Topic: How much spark should I be getting?

[snipcod]

I was giving a SL350 a week ago.  The bike ran when the guy parked it in his garage 5 years ago or so.  So I figure sense my 550 is still along ways from being done I would try and get the SL350 to run.  Anyways I just got done cleaning and rebuilding the carbs.  Very clean and very nice I must say.  I reinstalled the carbs and was getting no gas to flow though the gas lines.  Think I solved the problem by sucking some gas through (um tasty).  The bike wont start so I checked the spark.  Which is where my question comes in.  When I use the kick start I can sometimes feel a small zap in my finger.  I cant however ever see a arc if I look at the plug.  I've worked on cars but never a bike.  Should I be able to see a spark with a kick start?  The bike is a kick start only and is starting to ware my ass out.  Also can I jump start my SL350?  I really don't wanna buy a battery until I know it will start.

[Markcb750]

If the battery is dead it will not start because there is no power to the coils.

What is the voltage at the battery.

[snipcod]

If the battery is dead it will not start because there is no power to the coils.

What is the voltage at the battery.

The battery is very much dead.  I was using my jetski battery with jumper cables just to get power to the bike.  Would I get enough power doing it that way or do I need a battery in the bike with out a jumper.  The volts at the battery I was using for the jump were around 10 or 11

[Markcb750]

Is the bad battery completely disconnected?

If it is disconnected 11 volts should get some visible spark, I would check the points, wires, and fuses.


***yes it should jump start if the original battery is not shorted

[snipcod]

Is the bad battery completely disconnected?

If it is disconnected 11 volts should get some visible spark, I would check the points, wires, and fuses.

No I left old bat on.  Ill take it off next time I try and see

[mystic_1]

Yeah if the old battery is totally pooched I'd take it out of the equation.  As Mark says it may be shorted internally.

You should get a nice fat blue visible spark when everything's working properly.

mystic_1

[snipcod]

Yeah if the old battery is totally pooched I'd take it out of the equation.  As Mark says it may be shorted internally.

You should get a nice fat blue visible spark when everything's working properly.

mystic_1

Ya I figured that was the case.  Just have never worked on anything with a kickstart only (oh the fun).  Well when the snow melts Ill let you guys know how it goes