Going to change the plugs - need some tips.

[J. Kidd]

Its time for me to change the plugs. I've looked up the type to get (NGK DR8ES) for my '96 - now all that is left is pulling the old ones and installing the new ones.

I understand I'll have to loosen the side fairings. I have never taken them completely off - primarily because I've never needed to and secondarily because I didn't want to deal with removing the front turn signal indicators. Is it very difficult to remove them completely? Is there some trick to getting around those turn signal things?

Next would be removal of the gas tank. What should I know here? Is there a setting that I can turn the pet cock to and run the bike to drain the gas lines or do I just park the bike and start disassembling? When removing the tank, what should I look out for? How much gas should I expect to spill when I do this?

I'm hoping once I get these pieces off the rest will be pretty obvious.

Thanks for any tips/help/experiences anyone can offer.

-John

[md86]

Easy to do ! Check this out ....
1 Seat off
2 Take tank bolts out
3 Loosen the top few bolts on the right side fairing just enough so you can wiggle the tank up (leave the petcock on "on" , that's also "off" ) , then reach under there and disconnect the fuel lines . Might want to have a rg under there , as some gas will probably spill out .
4 Lift tank up further so you can disconnect the fuel sender line (black and yellow wire) .
5 Put tank somewhere out of the way .
-----just thought of something , if you don't have the stock airbox anymore you don't really have to disconnect anything , just turn the tank sideways across the fairing !-----
Now you're ready to pull the old plugs out . When you put the new ones back in , use a dab of anti-sieze compund on the threads , and be VERY CAREFUL not to over-tighten them !
Any questions so far ?

[Anonymous]

Go with the DR8EIX ... you'll thank me later. (iridiums)

[trinc]

i like to vacuum off the head cover so that no foreign objects fall into the cylinder - i also stick the vacuum hose over the spark plug holes ( with the old plugs still in ) so that any debris thats down there will be removed.

tim

[J. Kidd]

Thanks guys! I was hoping it would be that simple. Sounds like you don't even have to take the fairings all the way off - just loosen the top bolts.

Kickit, why do you suggest the Iridiums? Do you notice a performance difference? Longer life? Better fuel mileage?

From the research I've done here it seems there isn't much of a difference unless you've been having a plug fouling problem.

[Anonymous]

http://www.spark-plugs.co.uk/pages/technical/iridium_spark_plugs.htm

From my experience Kidd, after the iridiums were in my engine idles a lot better, sounded better at speed, and was generally smoother....although this all could have been a spark plug placebo effect, but I think they were worth it.

[The CyberPoet]

Re: Going to change the plugs - need some tips.

Its time for me to change the plugs. I've looked up the type to get (NGK DR8ES) for my '96

Slow down a second... your ride profile says an '95, but your post says a '96. I mention this because 96 is the cross-over year that the Kats went to the new-style plug, which has a smaller diameter (NGK CR9EX). If it's a 95, the plugs you got are right -- if it's a '96, it should take the other plugs.

As for the irridium debate, IMHO, they only make a difference in engines that aren't in good tune to begin with -- if the engine has been perfectly behaved and not running rich/lean, you'll be just as well served by the stock plugs and save yourself some $$.

KNOW THIS:
Many auto parts stores can get the NGK or may even carry them already, and usually at prices that put MC dealers to shame.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[J. Kidd]

Whoa! I don't know where that '96 came from. The bike is in fact a '95 Katana GSX600F. The Clymer manual I have confirms that the NGK DR8ES is the correct plug. Thanks for pointing that out, Cyber.

I checked with local auto parts stores - no one carries it. They cross reference me to Champion or Autolite plugs which they do carry. They're not even willing to order it. Two bike shops have them at $3.00 - $3.50 per plug (for the regular ES). I can get the ES online at $2.25 (plus whatever shipping is) and the Iridiums for $6.95.

Are the Iridiums gapped to the same specs as the regulars (.026")?

I'm not sure if the Iridiums would last longer and/or be worth it. I'm looking at $12-$14 locally for ES's and over $30 for Iridiums.

[The CyberPoet]

Are the Iridiums gapped to the same specs as the regulars (.026")?

All the NGK plugs should be pre-gapped for your use and need no adjustment at time of installation, unless you drop one without the cardboard around the tip.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Morrolan]

All the NGK plugs should be pre-gapped for your use and need no adjustment at time of installation, unless you drop one without the cardboard around the tip.

Yeah, they should be, but I just changed mine today, and 2 of them weren't quite right. Suzuki tech manual calls for gap of .6 - .7 mm, but these two were barely .4 mm on one side. No biggie with a gap tool, but don't take for granted that they're correct out of the box.

On the upside, the old plugs looked pretty good, which, as I understand it, is a good sign that things within the engine are mostly as they should be?

Oh, and MD - your post on how to do this quickly & easily was invaluable. Thanks! In fact, on my 2000, I didn't even take the tank off - just undid the back bolts, pulled the upper fairings out enough to release the little pegs & get the petcock out of the hole, and then just slid the tank back a little so I could get at the plugs.

[The CyberPoet]

On the upside, the old plugs looked pretty good, which, as I understand it, is a good sign that things within the engine are mostly as they should be?

Yes, that's exactly what it means. An engine running to rich or too lean, or which is burning significant amounts of oil, will leave excessive build-up on the plugs. Healthy plugs burn off excess build-up once they come all the way up to temp, but never all the build-up (which is a big part of why they get changed). Finding them looking healthy means the combustion part of the process is well tuned (doesn't gaurantee other parts might not be experiencing problems, just that parts related to this function are working well).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[md86]

Oh, and MD - your post on how to do this quickly & easily was invaluable. Thanks! In fact, on my 2000, I didn't even take the tank off - just undid the back bolts, pulled the upper fairings out enough to release the little pegs & get the petcock out of the hole, and then just slid the tank back a little so I could get at the plugs.

It really IS a very simple operation when you know the shortcuts ! Takes me less than 30 mins in a parking lot start to finish including the time it takes to dig out the tools !