Free Spark Tester!

[CATransplant]

There's no need to pay good money for a spark tester for your outboard ignition. Just do what I do:

Note: This tester is for one-time use only, in most cases. In my case, I've managed to get it to work more than once, though.

What I do is call my moron brother-in-law and have him come over for a beer. Then, I pull the spark plug wire in question off the plug and have him put his pinkie finger in it and pull the rope. He immediately lets me know if I have spark in that wire.

You'll want to send the small children indoors before using this tester.

 

[DianneB]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

In high school I knew a boy who would put one hand on the engine block and then touch each spark plug lead in turn and let you know if each was dead, weak, normal or hot.

Of course he was a bit "brain-damaged" before he started ignition analysis.

I think he gave it up with the advent of capacitive-discharge ignition

 

[gstanton]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

Does it have to be a BIL or would a real brother work? Wife, daughter? I see years of testing coming up.

Especially since brother would forget after a couple of years, and be available again.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

I just had a flash back to an old Honda Motorcycle with CDI ignition.

If holding the plug wire in one hand, dont wrap your other hand around the handlebar grip and press the start button with your thumb......

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

I have an ex wife, I'd like to volunteer her efforts!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

I have twin brothers in law. Should be good for a 2 cylinder !!!!

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

I had a high school buddy who was leaning over a old Briggs-Stratton motor and was holding the throttle wide open and adjusting the mixture when his St. Christophers medal and chain popped out of his shirt and touched the bare terminal on top of the spark plug.

After I assured him he was still alive I told him there were some advantages to being a Baptist. He was almost ready to convert

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

You might get more than that. Have each one put their pinkies into two plug caps. If there's spark on both, both arms will jerk. Then, you can get the other brother-in-law to do it the next time. With luck, they'll have forgotten by the time you need another spark test.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

You might get more than that. Have each one put their pinkies into two plug caps. If there's spark on both, both arms will jerk. Then, you can get the other brother-in-law to do it the next time. With luck, they'll have forgotten by the time you need another spark test.

So they could both help out with my V4 looper then !!!

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

had a neighbor fiddling on his force 125... it was running at fast idle with the cover off. He gets the bright idea to walk around the back of the boat, and accidently puts a wet hand on a spark plug terminal.


I can tell you one thing that happens when you are standing in waist deep water, grounded by your ..., and grab onto a spark plug wire. He learned to speak at least 3 different languages in .03 seconds!

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

So they could both help out with my V4 looper then !!!

A capital idea, for sure...

 

[Steve A W]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

I had two Nephews with me at an engine show one time that tried to
out do each other.
Checked three or four motors before they gave up !

 

[Georooney]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

My wife came in one day from mowing the lawn (I was busy adjusting the TV dials.....don't remember what game was on); says she can't shut the mower off because the thingie that she's supposed to push against the spark plug broke off. Being the helpful sort, I advised her to just pull the wire off the spark plug. Thinking back, maybe I should have said something about not touching the bare part on the end, or wear a glove.

Anyway, she's now my ex..................

 

[coolguy147]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

im checking the spark on my little 10hp and i heard you could pull a spark wire off and see if the engine would drop rpms. i pulled the spark plug wire off with my bare hand. welll lets just say it did not feel could and i could not leg go. by the way i was standing in waist deep water too.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

LAUGHING OUT LOUD REALLY HARD.

When I was a kid I bought a homemade mini bike from another kid.

It was a b/s mounted on a schwinn stringray frame. A v-belt went
from the engine pulley to a homemade pulley on the rear tire. Direct
drive, no centrifigual clutch, no brakes. When you leaned into a turn
your knee would contact the spark plug.

After I crashed into the front steps going as fast as it would go my
mom made me sell it to some other unfortunate kid.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

O.K.... So I have finally stopped laughing at the posts and am able to relate to the experience.

I was at my aunt and uncles with my folks when I was about five, my cousin richard was working on a push mower with a briggs and stratten engine and I asked if I could help.

Sure,he says and removes th spark plug and says hold it against the engin and see if here is any spark(you can see where this is going)

He gives the rope a powerfull pull,(with out the plug in it turned quite readily and fast) and I screamed like a girl !!!

when I stopped screaming he asked did I see a spark I answered no. So he says lets try it again.

I remember my uncle walking in to the garage just before rich pulled the rope a second time

I don't know if Rich got in trouble for it or not but I remember my uncle waking me up and helping me get to my feet...

 

[180shabah]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

Just me and MIL this weekend, maybe it is tune-up time.....

 

[omcdolt]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

Ive found similar use of this form of tester...
During several attempts to start an old mower, my fiancee whilst sunbathing in her bikini on the lawn with a cool drink, insisted on telling me how to proceed with it. After doing the common sense mechanical check overs she continued to insist i try things her way. So i gave in. I tried every single suggestion she made. To no avail... Finally she bashfully retreated to the lawn chair. I knew it wouldnt last. Soon she began to make hairbrained suggestions she was obviously just plucking out of thin air. I snapped. She asked if there was sumn she could do to help me, as i played with the plug wires for the umpteenth time. I slid the plug into the wire and said YEAH actually, grab this metal part here, and hold the mower down while i pull the starter rope... :-D

 

[slia67]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

Just me and MIL this weekend, maybe it is tune-up time.....

Hilarious!!!

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Free Spark Tester!

And I thought I was the only one it happened to! Years ago, I had a 1971 Arctic Cat Panther that would mysteriously drop a cylinder every now and then due to a bad coil. I was told that if you pull the boot off the plug and hold it over, you would increase the gap, thus forcing a bigger spark. Works great when it's 10 below zero and you're stuck miles from home. I'd get zapped a few times, but remember it was a weak coil. Finally one day, my neighbor comes over and says put this in there - a full size automotive coil. Sled runs great for a while, starts bogging again. I reach up and pull the other plug boot off. Take off across the field, next thing I know, I'm on my back in the snow, sled about 100 yards in front of me idling. Let me assure you, there was NOTHING wrong with that coil!