Sparkplugs. They do more and can tell you more than you might think.

[RickoSuzuki]

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/maintenance/sparkplugs.htm

 

Very useful info on sparkplugs and what they tell you.

[velocity325]

heyss..just to ask..they always say there is a range for the spark plug..but is it just unscrew all the way to see and screw back all the way to fix?

[RickoSuzuki]

heyss..just to ask..they always say there is a range for the spark plug..but is it just unscrew all the way to see and screw back all the way to fix?

 

i dont quite get your question bro?

[velocity325]

oh! sorry..didn't read the last part..cause the manual book always indicate spark plug range..it's not how tight we screw the cap but the range between the tip and the metal..so we just have to screw it back tight after we remove the spark plug from engine right?

[RickoSuzuki]

u can actually adjust the range by moving the tip up or down.

[epk]

Great info.. thanks

[velocity325]

u can actually adjust the range by moving the tip up or down.

 

ohhh waaa oooo..then i think i'll leave it alone..afraid of messing up my bike as setting is already like sh!t..thanks! next time when mech change spark plug i can learn how to identify to see if my engine really has a problem!! thanks!!

[Phang]

u can actually adjust the range by moving the tip up or down.

 

This is something new to me, do you meant heat range can be change by adjusting the gap?

[RickoSuzuki]

Not sure abt heat range tho, was talking abt the tip of the sparky,

[Phang]

I see, thanks for clarifying that

[RickoSuzuki]

No prob =] as the website says, if theres internal probs the tip of the sparky may be dented and thats the surest sign.

[CSV]

no, heat range is heat range.

 

the gap between the tips is different. the gaps are only adjustable because some bikes use the same spark plugs as others and may require regapping for optimum use.

 

over time, the electrode will degrade and if reusing the same spark plug instead of changing, can opt for regapping the spark plug.

 

 

the heat range is from 1-9. so some spark plugs are liek cre9k means its a 9 out of 10. closer to 10 means operating temperature is higher. this is used so that fuel won't pre combust or 'knock/ping' when using lower octane fuel.

[RickoSuzuki]

no, heat range is heat range.

 

the gap between the tips is different. the gaps are only adjustable because some bikes use the same spark plugs as others and may require regapping for optimum use.

 

over time, the electrode will degrade and if reusing the same spark plug instead of changing, can opt for regapping the spark plug.

 

 

the heat range is from 1-9. so some spark plugs are liek cre9k means its a 9 out of 10. closer to 10 means operating temperature is higher. this is used so that fuel won't pre combust or 'knock/ping' when using lower octane fuel.

 

thanks for the info bro.

[ezzyoiler]

This is something new to me, do you meant heat range can be change by adjusting the gap?

by changing the plug gap...the result is the change in sparking voltage..

closer plug gap need less voltage to spark across the electrodes..vice versa....unless you actually know what you are doing best is to follow std plug gap.

[crazydj]

For my bike, the more i use the spark plug, the closer the gap. Normal?

[ezzyoiler]

For my bike, the more i use the spark plug, the closer the gap. Normal?

 

VERY ABNORMAL....as the electrodes wears off, expect the gap to be widen,,,need higher voltages to spark... your bike high tension coils will need to work harder to get the spark going..

[crazydj]

VERY ABNORMAL....as the electrodes wears off, expect the gap to be widen,,,need higher voltages to spark... your bike high tension coils will need to work harder to get the spark going..

 

Hmm... As in when i put my spark plug in and after about a few months, the gap becomes smaller. Once, i left my spark plug in there for 8 months and the gap became so small that only the tip of a needle could fit through the electrodes, but still got gap. In all instances, the colour and condition of my spark plug is excellent, from comparing the countless pictures i see online.

 

So the gap should widen and not become smaller?

[ulysses_sc]

oh! sorry..didn't read the last part..cause the manual book always indicate spark plug range..it's not how tight we screw the cap but the range between the tip and the metal..so we just have to screw it back tight after we remove the spark plug from engine right?

 

Spark plug range usually refers to the heat range. The distance between tip and electrode is known as the plug gap.

[ezzyoiler]

Hmm... As in when i put my spark plug in and after about a few months, the gap becomes smaller. Once, i left my spark plug in there for 8 months and the gap became so small that only the tip of a needle could fit through the electrodes, but still got gap. In all instances, the colour and condition of my spark plug is excellent, from comparing the countless pictures i see online.

 

So the gap should widen and not become smaller?

 

your bike is special...ha ha..

i would suspect that the electrodes somehow being bend by some force...most likely your piston top is hitting it...i may be wrong..

[crazydj]

your bike is special...ha ha..

i would suspect that the electrodes somehow being bend by some force...most likely your piston top is hitting it...i may be wrong..

 

Cannot be. The piston at TDC is damn far away from my spark plug. I suspect it may be due to the heat. Oh well, nothing is wrong with it anyway.

[velocity325]

Spark plug range usually refers to the heat range. The distance between tip and electrode is known as the plug gap.

 

hahas, yea..because in the past i always thought the range means..the cap and the spark plug..need to screw them together and leave a range..buy actually is screw tight all the way..the range means tip and plug..

[ezzyoiler]

Cannot be. The piston at TDC is damn far away from my spark plug. I suspect it may be due to the heat. Oh well, nothing is wrong with it anyway.

 

i hope not heat..

electrodes material are very tough ...as far as its properties are concerned..

 

just imagine if heat can soften and electrodes drooped..what will happend to your alu..piston..and cylinder walls??

[ChaoPuzzy1968]

good infomation

[ezzyoiler]

do you guys have plug gap...becoming smaller from the original setting after a few months of ride...mine seems to grow wider..

[velocity325]

waa, a few months..i thought every 1 month or 3000km change plug?wider maybe due to heating of it over a long period of time causing it to expand permanently..