• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Plug eating motorcycle? GS850L

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mr.Mom
  • Start date Start date
M

Mr.Mom

Guest
Hi,
My bike seems to like eating spark plugs. There is one cylinder that has had 2 bad plugs in less than a week. I just got the bike and the cylinder had a bad plug so I put in a new NGK B8ES. The cylinder started miss firing after less than 100 miles on it. Bad plug again, simply no spark...?

What can cause plugs to go bad(lose spark)?
 
Mr.Mom said:
Hi,
My bike seems to like eating spark plugs. There is one cylinder that has had 2 bad plugs in less than a week. I just got the bike and the cylinder had a bad plug so I put in a new NGK B8ES. The cylinder started miss firing after less than 100 miles on it. Bad plug again, simply no spark...?

What can cause plugs to go bad(lose spark)?
Click to expand...

Got a pic of the plugs that came out of that one cylinder?
 
Lack of maintenance would be my first guess. Poor maintenance would be my second. Your PO likely didn't do any of it.

What have you done to it so far concerning routine stuff that should be done once in a while? Carburetors? Ignition? Valves? Burning oil? Air filters? The list goes on.
 
Last edited:
I'll be a little more specific. The brand new plugs lost electrical continuity with no signs of physical damage. There was a small amount of carbon.
 
Plug it in and see if it sparks while touching the engine block.
 
How do you know it's not the spark plug boot or wire that's failing? Much more common then simply a bad plug. Have you tried the same "bad" plug on any other cylinder?
 
If that plug is fouling because of a problem with a carburetor, it can cause the plug to fail. Where's the picture of the plugs? Whatever you have going on seems to be consistent. Have your valves been adjusted and the carburetors rebuilt?
 
Carbon fouling in 50 miles? My phone camera sucks sorry.
 
Last edited:
Even out of focus I can see that those plugs look fouled. The shine makes me think it's oil fouled but it could be carbon fouled with raw gas causing it to look shiny. Like Steve said... Poorly adjusted carbs or ones that are simply dumping raw gas into the cylinder will foul a plug in just a few seconds.
 
Thanks for the info.:clap: I found a little bit of gas in my vacuum line. I am checking into the petcock as the extra gas culprit.
 
Lighten up. Life's too short to be so bitter. If not then when you die you'll be required to ride an L for eternity.:pray:;)
 
Bitter? No just amused. How can anyone ask for help, show a picture and not even focus the camera? Oil or fuel fouled, there is a huge distinction in what it means for the engine, and it only takes a glance to tell the difference, if the guy asking for help had bothered to use the camera correctly. Just funny that anyone could be so helpless. He still hasn't mentioned which cylinder it is. And yes, that also matters.

You guys can play 50 questions all you want, I'm done with this one.
 
Woohooo found the issue! It was most assuredly gas fouling. I plugged the vacuum line and ran it on prime. Poof problem gone and the plug is nice and carbon clean. I had no idea a plug could fail so fast.

Thanks for your help!:D
 
Glad you got it fixed.:clap: Now get a better camera or tkent02 will come smack you down.;) JK
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top