Zzzzzap!!! Ouch, Dammit!

[Jeepin_Jeff]

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this (NO) but -- Should you get shocked when touching the spark plug wires, not the spark plug (doh!), when turning the engine over or when running? It also happens when the plug is removed from the cylinder but still in the plug cap. (It takes me quite a while to learn my lesson) If the answer is yes, then please forgive my ignorance. But, If the answer is indeed NO, then what the hell is making this happen? It happens on both the #2 and #3 cylinder, but not #1 or #4. There are no obvious breaks/cracks in the plug wires.

Damn that smarts!

Thanks!

Jeff

[doctorgonzo]

It means the wire is bad. It's how I knew mine were. Examine it closely, bending it and looking for cracks. I bet you find some.

[bwringer]

Turn the lights out and run the engine. Bet it's a really cool light show...

You can also spritz a little water on the wires and see if they start arcing and popping.



But yeah, the wires and/or plug caps are bad.

[TheCafeKid]

Turn the lights out and run the engine. Bet it's a really cool light show...

You can also spritz a little water on the wires and see if they start arcing and popping.



But yeah, the wires and/or plug caps are bad.

'
Like a ball of tin foil in the micro? Sweeeeet.

Yup, plug wires are crapola. Unfortunately, if you still have stock coils, this MAY pose a problem. Ive never run into it yet, fortunately for me, but the wires are kinda part of the coil. Ive read some people have pried them out, then put new wires in and siliconed them, but the BEST thing IMO is to replace the coils with new Dyna coils (or similar) and that way you can always change just the wires from now on, as they use the same set up that a car does from the coil to the distributor (or the coil to the plug in this case)

[rapidray]

Time for mid 90s GSXR or Katana coils & wires! Ray.

[psyguy]

the answer is actually YES

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this (NO) but -- Should you get shocked when touching the spark plug wires,

if the wires are shot, that is

[Zooks]

Should you get shocked when touching the spark plug wires, not the spark plug (doh!), when turning the engine over or when running?

You shouldn't, but it's pretty common. I don't think I've ever had a vehicle that didn't zap me. You've got to remember electricity always wants to go to earth and you're a direct link. Sometimes they are fine like that for quite a while.
They will get worse over time though (obviously) and will eventually start shorting on other things (the 'light show' effect as mentioned above) if they're not already.

[Ed Vrolijk]

Enjoy it while you can! Ask someone, your boss or your wife to help you.
(Could you hold that wire please.........)

Ed