Hi James, thanks for modifying my ngk spark plug caps, removing resistors & fitting silicone ht leads. Not wishful thinking, actually bike is much more responsive & smoother in running no doubt due to a better spark & less resistance. As always you are a star many thanks Len 👍
@@lenhartley8904 You’re welcome, Len. I enjoyed modifying them. I too found the bike ‘different’ after this mod….a subtle but noticeable difference when accompanied by iridium plugs
A bit late commenting on this video but have only just seen it . Surely the comment that carbon HT leads have LESS resistance than copper is backwards . When fitting carbon leads you do not need supressed plug caps . This is an FAQ answer on Boyers website ( systems I have used many times ) What HT leads do i need to use with Boyer Bransden ignition system? For all our motorcycle ignition systems, copper wire leads with 5000 Ohm suppressed plug cap is our preferred method, although the MK4 systems can be used without any suppression on the H.T. leads if required. When using Suppressed spark plugs, non-supressed caps are recommended. We don't recommend carbon core HT leads because the resistance of the core will vary with the length used and can increase greatly with vibration and age. Although this increasing resistance should not damage an ignition unit, the ignition coil will work at higher voltage and the spark at the plug will become progressively weaker as the core degrades. All Micro Power kits are supplied with copper core HT lead. Phil
Never too late…lol. I’ve used both carbon-fibre and copper-cored cable but am tending to use copper more. Copper-cored silicone leads are nice and flexible and I have heard people at their carbon-fibre leads degraded. I must say though, I’ve put them on loads of bikes without any problems but, yes, I reckon copper-cored…. These days, just about all spark plugs have a built-in resistor so the resistor in the HT caps isn’t needed…hence my bypassing them
Some years ago I had an ignition problem on a Honda K4 250 twin where the engine would start ok but not accelerate cleanly midrange and unable to hold decent speed above midrange revs . So I replaced the plugs and leads after a timing check . I removed the coils after no change , or not much improvement anyway , to find out what I needed to replace the coils . The coil mounting bolts were found to be corroded up , so I wire brushed the powder like corrosion off the bolts and cleaned the frame threads . With nought to loose I thought I would remount the coil pack and give it a go . Fantastic ! The bike went better than it ever had ! So I now always include cleaning the coil earthing areas as part of a six month service . Using improv ed plugs and leads like James has done is a good idea , but remember that a used bike may have hidden older connections that need to be cleaned and kept clean to allow the new bis to work optimally . Thanks for the videos James
Good video james,i put iridium plugs in,my biggest gripe is the rev limiter,no bike i ever had had a rev limiter,but this one you overtake and next thing the bike is slowing down right when you dont want it to
It’s two individual, single fire coils……2.2 ohms. There is no ‘wasted spark’ in the ignition system and each coil fires individually at the correct time
Hi James,Did the same mod on my gt650 to the Plug Caps,Did it 2 years ago without any problems,My only concern at the time would it interfere with the ECU BUT NO PROBS AFTER 13,000 MLS..........
A couple of comments on your ignition video: NGK offers a kit with the iridium plugs and upgraded ignition wires for the 650, the plug wires are red. Is there a reason you didn't use the kit? NGK offers spark plug caps without resistors, if you could buy them that way and save some effort. Any reason why you didn't use them?
I really didn’t fancy red HT leads, tbh. also, I think it’s less expensive. Plus I’ve always done it this way and know that it works well. Does the kit you mentioned include ht caps without resistors then? And are the ht leads silicone with carbon-fibre cores? In what way are they upgraded?
I agree about the red colour & decided not to get the kit because of the red & got Iridium spark plugs instead & was going to get leads later.Should be able to find kit on line or eBay just type in NGK spark plug leads for Interceptor & should come up somewhere. All these ideas & videos you do are helping alot of people James. Making your own leads you can choose thickness,current,colour to suit you & your bike as the RE one's are made to a budget.
Well, my theory is that an ignition lead/plug needs 5k ohms resistance to stop interference with tv and radio. But just about all modern spark plugs have a built-in resistor of 5k ohms, hence the R in the spark plug code. So the same resistor in the plug caps themselves isn’t really necessary and just doubles up the resistance on each lead unnecessarily. I think that by removing the resistor from the HT caps, there should be more oomph going to the plug which should result in a better spark.
Hi James, thanks for modifying my ngk spark plug caps, removing resistors & fitting silicone ht leads. Not wishful thinking, actually bike is much more responsive & smoother in running no doubt due to a better spark & less resistance. As always you are a star many thanks Len 👍
@@lenhartley8904 You’re welcome, Len. I enjoyed modifying them. I too found the bike ‘different’ after this mod….a subtle but noticeable difference when accompanied by iridium plugs
A bit late commenting on this video but have only just seen it . Surely the comment that carbon HT leads have LESS resistance than copper is backwards . When fitting carbon leads you do not need supressed plug caps . This is an FAQ answer on Boyers website ( systems I have used many times )
What HT leads do i need to use with Boyer Bransden ignition system?
For all our motorcycle ignition systems, copper wire leads with 5000 Ohm suppressed plug cap is our preferred method, although the MK4 systems can be used without any suppression on the H.T. leads if required. When using Suppressed spark plugs, non-supressed caps are recommended. We don't recommend carbon core HT leads because the resistance of the core will vary with the length used and can increase greatly with vibration and age. Although this increasing resistance should not damage an ignition unit, the ignition coil will work at higher voltage and the spark at the plug will become progressively weaker as the core degrades. All Micro Power kits are supplied with copper core HT lead.
Phil
Never too late…lol. I’ve used both carbon-fibre and copper-cored cable but am tending to use copper more. Copper-cored silicone leads are nice and flexible and I have heard people at their carbon-fibre leads degraded. I must say though, I’ve put them on loads of bikes without any problems but, yes, I reckon copper-cored….
These days, just about all spark plugs have a built-in resistor so the resistor in the HT caps isn’t needed…hence my bypassing them
Some years ago I had an ignition problem on a Honda K4 250 twin where the engine would start ok but not accelerate cleanly midrange and unable to hold decent speed above midrange revs . So I replaced the plugs and leads after a timing check . I removed the coils after no change , or not much improvement anyway , to find out what I needed to replace the coils . The coil mounting bolts were found to be corroded up , so I wire brushed the powder like corrosion off the bolts and cleaned the frame threads . With nought to loose I thought I would remount the coil pack and give it a go . Fantastic ! The bike went better than it ever had ! So I now always include cleaning the coil earthing areas as part of a six month service .
Using improv ed plugs and leads like James has done is a good idea , but remember that a used bike may have hidden older connections that need to be cleaned and kept clean to allow the new bis to work optimally .
Thanks for the videos James
All very good points, thank you! I’m pleased you like the videos, unprofessional as they are….😀
I ordered mine from halfords, cheapest and delivered free, absolutely game changing, 🙂🏍👍🇬🇧
Cheers James, appreciate the effort. Ride safe
You too!
Good video james,i put iridium plugs in,my biggest gripe is the rev limiter,no bike i ever had had a rev limiter,but this one you overtake and next thing the bike is slowing down right when you dont want it to
I think an engine limiter is to stop people blowing up the engine! Tbh, I wasn’t aware the bike has one…….
Chinese copy or just cheap online , I trust my dealer.
Bought from a reputable source, I doubt very much they are Chinese copies, in fact
is the ignition coil on the interceptor dual fire or single fire?
It’s two individual, single fire coils……2.2 ohms. There is no ‘wasted spark’ in the ignition system and each coil fires individually at the correct time
copper rod is what i used
Yes, that’s a good idea
Hi James,Did the same mod on my gt650 to the Plug Caps,Did it 2 years ago without any problems,My only concern at the time would it interfere with the ECU BUT NO PROBS AFTER 13,000 MLS..........
Thanks! That’s good to know….
An additional comment, NGK offers 60 degree plug caps would those work better?
I suspect not. The ones I got are bang on, tbh
A couple of comments on your ignition video:
NGK offers a kit with the iridium plugs and upgraded ignition wires for the 650, the plug wires are red. Is there a reason you didn't use the kit?
NGK offers spark plug caps without resistors, if you could buy them that way and save some effort. Any reason why you didn't use them?
That kit is good.
I really didn’t fancy red HT leads, tbh. also, I think it’s less expensive. Plus I’ve always done it this way and know that it works well. Does the kit you mentioned include ht caps without resistors then? And are the ht leads silicone with carbon-fibre cores? In what way are they upgraded?
I agree about the red colour & decided not to get the kit because of the red & got Iridium spark plugs instead & was going to get leads later.Should be able to find kit on line or eBay just type in NGK spark plug leads for Interceptor & should come up somewhere.
All these ideas & videos you do are helping alot of people James.
Making your own leads you can choose thickness,current,colour to suit you & your bike as the RE one's are made to a budget.
@@ruahinesrider and better to buy silicone leads with carbon fibre core. I doubt the ones in the kit are like that…
Did you do a meter resistance check before and after?
Yes, I did, albeit with a cheapo multimeter. I’ll do again and-sit the readings….
G'day James, Can you educate me on what the advantage is of removing the resistor in the cap. Cheers GA
Well, my theory is that an ignition lead/plug needs 5k ohms resistance to stop interference with tv and radio. But just about all modern spark plugs have a built-in resistor of 5k ohms, hence the R in the spark plug code. So the same resistor in the plug caps themselves isn’t really necessary and just doubles up the resistance on each lead unnecessarily. I think that by removing the resistor from the HT caps, there should be more oomph going to the plug which should result in a better spark.
@@internetpolification thanks mate
@@gregarnott3856 You’re welcome….people might say it won’t make much difference but I think a total of 10k ohms resistance is just too much!