TOPIC:

Thanks well I checked and the caps looked good. I dont know if they are resistor types. I think not because I couldnt see how to screw them open.

The spark plugs are genuine from a local auto shop. 

Now tested for spark again through caps and spark plugs and yes. Im getting a spark on all cylinders. I was happy. But it is not firing the engine except for 1 cylinder like in the beginning ! 

Carbs have been completely rebuild and plugs are wet.

Timing: I dont think I can set timing on this ignition plus it was working perfect before the short. 

Im thinking of a weak spark ? Caused by the ignition coils ? Or spark plugs themselves ? But I cannot understand why it doesn't fire on the other cylinders when I am getting spark.

Compression but seems so unlikely since it started on the first click and ran perfect before. 

Or weak ground to the ignitor ? 

 

Check the fit of the boots to the plugs. NGK plugs have a removable top terminals. Not all boots require that top nut to be removed. Look inside the boot. If you see a thin ring of metal then you need the top terminal nut. If you see what looks like a disc with a small hole in the center you need to remove the top terminal nut. 

You can test the resistance of the cap by removing it from the plug wire and placing one probe of you meter on the spike and the other up into the boot were the plug goes. I think they should be around 5000 ohms. 

You're right. They have a small conical disc with a hole in it. Guessing it needs the cap. I'll see if I can find it somewhere in the shed. 

Also they are resistor caps. They all check out between 4400 and 4800 ohm resistance. I also have resistor spark plugs in it. NGK br8es spark plugs. Maybe non resistor spark plugs would be better.

Yes replace the plugs with non resistor B8eS

You might be ok with the cap and removing the terminal nut. See photo this type needs the top terminal removed. If you put the top terminal back on and the plug cap will not go on then you know. But a cap that need the top terminal nut will go on a plug with or without. The extra gap between a plug with the nut removed and a cap that requires the nut might add to your spark issue. Hope I’m explaining it correctly. 

 

Yup got it, thanks. It makes sense and honestly I have never used the caps on any plug and they fitted so that means I always needed them on. Will go buy today or tomorrow !

wrote:

...So I checked spark with the plug wires with a path to a metal plate and cranked the engine with the starter button. Im getting spark on all 4 leads !!!

When I put plug caps on and spark plug on Im not getting spark except for cylinder 2. 

I cleaned the plugs ( they are 50 km old) and no spark.

Im stumped because before I got that short the bike ran perfect. Before I changed the RR i did blow a fuse but after replacing it it ran perfect.

Could the short damage the plug caps or spark plugs ? Or is the spark too weak? 

That is strange.  If they are resistor-plugs, they do sometimes fail in a way that prevents spark. I've seen that quite a few times, but 3 plugs at once would be strange.  Are the plugs 50,000 miles old, or 50 kilometers old?  

I would expect the reg/rec/battery short to cause the plugs to be affected at all. Bad plug-wire caps can have a similar affect to bad plugs.  

Definitely try new plugs and make sure they fit into the plug-wire caps properly.  That is, make sure the plugs are with or without the screw-on terminal top depending on what your wire caps require (as Mikaw explained).  If everything is not secure and clean, the spark can sometimes travel along the outside of the spark plug to get to the engine.  When this happens the cylinder won't fire, but when you check for spark you will get it on all 4. 

Still, none of the above would be caused by the charging system short.

No they are 50 km old. So lets say they are new.

I will see if I can also find new caps and non resistor plugs.

The regulator rectifier is still mounted. I mounted it on al aluminium plate underneath the battery tray but that shouldn't affect anything really.

I checked resistance on all the grounds and they were all good. 

So it does seem like something is broken because of the short but what..

Couldnt find the caps with my local auto shop but did find the non resistor plugs, and guess what! Its running!!!! Im stumped. 

Could it also be because of weak ignition coils ? Maybe I should replace them anyway. They are already 2 different ones.

Its only running on 3 cylinders but that's a fuel issue. I know it felt a little weak under 6000rpm and suddenly had more power above like a 2stroke. I thought it was the character of the z1000 but probably the slow jet that is blocked. Those 50 km were also my first kms on this bike.