Spark plug change

[richard100t]

How many miles should I expect to get from a set of plugs on my v11? I'm thinking of getting a new set & I would also like to know a good brand or type of plug. If anyone has an opinion of one type over another I'd like to hear your opinions

[Guest Nogbad]

Inspect every 6000 miles. Give them a good clean and if everything looks to be in good condition stick 'em back in.

 

I re-use mine until the centre electrode is worn rounded. This doesn't apply to those weird iridium plugs that have a tiny platinum/iridium centre electrode in the ceramic. No idea how long you can run those for, I guess until the earth electrode is worn or the centre one has receded totally into the ceramic.

 

I think spark plug threads can be as bad as oil threads. If the insulator is good and the gap correct, the plug should work if the electrics are healthy.

[mike wilson]

How many miles should I expect to get from a set of plugs on my v11? I'm thinking of getting a new set & I would also like to know a good brand or type of plug. If anyone has an opinion of one type over another I'd like to hear your opinions 

93177[/snapback]

 

I would expect 40K. Managed that on a twostroke, so it should be easily attainable on a fourstroke.

[todd haven]

Richard, please don't take this a personal attack.

Your post is just the one that sent me over the edge....

 

At $2.50 each, how much effort should go into

determining maximum spark plug life?

 

Geez, between riding gear, tires,

Power Commanders, My16M's, luggage, GPS,

fairings/windscreens, seat mods, $12/qt oil,

and all the other money spent on our motorcycles,

are spark plugs really worth worrying about?

 

 

There, I feel better...

[dlaing]

I change mine at every valve adjustment so that it gets a fresh crush washer and I don't have to risk over torquing the threads to get a good seal.

Besides, a fresh electrode is a happy electrode.

If you had irridium plugs, yah, you might as well risk your threads(it is not a huge risk, but still a risk) and get years out of the plugs.

I just use the basic NGK recommended in the manual.

 

Another place where you should "splurge" on your bike:

When you change the fuel filter, change your fuel lines.

[richard100t]

Richard, please don't take this a personal attack.

Your post is just the one that sent me over the edge....

 

At $2.50 each, how much effort should go into

determining maximum spark plug life?

 

Geez, between riding gear, tires,

Power Commanders, My16M's, luggage, GPS,

fairings/windscreens, seat mods, $12/qt oil,

and all the other money spent on our motorcycles,

are spark plugs really worth worrying about?

There, I feel better...

93264[/snapback]

Lol I wasnt trying to steal Tex's thunder on his "cheap" thread I had just cleaned my plugs & re gapped them & was thinking about an upgrade to platinum. That led me to wonder how long a set of plugs should be effective in a Guzzi. My car has a 100k tune up for the plugs, but I highly doubted that a bike engine would go that long. Also btw anyone who wants to add their on a specific brand of plug post away.

P.S. I'm not cheap but $12 is too much for a quart of oil.

[pete roper]

WHat used to kill plugs was lead-foul from the Pb in the fuel. As long as the engine is tuned right very frequent plug changes should be a thing of the past.

 

Having said that plugs are so cheap who cares? I'll probably toss a new set in the Griso at 20,000Km or so. On the 'Vert I wait until it starts running rough, then it gets a new pair, or maybe a secon hand pair I've taken out of a customer's bike

 

Pete

[guzziownr]

I buy Bosch WR7 platinum and bin them with the oil filter (every other oil change) at 6K. The NGKs that came with the bike looked NASTY at the first service. Like this, only blacker:

 

 

I hope to see improvement as the bike breaks in.

 

DW

[dlaing]

I buy Bosch WR7 platinum and bin them with the oil filter (every other oil change) at 6K.  The NGKs that came with the bike looked NASTY at the first service.  Like this, only blacker:

 

 

I hope to see improvement as the bike breaks in.

 

DW

93294[/snapback]

That looks unhealthy.

If yours was bridged like that, something is wrong with your bike, and should be fixed probably before riding

But maybe the first service fixed it

If it is like that on both cylinders you probably have one component that is seriously damaged like the engine positon sensor or the throttle position sensor of a bad relay or who knows what else.