Front Spark Plug

[yorkie_chris]

It has to be in the chamber properly, 1 or 2mm further out won't harm the ignition, but id be worried about any exposed threads getting hot and causing preignition (but im mechanically paranoid, ask dizzyblonde lol)

If it goes in most of the way with finger pressure then you're most of the way there anyway.
you do know that the washer on a new plug is supposed to be "squishable" by about half a turn anyway? (new ones only, ones already tightened nip up straight away)

Edit: from your earlier post, new plugs probbly mean better combustion and a bit smoother, but probably nothing to do with the snatchiness.

What I would do is; bottle brush the threads, forget about any crap in there, will only be a tiny bit, lots of WD40, then add coppaslip to the plug and tighten it as you normally would.
Once the thread is in a fair way then the normal torque will not strip it even if there is some **** in there

(All IMHO, and my favourite tool is a big hammer, you should probably consult a suzuki dealer and give them lots of money. Right thats me fully disclaimed!)

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

It has to be in the chamber properly, 1 or 2mm further out won't harm the ignition, but id be worried about any exposed threads getting hot and causing preignition (but im mechanically paranoid, ask dizzyblonde lol)

If it goes in most of the way with finger pressure then you're most of the way there anyway.
you do know that the washer on a new plug is supposed to be "squishable" by about half a turn anyway? (new ones only, ones already tightened nip up straight away)

Thanks for your help - yeah know that the washers compress, I reckon it is sitting about 1 or 2 mm proud of the washer seating against the cylinder head properly - I could keep turning it but dont think its a good idea. I'll try to get the rest of the crud out and see how I go.

Billy, a trick for cleaning crud out of threaded holes is to hacksaw a few slots along the length of a bolt (in your case use the old plug), when screwed in the slots collect the crud, it acts a bit like the flutes in a tap when tapping new threads in a hole.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

if there's ANY resistance to the plug turning by hand until seats, stop immediately and find out why

I totally agree! and NEVER use a wratchet to start always start by hand, get a bit of plastic tubing over the end as an extention. Basically you can't cross thread if you can turn even half a turn by hand. Once you've gone as far as you can by hand remove the tube and get the wratchet on it. I've never used a torque wrench just seat the plug by 1/8 turn once it's hit bottom to compress the gasket on the plug then back it off and reseat once reseated, go 1/8 turn. After running at temp it a good idea after cooling to repeat the last bit. It's always worked a treat for me.

Originally Posted by oldjack

Billy, a trick for cleaning crud out of threaded holes is to hacksaw a few slots along the length of a bolt (in your case use the old plug), when screwed in the slots collect the crud, it acts a bit like the flutes in a tap when tapping new threads in a hole.

Not a bad idea but the word hack saw and threads is alarming just make sure you tidy up the threads before you put them in the head a few nasty burrs can really **** things up

well...did the tps mod today - thought everything was ok.

Let the bike cool, then thought I'd start her again to see how she would run from cold - the tickover was all over the place, then started running on only the rear cylinder. In my mechanical ineptitude, thought it must be the TPS mods that caused the cafuffle... so reset that, still no joy. Put my brain in gear and removed the front plug (which I knew wasnt seated properly), and it was soaking wet (prob after a rather exhuberant cleaning session which involved cutting the paintwork, polishing then auto glym high gloss protection - around 4 hours of my life gone!) - thought it would be a good idea to clean the threats in the cylinder with a toothbrush and WD40 - did this, and removed loads of crud - the plug goes in a lot sweeter now - I reckon only a turn or so from fully nipped up.

So nowI have a bike running on 2, but with no TPS mod ! DOH! - Job for the morning I think!

Unfortunately we have the (to be??) inlaws up, and the gf want to go the the Eden Project with them tomorrow - tried to explain that I really want to go out on the bike (looks like the first dry day for a week) - went down like a sack of s**t!!

Muchos grovelling to do me thinks...

Mind you - still not idling great - im putting that down to the newly installed Fuel can...

Chin up...

[yorkie_chris]

Did you get the fire belching from the WD40? lol

Have you tried; clean threads, screw plug in carefully, remove plug, clean threads again, repeat...

Just something I'd try to get it that bit further in to get the compression up...

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Did you get the fire belching from the WD40? lol

Have you tried; clean threads, screw plug in carefully, remove plug, clean threads again, repeat...

Just something I'd try to get it that bit further in to get the compression up...

Ooooohhh yes....done it about 15 or 20 times now - every time a little bit further...

Still gets a bit tighter at the end - about the weight of my arm on a 6 inch spanner - not forcing it - too scared of stripping the threads - but not seated yet - mind you, the plug cap fits almost as good as the one to the rear pot tho - I think I'll keep doing it over the next few days, then once its in change the oil, just incase and crap has gone in....shame as I only changed it 200 miles ago, but not worth the damage for 15 quid of Silkoline...

[yorkie_chris]

IMO you can use more force than that, especially with so much thread already engaged

Edit: but still, keep washing it out, its better to get a clean engagement

Originally Posted by Biker_Billy

Ooooohhh yes....done it about 15 or 20 times now - every time a little bit further...

Still gets a bit tighter at the end - about the weight of my arm on a 6 inch spanner - not forcing it - too scared of stripping the threads - but not seated yet - mind you, the plug cap fits almost as good as the one to the rear pot tho - I think I'll keep doing it over the next few days, then once its in change the oil, just incase and crap has gone in....shame as I only changed it 200 miles ago, but not worth the damage for 15 quid of Silkoline...

Oh yea, was funny, the outlaw, sorry, father in law to be (sometime in the not time-defined future) was stood behind as I started her up after putting half a gallon of WD in the front pot - nearly took his eye brows off!!! - dont think he'll pay for the wedding now....every cloud has a silver lining....lol only kidding!