Right, bought that socket set - fantastic bit of kit! Removed rear plug hassle free (infact it was easier than the front tbh). Both plugs look good to me but I will change them tomorrow so I know it's been done. I'll just buy the HD ones! The only challenge I see is fitting rear plug cap back on



Rear Plug

The center ceramic insulator doesn't look very clean...........it wouldn't take a lot more to give the spark a path to track along to earth and then a misfire at best or an engine on one cylinder at the worse

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2001 X1 2009 1125CR 2006 Uly X3 2010 Uly a fully Maz'd S1 and a 1991 RS1200 Westwind.

Well I will find out soon enough but I wonder if this could be the cause to my tickover and sometimes running problems?

Halfords do a sparkplug wrench; blue T-handle with universal joints and rubber sheath in socket to grip the plug. It dose the job for about £6, makes replacing the plug easy too. Hope this helps and saves you a few quid.

Thanks but not really as I've just spent £89 buying a whole new socket set! NOW you tell me

Actually, joking aside, socket set gives me options!

do both plugs in aboot 20 mins(takes a week for fingers to recover tho) .halfords big socket the doggies bollocks

Could be. The plug should be a light-ish grey colour all over. Take care putting them back in, it is a bit tricky, and use no force to wind them in or you wll damage the head, alloy, threads and that will bugger it. Do them up with a torque wrench or do the up to hand tight with the extension shaft only then about a quarter turn more. They do not need to be mega tight.

Set the gap right as well. It is best to use the HD plugs and they last very well.

Qustion. Did the old plugs come out easy or were they a little stiff.

Common knowledge probably but I always warm up any engine before taking out spark plugs as it makes them easier to remove. I also put copper slip on the threaded part of new plugs before refitting them to stop them seizing in

Why are you removing the plugs anyway ? - how many miles are on the bike ?

The XB plug caps are made of a very special rubber, which allow the conductor to be easily pushed onto the plugs when they are not in the bike.............but are almost impossible to locate once the plug is fitted into the engine inside the frame!

Black plugs is a rich mixture - very light grey/beige is lean.

A little on the rich side is better than lean but yours might be over rich a bit ????

But then again I'm not a mechanic just a weekend hacker !!!

Eric.

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'09 XB12XT
'02 Beta Alp 200
'82 + '83 CX500 euroSports's
'83 CX650 Custom
Green "4 Legged" SUV (now galloping the great plains in the sky !!)

Depends what condition it was running at before they were pulled. If it was from idling when cold, then it will have been running rich...

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08 Specialized Langster

My plugs were quite clean and dry at the electrodes and insulators but blackish on the flat bottomed face of the threaded body! Don't know what that means except that they are probably neither burning too hot nor awash with fuel. I ride in gently before garaging. Perhaps I need to thrash it before pulling the plugs?

Plug chops are done by nailing the motor flat out and the cutting the ignition and cruising to a stop. The plug is then examined but if the motor has turned over a few times the true condition of what's going on will be masked.
Also, modern lead free fuels can give all sorts of misleading information.
I've no idea why but a couple of plug manfacturers advise against using any lube on the plug threads when refitting - possibly stops gorillas over tightening

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If your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough.

Plug threads should never be lubed.....combustion gases carbonize the lube and can make the plug very hard to remove.

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Mithered ta death.
92 MB
96 S2T
98 S1W
00 M2
01 X1
03 P3
10 CR