little sparks coming off of the spark plug wires

[andrewb2332]

So I have been working on my 85 for a little bit now and got it running, it runs really rough though, so I've been constantly cleaning carbs and adjusting stuff but still nothing is working. Then yesterday when I was working on it I noticed little sparks coming off the spark plug wires jumping to the motor, this definitely isn't right I am beginning to think this could be the problem. What can I do to fix this.

 

[alorio1]

Some auto parts store have the solid copper core wire in stock, but I can't remember if the size is 7 or 8mm wire. I would first remove the old wires and snip off about 1/4" on each end of plug wire. The wires actually screw into a lug on the spark plug cap and the coils. The front 2 coils are very hard to get at and actually screw the wires in on the lugs. Look for green corrosion on the ends of each wire, that's usually a sign of a bad connection. I would do this to all the plug caps and rear coils first before attacking the front coil connections, since they are the hardest to do.

 

[dannymax]

Sounds like the insulation around the wire core is cracked letting spark jump all over....and will definitely cause rough running. I'd replace the wires and take the plug caps apart to clean out any corrosion on the internal parts.

Here's an XJ Maxim cap, the VMax are the same config.

 

[Dragmaxster]

So I have been working on my 85 for a little bit now and got it running, it runs really rough though, so I've been constantly cleaning carbs and adjusting stuff but still nothing is working. Then yesterday when I was working on it I noticed little sparks coming off the spark plug wires jumping to the motor, this definitely isn't right I am beginning to think this could be the problem. What can I do to fix this.

Think about doing the cops- i did mine for less than $25 and the performance really picks up. You can tell the difference immediately.

 

[Bill Seward]

I second that suggestion. I replaced my coils with COPS, and never regretted it for a minute. You can buy the parts to wire up a homemade set for about 25 bucks, as did. As the front coils are a real pain to take off, I clipped the wires off them to use in the new harnesses, and left them in there.

 

[jfeagins]

Take your OEM out of the plug boots, and out of the coils. Inspect the wires while you have them off for any cracks or holes. If they are OK, snip off a 1/8" inch, or so, to where you have new, shiny copper wire showing. Reconnect them into the boots & coils for a good, solid fit. If the problem persists, check your voltage with the bike idling. If your charging system is dipping much below 12.75V at idle, it could be that your CDI box is having issues with low voltage and is malfunctioning. Don't ask me why it would cause errant spark to jump out of perfectly good wiring, but it does. I chased this same problem for over two f'ing years before finding this forum and Sean Morley. I nearly sold my bike because of it. After I fixed my low voltage problems, my CDI began working flawlessly once again, and I didn't have to sell my Vmax.