Author Topic: Changing spark plugs (Read 8317 times)

ProfG · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2015, 19:13:02 »

Quote from: "boac"

This might be helpful:

This is what I get

This video does not exist.
Sorry about that.

greywolf · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2015, 19:14:27 »

In case you missed it in passing, see my last post.

ProfG · « **Reply #22 on:** July 21, 2015, 19:17:13 »

GW, by the look of things, the radiator may have to come off as you said, but I suspect more than just a radiator needs to come off.

ProfG · « **Reply #23 on:** July 21, 2015, 19:19:02 »

Quote from: "greywolf"

In case you missed it in passing, see my last post.

Fancy a working holiday in the UK? I'm sure half the members will provide you with very lucrative business

joderest · « **Reply #24 on:** July 21, 2015, 20:42:09 »

hang on, first post was can't get plug out, not get plug in, so cannot have left screw bit on. to me it looks like plug has broken somehow, looks like a hole.
of course, I could be wrong, I am a lot of the time.

MartinW · « **Reply #25 on:** July 21, 2015, 20:50:18 »

ProfG - video link fixed above.

I agree with joderest. It looks like a deep hole with most of the plug missing

Photo the other cylinder for comparison.

ProfG · « **Reply #26 on:** July 21, 2015, 21:26:11 »

Quote from: "MartinW"

ProfG - video link fixed above.

Thanks. I had already found that video a couple of days ago on youtube.

Tried checking the other plug but it's major surgery lifting the tank. Am planning to have a proper go this Saturday. If it's effed then I suppose there will be lots of parts for sale as I'll start breaking it (more money than selling it as a non runner) so let the vultures start circling

joderest · « **Reply #27 on:** July 21, 2015, 22:05:55 »

I have to ask, were you changing the plug as a "service" job, or because there was an issue. You mention a splutter/misfire, did this start whilst riding and you limped home ?
Asking because to me it appears an issue with the plug, if the engine turns over, and there is no nasty grinding or noise, it could be that the plug part has exited out of the cylinder head.
With luck, get the rubber end out, undo the plug, put new plug in, start engine and away you go
without luck, spanners out. !!!

ProfG · « **Reply #28 on:** July 21, 2015, 22:17:58 »

Last Wednesday evening I had taken an IAM associate and a trainee observer out on assessed run. About half way into the second part of the run there was al almighty bang and the bike started spitting and spluttering and limping like mad. I had to use high revs to keep the bike running and limped home for the last 17 miles or so including doing 10 miles on the motorway.

I had some looks from people along the route especially while riding in the town. I did stop at the rendezvous point where the other IAM riders had stopped for chat and coffee and they reckoned it was a loose plug. While riding there was a strong smell of petrol also which gave credence to the problem with the plugs.

While riding the engine light kept on coming up (red light)

ProfG · « **Reply #29 on:** July 21, 2015, 22:22:11 »

Quote from: "V-Strom3"

A query for someone.
Would the rear pot spark plug lead fit the front?
As in fix the front and repair the rear with a bit more ease when parts are available.

Or is part of the lead still around the spark plug?

Did you get the spark plug out?

The leads are different as can be seen from the image of both leads in a previous post.
the lead is out
The spark plug is still in the cylinder. I cannot get it out at the moment. Will try on Saturday.

V-Strom3 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 21, 2015, 22:25:52 »

Hopefully you will get it resolved.
Good luck.

Hondaman · « **Reply #31 on:** July 21, 2015, 23:16:23 »

Take the rad off for better access, maybe the rocker cover too.
It sounds like you need a proper investigation.

Phil

Yoyo · « **Reply #32 on:** July 21, 2015, 23:24:33 »

The HT lead breaking and coming off would cause the running problem, it probably took the screw on top of the plug with it, the smell of fuel is due to the unburned fuel because of no spark. I'm sure you'll be very happy come Saturday when you get the old plug out!

joderest · « **Reply #33 on:** July 22, 2015, 13:49:42 »

I hope that after removing the rubber that is preventing you from removing the spark plug, the other end( in the engine) is OK, and no bits have dropped in to the engine. This will mean a cheap fix, just another plug required. It also ask's the question as to why the plug has failed so badly, what has caused it to fail, was it damaged when it was first put in ?

ProfG · « **Reply #34 on:** July 23, 2015, 21:37:32 »

Took the fairings off, drained the radiator and took it off. Finally managed to get to the cylinder. Could not see any plug there so inserted a screwdriver and it just dropped right in so no plug at all. The plug must've blown out and no rubber ring there either

Took the plug from the read cylinder and tried to screw it in. It took a little doing but eventually got it in properly and put in another plug at the rear cylinder. Fired the bike up and it ran smooth as silk so put the radiator back and filled it up with coolant (50-50 antifreeze and water) and let the bike run for a while. The thermostart worked, the fan worked so now need to put the fairings and crash bars back.

From what I could work out (ofcourse with the help of a friend without whom I could not've done it), it seems the last time the bike was serviced (before I acquired it), the plug must've not been screwed in properly and some cross treading had happened so the plug was not sitting in position and had eventually come loose and eventually got blown out (the big bang I heard?). Also the fellow must've either removed the rubber from the end of the HT lead so he could insert it on the plug or had taken it off and forgot to put it back on.

All in all a good experience working on this crappy design for a brilliant bike. Like I said, now to try and put the fairings including the nose fairings back and hope I get all the bolts and screws in the right place and not come up short. Had to take Kirky's lights off so need to put those back on. While taking off the fairings I snapped off the nearside front indicator but luckily I had a spare.

MartinW · « **Reply #35 on:** July 23, 2015, 21:42:24 »

Result.

Quote from: "MartinW"

It looks like a deep hole with most of the plug missing.

Genius. I've never been right before

V-Strom3 · « **Reply #36 on:** July 23, 2015, 22:12:33 »

Glad you got it sorted.

ProfG · « **Reply #37 on:** July 23, 2015, 23:50:09 »

joderest · « **Reply #38 on:** July 24, 2015, 08:45:15 »

So pleased this did not cost you a fortune, and bike not being broken for spares !!!!!!
Just goes to show how some people get the simplest of things incorrect (screwing a spark plug in)
I always screw them in by hand until they are seated, then nip them up, that way its almost impossible to cross thread, as doing by hand, you would feel it is not right.

Well done.

Robotstar5 · « **Reply #39 on:** July 24, 2015, 22:33:50 »

And if you can't screw in by hand due to them being down a hole, use a piece of rubber tube/hose slipped over the white (insulator) bit of the plug, the plug will slip if it cross threads but a plug spanner will keep trying to screw it in damaging the thread.