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Spark plug question... Total newb.

  • Thread starter Thread starter exzachtly1
  • Start date Start date
E

exzachtly1

Guest
Hey guys. Just doing some routine maintenance on my new bike and I was going to replace the spark plugs tonight. I pulled one of them and it was very black on the end. So I think they are definitely in need of replacing (it was giving an orange colored spark).

Anyways, my question is in the following picture. Keep in mind that I'm a total newb at spark plugs ;)

My bike has an aftermarket ignition installed (previous owner) and it seems that the plugs have some sort of adapter on the ends of them to plug the cap into it. Is this normal? Where do these come from? Should I just try to unscrew this from the old ones and move them to the new ones? I tried doing this by hand but the plugs are hot right now so I'm waiting for them to cool down. These are both NGK D8EA plugs.

Thanks!

2012-08-31_19-40-19_438.jpg
 
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Yes, all plugs should come with that adapter already on them. Car plug wires use them and some aftermarket motorcycle wires use them as well.
Get a pair of pliers and unscrew it, use the pliers to screw it onto the new plug.
 
Weird, none of the 4 plugs I bought came with this adapter. Bought them at autozone.
 
Someone else must have scarfed them and put them back on the shelf. Now that you know you need them, check the boxes when you purchase the plugs. I recall someone purchasing a set and they turned out to be used already. I usually look.
 
My last 4 plugs did not have the caps either, sealed in plastic, no way anyone could have opened the package without it being seen.
 
I posted this in my owner's thread too - but here are some pics of the 4 old spark plugs. They are labelled 1-4 as if you are sitting on the bike looking at the cylinders from left to right.

Here are the pics

Thoughts on the condition of these? Are they telling me anything important? 1 and 2 are very black so I'm thinking those may be running rich.
 
So hold on......

should the plugs have the caps....or not.....

mine are not on, never have been, and I still don't use them

maybe I am doing something wrong here....?

.
 
GateKeeper said:
So hold on......

should the plugs have the caps....or not.....

mine are not on, never have been, and I still don't use them

maybe I am doing something wrong here....?

.
Click to expand...

Oh sorry - mine definitely needed the caps. I had to transfer the old ones over to the new ones. Since my last post I have switched everything out so you are viewing the OLD plugs with the caps removed.
 
But who knows, I did not try them without the cap things on them so maybe they are not needed.
 
GateKeeper said:
So hold on......

should the plugs have the caps....or not.....

mine are not on, never have been, and I still don't use them

maybe I am doing something wrong here....?

.
Click to expand...
Stock GS wires cannot use the caps. Aftermarket wires and automotive wires require the caps. That is why they are removable.
 
GateKeeper said:
So hold on......

should the plugs have the caps....or not.....

mine are not on, never have been, and I still don't use them

maybe I am doing something wrong here....?

.
Click to expand...

koolaid_kid said:
Stock GS wires cannot use the caps. Aftermarket wires and automotive wires require the caps. That is why they are removable.
Click to expand...

And since I still have the stock wires and caps, this is why I do not need the little caps on the plugs...

but it's still odd, that the 4 new plugs I purchased like a week ago, did not come with the caps, maybe a cost saving factor for NGK....or they figure you will have them already and wll swap em out from your old set.

.
 
Cost savings? I doubt that. The plugs are available with and without, depending on the ones the store has for sale. I have found them to be loose when I buy new plugs so I snug them on with pliers.
 
not to get too far off topic, but yes cost saving could play a role in this, it's like the olive plant that decided to put just 2 less olives into each bottle they filled, they save millions, or have you noticed on most water bottle how the cap is now half the size it once used to be, it's all cost saving.....

anyways back on topic, and sorry for the thread jack....

.
 
I can't remember if I ever bought a set and they were already off, believe so, perhaps Autozone, but doesn't matter none since I don't use that adapter.
But, I just remembered I recently bought a set and just checked them and they were, on there, bought at Autozone.
 
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