up' to make the kit either more reliable or improve performance.
 
But what about them is cheap, I get that the wire might not be very conductive using cheaper metals or alloys, but if the spark plug makes a spark thats all it needs to do, right?. Are you saying that the spark the cheap plugs make misfires?

And jvirginillo, I get that they improve preformance; I would really like to know what about performance they improve. I know they cant improve your redline so for most kits they wont improve top speed (assuming the top speed is limited by the gear ratio). I just want to know from someone who has done the upgrade, how it changes the characteristics SPECIFICALLY, and how noticeable those changes are.

Thanks for replying
 
OK from my point of view only -

Replacing the wire I noticed better idle and low end. From my experience that means the plug wire is not delivering the full charge to the plug. I can't say for certain how big an effect since I usually take an hour and fix mutliple things or change items. Os my strategy isn't very scientific.

Why would I put a better flowing air filter on the carb from a Pocket Bike carb? Becuase I believe the so-called filter on the crappy carb isn't filtering much. I am sure plenty of air was getting in but what else was getting in was my concern. So to maintina the same amount of air flow but also ad filtering I went with a K&N type filter.

Why did I change my clutch cable? the old one was not very durable and I wanted to make sure I could take a 20 mile drive and not walk home.

I am not sure I have the answer to what plug will give you more top end. Like any engine, little improvements can add up to a lot.

For me this is a hobby and an inexpensive one at that. My first build is mostly expirementation. I have a 2nd motor sitting in a box waiting to go when i feel i have all the right pieces I want and am happy. I will probably do some more modding to the ports and see what others are doing. I am not looking for top end, I want quick and reliable. So I am using the first build to learn.

All i can say it's lots of fun and lots cheaper than hot rodding a car. I am 47 years old and feel like a kid again.
 
Yes, the crappy plug can cause misfires at the top end. The crappy materials make for crappy conductivity and thus you get less voltage to the plug and thus a weaker spark.

When I changed my plug and wire out it seemed that the motor had a bit easier time revving up, and it didn't seem to bog down as much in the mid-rpm area.

Hope that helps.
 
OK just for the record, there are 13 strands of wire in my plug cable and extremely thin at that. My big beefy plug 7 mm wire has probably got as many strands but not thin strand of hair like this.
 
hiker472 said:
Not with heat tape as first guessed, but regular screen? Because? This will limit airflow into the sides of the engine, thus keeping the engines ability to stay warm in freezing temps? This makes sense to me.
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Exactly. I used to wrap the cylinders of my model airplane engines with foil, then poke a bunch of holes in it. I think screen would work better on a bigger engine.
 
jvirginillo said:
OK from my point of view only -

Replacing the wire I noticed better idle and low end. From my experience that means the plug wire is not delivering the full charge to the plug. I can't say for certain how big an effect since I usually take an hour and fix mutliple things or change items. Os my strategy isn't very scientific.

Why would I put a better flowing air filter on the carb from a Pocket Bike carb? Becuase I believe the so-called filter on the crappy carb isn't filtering much. I am sure plenty of air was getting in but what else was getting in was my concern. So to maintina the same amount of air flow but also ad filtering I went with a K&N type filter.

Why did I change my clutch cable? the old one was not very durable and I wanted to make sure I could take a 20 mile drive and not walk home.

I am not sure I have the answer to what plug will give you more top end. Like any engine, little improvements can add up to a lot.

For me this is a hobby and an inexpensive one at that. My first build is mostly expirementation. I have a 2nd motor sitting in a box waiting to go when i feel i have all the right pieces I want and am happy. I will probably do some more modding to the ports and see what others are doing. I am not looking for top end, I want quick and reliable. So I am using the first build to learn.

All i can say it's lots of fun and lots cheaper than hot rodding a car. I am 47 years old and feel like a kid again.
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I agree with everything you said, except that I'm 47 and I never grew up.
 
The coolest thing about all this is my wife, who is the coolest lady on earth BTW, was all set to by me a beach cruiser for Christmas but she said it was probably a personal choice as to what kind I wanted. I told her I might just be ready for a cruiser next year as I am still learning on the donor bike. Even she can see that this hobby has me by the teeth.

Again a big shout out to all of the contributors here.

You guys are great and although my bike is sort of 'parked' right now because of winter (and I don't need any 'wimp' comments from my fellow Canadians in Alberta) I am spending the dark winter days getting educated reading the forum info.
 
If you want a graphic display, use an Ohm meter and check the resistance on the stock wire and a good non-resistor type wire and cap.

A good wire/cap/plug will get you easier starting, better fuel mileage, higher top speed and better throttle response.

The use of all non-resistor type components will net the most gain, but will really annoy the neighbors who are trying to watch T.V.
 
Bikeguy Joe said:
If you want a graphic display, use an Ohm meter and check the resistance on the stock wire and a good non-resistor type wire and cap.

A good wire/cap/plug will get you easier starting, better fuel mileage, higher top speed and better throttle response.

The use of all non-resistor type components will net the most gain, but will really annoy the neighbors who are trying to watch T.V.
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Im not sure if you joking or not with that last part, Are you saying the ignition makes a lot of the engine noise?
 
Prasinos said:
Im not sure if you joking or not with that last part, Are you saying the ignition makes a lot of the engine noise?
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No. Non-resistor type plug wires emit a lot of interference. You know how back in the day you'd start up your vacuum and your tv would go all fuzzy? Same deal.
 
So are you saying that normal wires have resistors in them? And where would I get these non resistor wires?

Thanks alot for all the help Jason.
 
Jason almost every engine manufactured today comes with resistor plugs and wires to avoid this emission of electrical noise. I think it was a requirement plus it did a world of good for the AM radio in the car not to have that crackling from the ignition.

If you go to a high performance car parts place which I think the USA has more than enough of I'm sure you should be able to locate a solid core plug wire.

If you look at a typical care plug wire you will see it is not wire at all but carbon impregnated conductor. It reminds me of a fireworks fuse.

I had some trouble here in vancouver locating a wire but was lucky enough to already have one. I know an old VW beetle coil to distributor wire will work and I beleive they were wire core. So if you have a VW shop around they might even give you a used one. it will likely be better than what is on there now. I think the VW plugs will work too but don't quote me on that one better to stick with the recommendations in the forum.
 
I've noticed that the standard change for the plug wire is 7mm. Also, understanding that an 8mm is larger, my question is, will it work?
 
yes, 8mm works. You just have to "shave" a little off the outer rubber to get it to go into the hole. No biggie though.
 
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