Timing gun motorcycle specific?

[zangetsu]

Sorry for the newb question, but is there a reason why my timing gun won't pick up the spark on my motorcycle? I'm having trouble with my '79 GS1000 that I figured were coil related (#3 only wasn't firing). I picked up a set of Bandit 1200 coils and only installed the 2-3 coil.

This seemed to fix my problem because the bike (finally) started right up, but I think the timing is a bit off. My gun lights up off the 1-4 stock coil, but when I hook it up to the 2-3 coil it doesn't light at all. I did notice that the Bandit ignition wires were a bit thinner than the stock GS wires - does that have something to do with it?

Thanks for any help!

[KnuckleBuster]

The idea that the wires are different diameters bothers me a little. Did you try both wires coming off the new coil? Your timing light should pick up the current no matter what. Try moving the pick-up around on the plug wire.

[kurifu]

The guns work by picking up a slight magnetic field as it expands and collapses when the spark is sent down your HT wires. I highly doubt a little bit of extra diameter on the HT wires is going to make a considerable difference unless the spark is fairly weak or the gun is not working well.

Try using different places within the HT wires though, you may have found a break in the wires, and if the gun works when you move the clip (make sure you install it in the proper direction) replace your HT wires.

[KnuckleBuster]

The only reason I commented on the wire diameters is that if they are different, they will have different resistances - probably not much and probably not noticeable, but I'd rather have them all the same. Any diameter difference should not have any effect on the gun, however.

[kurifu]

Knucklebuster;

I see, I don't see any harm coming out of your current setup, but for the sake of getting a good spark I would change over to the higher quality stuff, the greater the wire thickness the less resistance.

Of course I change my bike over to a DynaS Ignition + Coils and HT wires, it made a huge difference in the operation of the bike.

[zangetsu]

The two different wires will be addressed, as soon as I can figure out why my timing gun doesn't work with the new wires. I'm actually thankful that I decided to only install one set of coils, otherwise I'd be going crazy thinking my gun was bad. As soon as I figure out how to set off the timing gun, I'm definately swapping on the newer-style coils.

I've moved the pick-up all over the wire - on the #3 it's not very long, so there's not much to go by. On my car, sometimes it works better the closer I am to the coil, but that doesn't seem to make a difference here.

kurifu,
I think you're reading me "backwards" - the wires that are thinner in diameter are the ones that don't read. The thicker wires are firing the timing light fine.

Here are some pics if that helps any:

http://amcforum.net/images/gs1000/100_3026n.jpg

http://amcforum.net/images/gs1000/100_3027n.jpg

I pulled both plugs and they're both getting spark, but my gun's still not working. I can't imagine it's the gun, it works on every car I have and even on that same bike on different wires.

Thanks for the help provided and any additional help in the future

[Killer2600]

Are the wires shorter than on the coil your timing light works on? If so then you problem is probably the fact that they are shorter and thinner.

[fgh]

I've seen this before but never really heard a good explanation. I guess I'm fortunate in that all my stuff now is electronic and not given me any problem in years. I would guess that the new wires may have some insulation that suppresses whatever it is that the light reads. Do both sets have solid copper conductors?