Honda Ruckus Ignition Upgrades: Part II

We first started out talking about the CDI Box, now we go into more Honda Ruckus parts related to the ignition; the coil and the spark plug. However, not everything is as it seems with it comes to the spark plug and the ignition coil. The Honda Ruckus spark plugs are sometimes upgraded when someone doesn’t fully understand the system itself. They assume that the parts will make their system better and they are right, but just for the wrong reasons. Coils don’t spark hotter, spark plugs don’t ignite better because they are make of a different metal. We’ll explain that right now!

Another thing to consider upgrading is a part I mentioned prior and that is the ignition coil. You’d think with capabilities of 200+:1 step up would result in a hotter spark. However, the honest thing is that the spark plug will probably not always get to use that maximum spark. To quote Electronic Ignition Overview, by Dave Draper: “It takes about 10-14,000 volts to initiate the spark across the plug gap. After the initial arc the voltage required to sustain the arc is much less and drops off significantly. So while you may have a manufacturer claimed 60,000 volt racing coil you can’t actually get that across the plug. Since the advantage of CDI is the higher coil output, how does that get used? Well, normally it doesn’t. The extra power possible in the coil is ‘Reserve Voltage.’ As the plugs wear (and foul), (the) plug wires and connections get worse and then the required firing voltage may go up 1-5,000 volts. So the “hotter” CDI coil output can help overcome these obstacles and the ignition system will last longer. So, it’s not that it’s working better, but rather lasting longer that makes a hot coil good. The ideal coil output needed for normal applications is about 30,000 volts.” – Dave Draper (www. jetav8r.com/vision/ignition/cdi.html) So, a hotter coil isn’t going to fire a hotter spark but allow the plug, wire, and all of the connections not interfere with the spark output as they wear with use, abuse, and age.

It is the same thing with the spark plug. Really, a copper plug is good for use and many racing plugs are also copper. However, it is not the spark energy that makes an iridium or platinum plug better; it is the increased longevity of the plug. That’s really it. Now, all plugs have “heat” ranges. This is in relation to the heat in which radiates from the spark plug after ignition and is determined by the ceramic shell of the spark plug. Basically, if you expect to run in high RPMs, high loads, higher compression, or your fuel s octane isn’t high enough to prevent pre-detonation (also known as ping), then you need a colder heat range plug than stock.

So, basically, OEM Honda Ruckus parts can be good even on modified examples. It’s usually the assumption that if I buy this more expensive part I will go faster. Upgrading the ignition system, in terms of the coil and the spark plug, don’t do anything power wise. However, those upgrades are not wasted as they will make for a longer lasting ignition system. This will allow for a longer service life and a cheaper bike in the long run.