Saw running with plug wire off!?

[astnmacgto]

If it was arcing to the handle or somewhere else shouldn't I have felt a shock from it?

I can't say for sure, It might have grounded to the saw or grounded through you, still doesn't explain the kill switch thing, it's trippy

 

[IyaMan]

If it was arcing to the handle or somewhere else shouldn't I have felt a shock from it?

If it was arcing, this is usually only possible with the power switched on. When you kill the power, this interrupts the positive electric flow. In order to arc, there needs to be a positive charge coming from somewhere.

If it turned off when the power was cut, this suggests that it was not a detonation/pre-ignition situation (for this there needs to be no electric charge or spark from the plug since combustion is caused here by cylinder heat).

And since it was OK with chain oil, there was no engine mod, and it now otherwise runs OK, I'd say it was most likely arcing somehow to the plug, and you need not worry too much. Just be sure to secure the plug better, especially if running with no top cover like that.

 

[Odog]

If it was arcing, this is usually only possible with the power switched on. When you kill the power, this interrupts the positive electric flow. In order to arc, there needs to be a positive charge coming from somewhere.

If it turned off when the power was cut, this suggests that it was not a detonation/pre-ignition situation (for this there needs to be no electric charge or spark from the plug since combustion is caused here by cylinder heat).

And since it was OK with chain oil, there was no engine mod, and it now otherwise runs OK, I'd say it was most likely arcing somehow to the plug, and you need not worry too much. Just be sure to secure the plug better, especially if running with no top cover like that.

I agree, if the top cover is on, the plug will be secured better. I can use the part of the cover that goes over the plug, and leave off the air cleaner cover, which I guess I should be doing.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Odog. Did you have any more video of the saw running, that shows as you switched the saw off?
we'd want to see the trigger and switch area while it's done.
helps to see what might be moved or shifted.
You just never know what someone on here might notice!

I'm in the camp with "the hot spot in the saw" theory, But....
Are you working in an area that would be OK to run the saw after dark?
No neighbors to bother, noise rules, etc.
I'm just curious to see if and where any sparking is visible.

There was an interesting case with push mower brought in to the shop where I worked.
It would run with the plug wire off (but with the boot just touching the spark plug tip).
But then if you put the wire on, properly, it wouldn't crank.
Turned out to be a "dry" soot fouled plug (four cycle engine).
hmm... What was happening was the extra gap (ONLY about 3/4") was working as a "booster gap" and would let the spark jump the plug gap.
But when the boot was properly placed on the plug top, the spark was bled off through the carbon deposits.
I found it Interesting how that gap gives an Inertial effect to the electricity!

But I, seriously, do not expect that we have a booster gap situation with your saw though.

Sorry that I couldn't find a better explanation link about a booster gap. This is just about spark plugs with it built in.
http://firetrucksandequipment.tpub.com/TM-5-4210-230-14P-1/css/TM-5-4210-230-14P-1_615.h

And here is a link with some explanations of heat range and how heat travels through the spark plug.
It also tells what the different heat range numbers have to do with your engine.
( hint.... Self cleaning/less fouling of the spark plug is the main thing )
http://www.briskusa.com/spark_plug_cross_reference_heat_range_chart

 

[Boomer 87]

I uses to do that from time to time on my old yamaha blaster if the plug was fouling id pull the wire up off alittle to make a gap. Bc the coil will ramp up kv to try to make it to ground, it would in turn spark heavier and sometimes it would work just enough to get me home.

 

[Odog]

That's the only video I have. When it happened all I could think of was, holy crap I gotta video this thing running with no plug wire because nobody will believe it!
I should be able to run it after dark when I get home tonight, I'll try to recreate it and get a video and see what's going on

 

[bikemike]

That's saw was meant time run like a champ. That's all there is to it if it has fuel your just gunna have to suck it up and run it. you say work, your saw says ok let's do it. you say break time , your saws says let's go till I need a drink lol

 

[Odog]

That's saw was meant time run like a champ. That's all there is to it if it has fuel your just gunna have to suck it up and run it. you say work, your saw says ok let's do it. you say break time , your saws says let's go till I need a drink lol

Oh yeah this saw loves to eat, and sometimes I do think it has a mind of its own! It's been my favorite for a long time, I love to run it.

 

[Philbert]

Why fix it? Think of the money you will save on spark plugs!

Philbert

 

[giver]

I remember way back, when we would have an engine that was running poorly, usually dirty points, and if you yanked off the plug wire to shut the engine down, and if the wire was still close enough to the plug tip, it would keep running.
You could see it arc, and the engine would actually run better!

When they jump spark like that it gets stronger some how and if something is flooded it will burn the gas better if you jump the spark. I worked at a Honda motorcycle dealer for about 6 years, when the efi atv's came out we would jump the spark if the got flooded and they would start right up, if you pushed it back on they would stall I don't know why it worked but it did haha.

 

[ironman_gq]

Are you running it with the top cover off? That will make the saw run very hot! The top cover acts as an air duct for the flywheel fan to blow cooling air over the cylinder fins, without it you don't have any airflow over the fins and the engine will run hot.

 

[Odog]

Yeah I was running it with the cover off. The 2101 has 2 piece top cover, and I usually run it with the cylinder cover on, but I had it off Saturday for some reason. The air cleaner cover stays off for obvious reasons

 

[Odog]

Just got home from work and I have make my little girl dinner and help with math homework before bed so I'm not going to be able to try and recreate the plug wire fiasco tonight. Sorry fellas, maybe tomorrow will be an earlier night

 

[naturelover]

Ouch, I'd take a peek down the plug hole at the cylinder walls to see if is toasted, without that cover, bet that saw was quite warm.


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[formersawrep]

The top cover being off should make it run hotter. You are just relying on air dissipation, whereas with the cover on the flywheel will push air past the cylinder.
I saw this on a LawnBoy mower once (2 cycle). Part of the air baffle was left off and it got hot enough to seize.
"Yeah I was running it with the cover off. The 2101 has 2 piece top cover, and I usually run it with the cylinder cover on, but I had it off Saturday for some reason."
IF that was the first time you ran it without the cover AND the first time it ran with the plug wire off, it would seem that you found the problem - excessive heat.

 

[Odog]

Not the first time I've run with the cover off but it is the first time I've had the plug wire come off. I pulled it apart and there's no scoring on the piston so I've got that going for me

 

[Philbert]

Using a hot coal instead of a spark plug is probably how the cave men did it.

Just curious (and not trying to be offensive), but would this allow the Amish to use chainsaws?

Philbert

 

[Odog]

Using a hot coal instead of a spark plug is probably how the cave men did it.

Just curious (and not trying to be offensive), but would this allow the Amish to use chainsaws?

Philbert

Hahahahahahaha
Technically it would eliminate the electrical aspects of, so maybe the Amish could use it...

 

[n240sxguy]

Amish can use a gas engine, at least the ones I've dealt with can. I had some roofing work done several years back. They had a drywall guy that drove them around since they can't drive cars, for what ever reason. They wheeled out a twin cylinder gas air compressor to run their nail guns. They put in a ridge vent, and used a chainsaw to cut the roof for the vent.


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[giver]

Amish can use a gas engine, at least the ones I've dealt with can. I had some roofing work done several years back. They had a drywall guy that drove them around since they can't drive cars, for what ever reason. They wheeled out a twin cylinder gas air compressor to run their nail guns. They put in a ridge vent, and used a chainsaw to cut the roof for the vent.


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I'm more surprised about the air nailers than a saw.