what size is the spark plug

[cid]

so i went to start my bike this morning and i wouldnt start. when i turn it over a for a few seconds and then stop i can hear what i beleive is air coming out of the number 1 cylinder where the plug goes. not sure why.
in any regard i dont have the proper socket to remove my plugs. Is it 18mm?

is this noise im hearing some kind of air lock? any thoughts

[chuck hahn]

15/16 is close enough..CAREFULLY..and i mean CAREFULLY try to tighten it if its loose. The problem may be just a loose plug or it may be slightly stripped. Be careful and see whats up. If its sripped then thats no biggy at all. I had a number 3 stripped and I fixed it right on the bike in less than 45 minutes.

[DanTheMan]

15/16 is close enough..CAREFULLY..and i mean CAREFULLY try to tighten it if its loose. The problem may be just a loose plug or it may be slightly stripped. Be careful and see whats up. If its sripped then thats no biggy at all. I had a number 3 stripped and I fixed it right on the bike in less than 45 minutes.

Chuck, they're 13/16. A 15/16 will just round the edges of the plug.

[cid]

this probably wouldnt cause the bike not to start though? im thinking, if this would do it, i tried to start the bike in run while cold forcing air in instead of fuel. when i applied the fuel to it there was an air lock preventing proper firing. am i way off base? well i guess if i get a 13/16 socket tighten the plug, and drain the carbs and try again it should start.

[chuck hahn]

yeah..well i dont have the socket right in frt of me but i knew it was up there...its the middle one in my big sockets rack..LOL. Anyways, here the kit for the stripped plug holes. http://www.amazon.com/Helicoil-5334-.../dp/B0002SRF4O

1..put piston at the bottom of the bore so the tap doesnt hit it.
2..get a shop vac situated at the side of the hole to suck up the shavings as best as possible.
3..run the tap in with a few drops of oil.
4..clean the newly tapped hole with some rubbing alcohol and Qtips.
5..Use the plug as the tool to insert the new insert cuz it just works better than their directions say. Add a drop of high temp locktite and insert the new insert. Remove plug and use that flairing tool in the kit to seat the insert.
6..slowly bring the piston back up and suck the rest of the shavings out. put in the plug and you should be ready to go again. Its cheap and easy to do and the beauty is you dont need to pull the head or engine.

[DanTheMan]

this probably wouldnt cause the bike not to start though? im thinking, if this would do it, i tried to start the bike in run while cold forcing air in instead of fuel. when i applied the fuel to it there was an air lock preventing proper firing. am i way off base? well i guess if i get a 13/16 socket tighten the plug, and drain the carbs and try again it should start.

Was it an air locK? I've never heard of that. I know that if your petcock leaked and filled your cylinders with fuel, it'll barely crank and you can damage the engine. Pull the plugs, then turn the engine over, it could be fuel. Otherewise, next scenario is you're trying to start it without using the "choke" (enrichening circuit, S on your choke lever). They need to be fully choked, no throttle applied to start, in other words, choke all the on, don't touch the throttle, turn the key on, hit the start button and it should fire.

[chuck hahn]

I took the hissing air sound as a possible loose plug. But all good points here, so check it all over well.

[chuck hahn]

Kill switch in the RUN position????

[koolaid_kid]

Chuck, they're 13/16. A 15/16 will just round the edges of the plug.

That bike uses a D8EA, which is 18mm. Same as my GS.

[cid]

Kill switch in the RUN position????

Um yes thank u

[chuck hahn]

Does it work right?? One of my bikes has a sticky one and I had to click it on and off a few times to get it to work..now I never touch the kill switches. They are on and working so i leave them alone.

[DanTheMan]

That bike uses a D8EA, which is 18mm. Same as my GS.

OOPS! My bad, I didn't think Suzuki had changed sizes until later in the '80s.

[cid]

Does it work right?? One of my bikes has a sticky one and I had to click it on and off a few times to get it to work..now I never touch the kill switches. They are on and working so i leave them alone.

At least I think it works. Is there a way to check?

[chuck hahn]

Well if its in the run position and you have spark then i would say its good. Im not an electrical genius, but maybe someone can post how to check it easily with a multimeter. Also if its bad I dont think the bike will even crank. Has been years since i have messed with it so I will admit that i have forgotten if it will or wont crank with it off ( or bad ).

[koolaid_kid]

The bike will not even attempt to crank if it is OFF.
One can assume that you are getting air since it starts and runs for a few seconds.
The only other two things it could be is fuel or spark.
I would do this: Once it starts, runs, then dies, check for spark at the plugs.
The easiest way to do it is take a spark plug, plug it into one of the wires, ground the base of the plug against the engine or frame, and hit the start button. If it turns over and there is no spark, it is your ignition. If it turns over and there is spark, it is your fuel system. If it does not turn over at all, it is your wiring/kill switch/battery/solenoid.