How to: Replace your sparkplugs in 20 minutes

[jeepcoma]

Head down to RI and I'll gladly take your sixty bucks.

[CrazyBiker]

Originally Posted by dmiller385

Thanks again for the write up! I just got done changing the plugs, and it was a breeze!! It took me a little bit over an hour, but that was just because it was my first time doing it and I took a little extra time.

The only thing I would recommend to others doing this is to definitely unbolt the radiator! It takes just a few minutes and saves a ton of time. I unbolted it when I got to the #1 plug, but left it unbolted until I had replaced all of the plugs. It helps a ton on the #1, but also helps when replacing the #2-4 plug wires.

My plugs were damn near black when I pulled them! It had been way too long (16k, the amount of time that I have owned the bike) and I can't wait to take it for a spin and feel the difference.

Thanks again!

If they are black then u r running rich. black = rich, brown = perfect, white = lean.

[CrazyBiker]

Also do we need to get the terminal nut for each sparkplug too?

[drfaulken]

Thanks a lot for this write-up. I was sure I brought the pain on myself when I put the #1 replacement sparkplug in UPSIDE DOWN like a jackass. Luckily I was able to get it out with a magnet.

The whole thing took me about an hour due to the sparkplug and having to go inside to avoid losing my temper. A non-idiot first timer could probably do it in 30.

CrazyBiker, I didn't get a terminal nut. Bike's gone about 350 miles without them if I made another mistake ;)

[larkydozer]

A 14mm extended ratchet would have made this job easier. Getting a grip on the plug removal tool with a wrench in such a small space was a lesson in patience. Slippage sucks.

[rg-one]

terminal nut?

[Scab]

Originally Posted by CrazyBiker

Also do we need to get the terminal nut for each sparkplug too?

No. The plugs do not use the terminal nut.

And an easy way to install and/or remove plugs is to use a rubber hose. Once the tool has loosened the sparkplug, remove the tool, then insert a piece of rubber hose that is about 5 inches long. Force it down over the plug, pull the plug out. On the new plug, fit the rubber hose to the wire-end of the plug, use the hose as a finger-extension to help start the threads safely. Once started, pull and retrieve hose. Tighten with tool.

[ster1]

I dunno what a terminal nut is, but I used a 'regular' 5/8 sparkplug socket (I think it was 5/8), a 1 inch extension, a swivel, and a 3/8 drive ratchet handle. As another poster said, loosen the radiator too. Yeh, I gots popeye forearms so getting em into tight spaces is painful. Good write up jeepcoma. The only harder plugs I have ever had to remove were the ones out of my '77 chevy c20 van. There was one on the right side that never even came out

[markgm]

Originally Posted by drfaulken

Thanks a lot for this write-up. I was sure I brought the pain on myself when I put the #1 replacement sparkplug in UPSIDE DOWN like a jackass. Luckily I was able to get it out with a magnet.

The whole thing took me about an hour due to the sparkplug and having to go inside to avoid losing my temper. A non-idiot first timer could probably do it in 30.

CrazyBiker, I didn't get a terminal nut. Bike's gone about 350 miles without them if I made another mistake ;)

Hehehe, I haven't seen you post here in awhile, but I can imagine your anger issues after reading your install of the GIVI racks a few years ago and going through the same thing on my bike!

[drfaulken]

Originally Posted by markgm

Hehehe, I haven't seen you post here in awhile, but I can imagine your anger issues after reading your install of the GIVI racks a few years ago and going through the same thing on my bike!

LOL!! I've been trying to ride more and fume less. I almost took the bike in to have this done and then felt guilty about not being man enough to change four fucking spark plugs.

I'm glad I did it, I think an extension bar for my ratchet would have been really helpful but I didn't have anything suitable.

In news related to the GIVI install, I had someone vandalize a lot of my HOWTO pages and I pulled them. I'm going to try to pull the content off and repost them on my blog, but I don't have time any more to admin a Wiki install on top of all the other shenanigans Gibberish goes through.

[CrazyBiker]

Originally Posted by drfaulken

LOL!! I've been trying to ride more and fume less. I almost took the bike in to have this done and then felt guilty about not being man enough to change four fucking spark plugs.

I'm glad I did it, I think an extension bar for my ratchet would have been really helpful but I didn't have anything suitable.

In news related to the GIVI install, I had someone vandalize a lot of my HOWTO pages and I pulled them. I'm going to try to pull the content off and repost them on my blog, but I don't have time any more to admin a Wiki install on top of all the other shenanigans Gibberish goes through.

Well, you have been gone for 9 months ..

[fatburg]

Originally Posted by dmiller385

I will be trying this this weekend!! How the hell have people been doing this before? I started to go in through the top this evening, but I stopped after I removed the tank, air filter, battery, and was still no where close! WTF

I changed the battery out at the same time as my plugs, and ya, ran into the same issue...no where close to the plugs.

Followed this procedure and worked great. #1 was a @#$@ but got it done finally. Next time I will definitely unbolt the radiator also.

now onto my brake lines

[Dandy D]

Thanks for the 'How to' on this. It gave me the guts to actually do this myself but here's the reality check...
It took ME 2 frikkin hours to do this and a lot of sweat and cussin. I shoulda read through this whole thread before starting then I wouldn't have wasted so much time on plug #1. Loosening the rad helped more that the Dr ever helped my mother give birth to me!!! crap!

The 2 hrs included opening the plug packaging and gapping them.

I put in the iridiums only because I couldn't get the oem's and at 12.99 EACH that was expensive! The oems were in for 17,000kms so these puppies better do 20,000 at least!
Now I'm waiting for the battery to charge up so I can at least try starting it to confirm that I did it right.
yeah I got a rectifier issue as well - waiting on delivery. Been about 4 weeks now with a less than healthy bike. Went for a ride last night cause I couldn't take it any more - hadn't ridden for 3 weeks. Bumped started out my driveway, rode for about an hour and rode home. I can't even stop for gas cause if I shut off the engine - it won't restart - battery completely dead.

Plug condition: they were a dark brown but Plug #1 had a chaulky white powder on it ?? What the heck is that? It was on the top of the crush washer and up to the ceramic part - not in the cylinder thankfully.
(my finger tips are sore....

Thanks again for the write up with pics - darn good job. I don't know if I would want to do this again though...

[rg-one]

Originally Posted by Dandy D

Plug condition: they were a dark brown but Plug #1 had a chaulky white powder on it ?? What the heck is that? It was on the top of the crush washer and up to the ceramic part - not in the cylinder thankfully.
(my finger tips are sore....

Thanks again for the write up with pics - darn good job. I don't know if I would want to do this again though...

I had this too, usually a white plug is a sign of heat, i.e. lean-ness. I wonder if the cylinder 1 runs lean for some reason either intentional or unintentional. Anyone else see this?

I used this thread, unbolted radiator just to get it out of the way and took me about an hour start to finish. Not too bad, probably will take even less next time.

[CrazyBiker]

black = rich, white = lean, brown = perfect ... u need a throttle body sync ..