My bike has been maintained by an idiot

Tonight I decided to give my XT600 it's annual service even though it has only done a 1000 miles in my care, and since it's last service, that according to the service book was carried out by an independent motorcycle garage in Wales (quite happy to name and shame tomorrow but just now my wife is asleep in the bedroom where the service book is)

To start with I drained 3.8 litres of oil (!) from the bike, changed the filter and have carefully measured and refilled with 2.8 litres as per the correct capacity for the bike. Also see http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=154671

Then I found the head of the screw to remove the right side panel had been completely mashed by somebody, so I had to drill it, then remove the remains of the screw with mole grips. That allows you to get at the airbox, and the air filter looked like this



Then I removed the spark plug, which I had wanted to do when I bought the bike because I thought it was running a little rough and down on power, but until recently I couldn't get hold of the right size spark plug socket. It looked like this



Note the crush washer is rusted into place half way along the thread and at an angle, the spark plug was not even screwed in properly. No wonder the bike doesn't like crossing fords and deep puddles!

So looks like my bike has been maintained by a complete idiot.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Tonight I decided to give my XT600 it's annual service even though it has only done a 1000 miles in my care, and since it's last service, that according to the service book was carried out by an independent motorcycle garage in Wales (quite happy to name and shame tomorrow but just now my wife is asleep in the bedroom where the service book is)

To start with I drained 3.8 litres of oil (!) from the bike, changed the filter and have carefully measured and refilled with 2.8 litres as per the correct capacity for the bike. Also see http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=154671

Then I found the head of the screw to remove the right side panel had been completely mashed by somebody, so I had to drill it, then remove the remains of the screw with mole grips. That allows you to get at the airbox, and the air filter looked like this



Then I removed the spark plug, which I had wanted to do when I bought the bike because I thought it was running a little rough and down on power, but until recently I couldn't get hold of the right size spark plug socket. It looked like this



Note the crush washer is rusted into place half way along the thread and at an angle, the spark plug was not even screwed in properly. No wonder the bike doesn't like crossing fords and deep puddles!

So looks like my bike has been maintained by a complete idiot.

Are you sure thats not a shoulder on the spark plug col?

Ignore that, just read you post properly

Originally Posted by specialone

Are you sure thats not a shoulder on the spark plug col?

Ignore that, just read you post properly

Yeah, no definately been not screwed in fully, then rusted in place like that, so only one edge of the crush washer has been touching the head, leaving a gap for water to get to the thread and run down the plug. No wonder the bugger keeps cutting out whenever we let it get wet.

I knew it wasn't running right. I'll bet you we see a big difference in power next time we take it out.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Yeah, no definately been not screwed in fully, then rusted in place like that, so only one edge of the crush washer has been touching the head, leaving a gap for water to get to the thread and run down the plug. No wonder the bugger keeps cutting out whenever we let it get wet.

I knew it wasn't running right. I'll bet you we see a big difference in power next time we take it out.

ill be left behind again.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

You can get your revenge on your big 1050 when out on the road bikes.

I still ride the same way though, probably quicker on the DRZ.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

You wouldn't have managed to keep up with yourself on a DRZ today I can tell you. We were travelling quicker with you in front than with me in front.

Todays pheasants and Focus drivers just show how much easier it is to deal with stuff when you've left a bit in reserve! I'll be riding like that from now on.

Yeah, you're right.
I enjoyed our little bimble today, nice relaxed pace.

That pheasant just highlights how things can change in the blink of an eye though, i didnt even see it on the side of the road until it took flight.
I shat myself on your behalf.
I didnt see the focus so cant comment but a woman driving? figures lol

[andrewsmith]

so the oil check was a bad idea ralph?

Originally Posted by andrewsmith

so the oil check was a bad idea ralph?

I'm starting to think so! Nah, it will be worth it but...

Damn it!

The oil pressure check bolt has had it's head mashed by some idiot with a spanner too! Then as I was doing it back up the thread stripped, it still had a couple of mm to go, was turning quite happily, then just a touch of resistance and before I had a chance to react to it, it turns free again. Took the bolt back out again and the thread from the inside of the oil filter cover was wrapped round the screw. So now I have had to drain the oil again so I can take the filter cover off and Specialone can drill and re-tap it for me (I've never got round to buying a tap and die kit)!

Arrrgggh! Specialone's expression was, "Well your bike has obviously been maintained by Stevie Wonder"

Service History

April 03, 652 miles, Sale Yamaha Centre, Manchester
May 05, 3750 miles, Bill Lomas Motorcycles, Chesterfield
Dec 07, 6829 miles, Jonesies Motorcycles, Conwy, N Wales, Spark plug, oil filter and oil on the invoice
May 09, 8220, Jonesies Motorcycles, Conwy, N Wales, Front pads, Oil filter and oil on the invoice

So the spark plug was probably fitted by Jonesies in 2007, it would seem to have been fitted badly from the start as the crush washer had never been crushed, so it's not like somebody has removed and refitted it since, unless an amateur has changed the whole plug since, but the last owner who used Jonesies said he knew nothing about bikes and had never touched it. And it has probably never had a new air filter since new. The overfill of oil could have been the previous owner.

TBH I never trust the work done by a bike shiop. When I bought my ZX7R, I stripped the front forks and discovered they have been put back together completely wrong by the shop who had "serviced" the forks for the previous owner. Muppets, the damping rods were set completely differently for both forks, and one fork only had 4 clicks of adjustment rather than 14!