79 gs550 ignition problems

[craig49]

OK, I have a 79 550, it didn't run when I got it.
I put a dyna ds3 on it...and got it running (actually runs good. The problem is on the #1 cylinder, I have to pull the plug wire almost off to where it arcs...then it runs fine. When I put the wire on all the way it fails. I put new plug wires on it...same problem. Heres the weird thing,the coils seem to work backwards, when I put a test light on it...I have to reverse the wires, 2&3 lights when 1&4 are supposed to. If I hook them up the right way, 1&4 wont light at all. How can this happen?, the thing that has me confused is...I had this thing running for about 15 minutes and it seemed to be running great, after it warmed up I was able to push the #1 plug wire on all the way. Quite the head scratcher for me, maybe some out there can scratch my itch.

[Nessism]

Did you install new plugs? Do the new plug caps take plugs that have the threaded top piece installed on the plug, or do you have to remove it like the stock caps?

[craig49]

It had accel wires on it, I put the same type back on, the screw on caps stay on.
I still have the old plugs, when I pull the plug out and ground it...it won't spark... if I pull it away from the head a little bit it arcs like crazy.

[Nessism]

It had accel wires on it, I put the same type back on, the screw on caps stay on.
I still have the old plugs, when I pull the plug out and ground it...it won't spark... if I pull it away from the head a little bit it arcs like crazy.

Sounds like a bad plug.

[craig49]

Any Ideas on the ignition working backwards?

[chef1366]

You had it hooked up backwards? Either at the Dyna or the coil.

[Suzuki_Don]

It is definitely bad plugs. I had exactly the same symptoms on my 550. It is the varnish left on the plugs by the unleaded fuel. If you were riding the bike on the road on decent journeys then the varnish would burn off. But because you are doing a lot of start/stop with the motor then the varnish builds up and this is the reason why the plug will not spark when grounded to the head but will spark when the plug is lifted away from the head by 1/8" or so.

Exactly the symptoms I had to a "T". Try new plugs, but don't throw these ones away. You can use them later on when you get the motor running properly. The varnish will burn off when you take it on a decent run. Invest in a Megohm meter if you can find one. The best instrument for testing spark plugs.