Changing spark plugs

[ProfG]

OK, I did a search but could not find any reference to how you change the spark plugs, especially the front one.

Looking at and reading the workshop manual, it says to undo bolts A and B (as shown in the photo), which I did and pull the radiotor forward, again which I did. However, what they fail to mention is you can pull the radiator only about an inch or so and someone has to hold it in the 'pulled' position for you to be able to get to the HD lead.

Anyway, got to the HD lead and pulled it off. It came off very easily so I assume it had gone loose, hence the problem with the bike.

Now for the life of me I cannot get to the spark plug, cannot reach it with my fingers, cannot get it loose with the plug thingy and cannot insert the HD lead back onto it properly as the washer cap thingy on the HD lead prevents it from being inserted completely to clasp onto the spark plug.

Is there another way like removing the fairing, the forks, the tank, the front wheel and possibly just taking an electric saw to its front just to get access to the effing plug? How do you lot (who say you have changed plugs) do/did it?

[joderest]

OK, you have to remove the two screws that screw into the radiator via the tank fairings at the bottom, the manual does not really explain it clearly.
Push the radiator towards the headlight, away from the engine, you will now have enough room to get at and replace the plug, how do I know this?, just done it.
When you come to the rear one, seat off, side trims off, undo screws in tank panels and remove screws, no need to remove panels, undo tank, lift and support it, you can now get at plug.

Hope it helps

[boac]

This might be helpful:

[ProfG]

OK, you have to remove the two screws that screw into the radiator via the tank fairings at the bottom, the manual does not really explain it clearly.
Push the radiator towards the headlight, away from the engine, you will now have enough room to get at and replace the plug, how do I know this?, just done it.

That's exactly what I did.

The problem is the HD lead does not sit properly back on the spark plug

[greywolf]

Take a look at the lead. It should have a rubber nose on the plastic. If it doesn't, the rubber piece could have stuck to the plug. If that happened, figure it's time the coolant should be changed anyway because it's time to drain it and remove the radiator for better access.

Also see if a valve check is due.

[ProfG]

The nose is OK.

I press the HD lead in place but as soon as I press the start button it starts spitting and splattering and the HD lead comes off  

The spark plug socket does not grip the plug, it just rotates freely  

[V-Strom3]

Can you not tweak the connector to make it a tighter fit (using an old plug to check fit)?
Mine is very difficult to pull off the spark plug particularly the front one as space is limited.

[joderest]

Stop, is the plug tight in the engine????
is compression blowing by the plug and blowing the plug cap off ???

Little bit worried when you say plug spanner just keeps turning.
You need to check if the plug is loose before it blows out and wrecks the threads.

[ProfG]

I shall try and take a photograph of the plug using my phone camera. I am not sure whether there should be a rubber ring at the end of the HT lead (there is one on the Bandit HT leads) and if so whether that ring has come off and prevents the HT lead sitting properly on the plug. That will also explain why I cannot get a grip on the plug with the plug socket.

[ProfG]

Just checked on eBay. There are rubber ring ends on the HT lead. Mine does not have it so I assume it has come off which explains why I cannot get the plug socket to fit.



Now comes the hard part of extracting that rubber from the socket. Maybe a thin nose plier or a pincer would do the job but it is a very tight space to work in. I have pushed the radiator back and held it in place with a piece of copper pipe lodged between the radaitor frame and the engine to give me working room but it is still quite tight.

Stupid Suzuki design  

[joderest]

Phew, that's better. Glad not the plug loose
Have you got something like a small bit of weld rod ?
Make a hook on the end, push it past the rubber and then hook it out.

[ProfG]

good idea  

Don't have a welding rod but a piece of wire coat hanger might do the trick

[joderest]

Good thought, let us all know how you get on.  

[ProfG]

No rubber ring and the photos seem to show the plug has dropped  

I used the little tool a friend gave me but I could not feel anyrubber so I inserted the phone and took a few photos.

Any ideas anyone?


HT Lead


HT Lead


Spark plug


Spark plug


Scrape tool (or whatever it is called)

[joderest]

hmmm.
The plug cap looks OK, the little wire bit grips the thread of the top of the plug.
what is more worrying is the shot of spark plug hole, I cannot see the top of the plug. You should be able to see the white part with the thread on top.
You really need to investigate further. either the plug has "blown" apart, or snapped and bits have exited from the top of the engine.
if you run it, can you feel a blast of air from the plug hole ? if so, compression is escaping.

[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?

[greywolf]

I can see the rubber ring at the top of the spark plug. It's exactly what I thought the problem would be.

[joderest]

I agree, the ring looks like it is in there, however, the top of the plug should have a thread, not a hole.
I suspect something has happened.
Get the black bit out as greywolf states, then you should be able to get the plug out, as I cannot even see the hex part of the plug

[ProfG]

GW, when I insert and move the toolamathingy, all it does is scrape the metal. I do not feel any rubber bits. If you look carefully you will see a yellowish-greenish half crescent around the plug. The top of the plug seems hollow. Is that how it should be?

I asked a mechanic friend and he will come over on saturday to take the bike apart and fix it.

[greywolf]

There is rubber there. It is soft and difficult to feel. Another problem is you left the hourglass plug top on. It needs to come off to fit. The plug needed to look like this.



Not this. The top part unscrews.