Higher Spark Voltage...Good or Bad

[RagingMain]

Hope I dont start some kind of war here.:whistlin:

I have read up on the subject and there seems to be quite a bit of disagreement on whether or not a higher spark voltage is good or bad. :confused2:

Just wondering what the experts here have experienced.

Reason for asking is wanting to get better mileage. I commute 160 miles daily and run 87 octane. I am versed in Volts, milliamps, octane ratings, resistances, just about everything it takes to make a spark and burn the fuel.

Bike is stock except a Dyna 3000 ignition I replaced when my stock shit the bed.

Thanks in advance
Cheers:cheers:

 

[KJShover]

Hope I dont start some kind of war here.:whistlin:

I have read up on the subject and there seems to be quite a bit of disagreement on whether or not a higher spark voltage is good or bad. :confused2:
:cheers:

Not sure if this will help or not... I stole this :

When your engine is operating at low rpm, the required voltage may be only 4,000 to 10,000 volts. All ignitions are capable of producing this minimal output voltage under these load conditions. However, as the load increases on the engine, cylinder pressure likewise increases. As pressure increases, so must the voltage of the spark. Insufficient voltage may result in failure of the spark to jump the electrode gap, which leads to misfires, detonation and ultimately lack of power.

Engines typically operate with various air and fuel mixtures, depending on the engine load. If the mixture is not burned, it will simply be discharged out the tailpipe. Misfires, premature detonation and the washing of cylinder walls by unburned fuel are far more detrimental to the health of your engine than a complete burn. Having a hotter spark helps with a more complete burn, which equates to greater fuel economy and horsepower.

 

[RagingMain]

Thanks for the reply. I read that same thing and then there are others who say you can have too much voltage. Burn holes in pistons if the A/F mixture is off and whole mess of other things.
Thanks again.

 

[82ndCowboy]

Hope I dont start some kind of war here.:whistlin:

I have read up on the subject and there seems to be quite a bit of disagreement on whether or not a higher spark voltage is good or bad. :confused2:

Just wondering what the experts here have experienced.

Reason for asking is wanting to get better mileage. I commute 160 miles daily and run 87 octane. I am versed in Volts, milliamps, octane ratings, resistances, just about everything it takes to make a spark and burn the fuel.

Bike is stock except a Dyna 3000 ignition I replaced when my stock shit the bed.

Thanks in advance
Cheers:cheers:

DAYYAM! And I bitch about a 60 miles a day commute!
Oil company Execs should be buying you lunch.

 

[4gasem]

High compression or blown engines need a hotter/more intense spark or it will not light.

 

[forestdaledave]

Thanks for the reply. I read that same thing and then there are others who say you can have too much voltage. Burn holes in pistons if the A/F mixture is off and whole mess of other things.
Thanks again.

Burn holes in pistons is caused from to much advance in the ignition or preignition. Voltage at the plug gets complicated. One is really talking about potential voltage. You need enough to light the mixture. It is not a static thing. What is required is determined by A/F ratio and load. This is why resistence is designed into the secondary ignition system. Not for radio interference but to insure a miminum spark voltage. I have noticed that my MPG drop after 3-4K and I change good plugs for new. At my job we have ford V-10 trucks with coil on plug coils. Plugs go about 80K. The coils fire the plugs even with barely no electrods. About 80 thousand gap. That is some voltage! I suspect on a MAX the plugs would go almost forever with these coils.
Dave #3505

 

[copilot777]

I will find out . I agree with a better spark definately is a improvement . This is the option I am going with , Dyna coils heres a pic and they are smaller than the original and produce 35,000 volts .

 

[lankeeyankee]

Have you called MSD located in TX. They make the MSD M-1 which is a multi spark discharge ignition.
Or you can take the route that few car manufactures did run from 4cyl to 3cyl down to 2cyl to save on gas.
If you have that far of a commute rather than spending hundreds into a Muscle Bike to make it an econmy runner, just buy a Kawasaki 25o ninja or a 250CC scooter for commuting back and forth to work.
I cant see spending hundreds of dollars to maybe, as stated maybe get what 2-3 mpg increase?

 

[RagingMain]

Have you called MSD located in TX. They make the MSD M-1 which is a multi spark discharge ignition.
Or you can take the route that few car manufactures did run from 4cyl to 3cyl down to 2cyl to save on gas.
If you have that far of a commute rather than spending hundreds into a Muscle Bike to make it an econmy runner, just buy a Kawasaki 25o ninja or a 250CC scooter for commuting back and forth to work.
I cant see spending hundreds of dollars to maybe, as stated maybe get what 2-3 mpg increase?

Thanks Yankee, of course I wouldnt mind the increase in power as well but as always, more power usually means less mileage.
The commute was before the accident. My ex was living around 80 miles from my work and I was at her house a lot.
My commute is back down to 70 miles round trip and currently I am trying to dial in a new engine built by Sean.
I do like the idea of a multi spark ignition though. That is pretty cool
Cheers

 

[Rusty McNeil]

My opinion, and it's only that, Is that if the current setup you have isn't misfiring or fouling plugs then there isn't going to be any advantage to changing it.

To me the only reason for upgrading igntion (from TCI to the plugs) is if your setup won't maintain timing at high rpms or, falters at high rpm's, or your wanting other features like rev-limiter or different curves, or just want some cool looking stuff.

Ive changged everything on mine mostly just because I "wanted to", although I like my rev-limter and feel good knowing there's about 50kv under my ball sack ready to neuter me at the first insulation failure....:biglaugh:

no shit, these dynateks will throw a spark through 3.5" of free air,

If the mixture lights off at 25kv then raising the voltage isn't going to light it off any better, once it's lit, it's lit.

When I installed the dynatek coils, due to cracked stock ones, (which were still operating fine) I saw zero difference by seat of the pants in performance or economy