Running on 3.

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magg
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Bike owned: VFR400
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by magg » Fri Sep 30, 2022 10:54 pm

Or there is an underlying issue that a change of plugs temporary covers over.

Foxy400
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Bike owned: NC35 NC29 Bonneville CBR600F4i
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by Foxy400 » Tue Oct 04, 2022 10:00 am

Weather here's been too good to work in the garage, got to make the most of it before winter creeps in. So the NC29 and Bonnie have both been out on the Cheshire highways and byways.
Next step is to get to the FR plug and see if there's a spark. Of course that'll mean shifting the upper rad again and possibly the lower one. All fun and games.
I thought something similar to your last post magg, but what sort of problem could be temporarily sorted by changing plugs? The carbs have been rebuilt twice in the last 18 months by Graeme France. The second time he found tiny traces of sediment but reckoned not enough to upset the fuelling.
The coil has been switched twice and the current one seems ok. My original TCI was diagnosed by GF as faulty and replaced with one from his own bike. That has now been superseded, at least temporarily, by the Ignitech box from Rick O.
All pretty frustrating but these things are sent to challenge us..they certainly challenge me!

magg
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by magg » Tue Oct 04, 2022 11:33 am

What engine performance characteristics would lead to a plug change. Reluctance to rev out, poor idle, misfiring etc.

Foxy400
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by Foxy400 » Wed Oct 05, 2022 2:01 pm

Until it refused to run on the front 2 cylinders it was running very well. The idle has always been a little uneven, ever since I can remember. It wobbles between 1200-1500rpm (once off the choke) until it's been on the road for a few miles, then settles down a bit, but it's never completely steady.
I must admit I've never taken it past 12,000rpm, but it was fine up to there. No misfiring.

I removed the FR HT lead and fitted a 'used' plug, leaving the current one still in the cylinder head. When tested against the engine it sparked with each press of the button. I struggled to get a 13mm deep socket plus extension bar, with ratchet attached, down the FR plug hole. I'm going to remove the water pump plug and partially drain the system so I can detach the top rad, which should allow me better access. A couple of new plugs plus copper drain plug seal are on their way from Rick O. This is a lot of palaver to switch a spark plug!

magg
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by magg » Wed Oct 05, 2022 9:33 pm

Could you be more specific as to the issues that caused you to change the spark plugs so often. Did you change all plugs or only some plugs and which ones.

Foxy400
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by Foxy400 » Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:29 pm

Just spent nearly an hour going through records and documenting the history of this bike on here, and then hit the 'submit' button only to find it's timed out!
:evil: Who knew there was a time limit?! :down:

I'll have another go but it won't be today.

magg
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by magg » Sun Oct 09, 2022 10:37 am

Understand have had same issue myself, takes awhile to get motivated to do it all again.

Vincent
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by Vincent » Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:00 pm

Pulling the front plugs doesn't have to be as hard as that Foxy!

You can pull the inspection panels off, unbolt the top rad from it's mounting points, slide it out of the way a little bit, and it's easy to get a deep socket with a universal joint attached to an extension bar down into the gap by sliding in from above the top rad.

Then just use a magnet on a stick to pull the plug out of the well once it's undone.


Also, I hear you on how frustrating the plugs are on these bikes. I've got two sets that I alternate in the bike as they foul so often when I'm messing around with new fueling setups. Once I start getting issues on one set, I pull them, put the other set in, and give the fouled ones a good clean and acetone soak, ready to go back in once the other set foul!
I also suspect I am losing a little bit of oil through the valve steam seals, which doesn't help the situation.

Foxy400
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by Foxy400 » Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:02 pm

Thanks for that Vincent. Interesting to hear about your plug issues, so it's not just mine!
I eventually summoned up the enthusiasm to dig out the front-right plug, using the method described above ie.partiallyly draining the cooling system, detaching the upper rad pipe and moving the rad as far forward as possible. It worked. The plug looked a bit oily. I cleaned it up, put it back in and reconnected the rad. That seemed to do the trick and the FR cylinder fired up. I even checked the temps of the downpipes with an infra red thermometer...and discovered that the front-left cylinder was distinctly cooler than the other 3!!! Bollox! Enthusiasm now drained away and I stuck the bike back on the Optimate and ignored it. That was over a month ago and I really need to get back to it but issues with the NC29 (almost sorted) gave me another excuse not to do it. However, once the NC29 is finished, which should be sometime next week, I will drag the 35 out of the naughty corner.

Still a bit chilly out there, even a touch of frost this morning, so I've not had a bike on the road for a few weeks but both the Gullarm and Bonneville are taxed and tested, ready to go, hopefully during next week. At the moment I'm trying to find a pair of waterproof, winter gloves that will fasten over my jacket sleeves rather than under but not look like huge gauntlets. Not as simple as you might think.

MadMotoUK
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Re: Running on 3.

Post by MadMotoUK » Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:44 pm

So you're getting oil on the plugs? You didn't mention that when we were debating over using petrol or lighter fluid on it the other week :lol:


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