| Author | Message | ||
     Dr_greg |
On my commute tonight, I was two miles from home when: BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP and a loss of power. WTF? Sounded like a plug came out, and sure enough, rear plug was out. At 54K miles, I've changed plugs many times and I (think) I get 'em plenty tight. Anyway, feels like the outer threads in the head are a little "worried"...enough so that I'm not confident of getting the plug started properly. Don't wanna "crank 'er in" and ruin the threads and have to repair. So...if I rotate the engine down, will I be able to get a clear view of the rear spark plug hole? I figure I can then be more confident of getting the plug aligned. No real pictures of rotated engine in the shop manual. Those of you who have rotated the engine, do you get a pretty good view of the rear plug? Thanks very much for any information. I'm still amazed the plug backed out...NEVER had that happen on any vehicle (and I'm a certified olde pharte!) P.S. I told the wife "if the Uly is toast the amount we still owe on the house is about the cost of a new GS!"...don't worry, not tempted. P.P.S. I'm planning a moto-camping trip in northern New Mexico in exactly a week...gotta get 'er done! | ||
| Rotorhead |
Had an old Kawi trail 80 that had a plug back out and hit me in the knee. I was moving right along and it came out hard enough that I have a scar on my knee today. I haven't rotated the engine yet but I would to do a good job at chasing the threads. When I replace my plugs I have noticed the rear always feels more snug than the front. Still odd having a plug back out. Maybe a compression tool with a flexible hose could chase the threads and save you time from rotating the engine. May have only buggered the last turn on the way out check compression while your at it. Could save the trip next week? | ||
| Xbimmer |
Don't want to be a voice of gloom and doom Dr_greg but plugs blow out for a reason, the one Bosch I saw blew out the center and left the threaded base in the head though. I can't see how a plug could rotate completely out of the head while attached to the plug lead. My pessimistic approach to this one would be "buggered up threads". I would follow Rotorhead's advice and try to chase the threads first, then carefully see how a new plug torques down. Rotation and head removal to fix the situation might end up being the more satisfactory solution in the long run... | ||
| Teeps |
If you're going to the trouble of rotating the engine. You might as well pull the head and do a proper thread repair; install a Time Sert. | ||
| Gamdh |
I had a front plug back all the way out... right after a dealer service (it was a while back). The threads were toast, the plug would almost drop all the way into the hole without turning. The cylindar head had to be replaced (by the dealer as warrenty work). At the time the bike only had about 12K miles on it. I'm guessing the tech messed up the threads installing the plugs. (Haven't been back to a dealer since). | ||
| Dr_greg |
Thanks guys. I'm probably going to rotate the engine, check things out, then pull the head and do it up right. Don't want to cut corners and pay later, since I intend to keep this bike forever. I'll let you know how it goes. BTW, the threads look fine; I suspect only the very last bit is deformed. Chasing from the inside out may do the job. | ||
| Bud |
don't want to crew-up your plans, but you can't rotate you engine down far enough you really have good access to the rear plug, from below, but you will have more room to get to it from above, best of luck, gr, b | ||
| Wesman |
If you do chase the threads grease up the chaser so that the shavings stick to the tool. | ||
| Dr_greg |
I'm going to remove the head and chase from inside. Don't want to take any chances. Plus the Uly is so maintenance-averse when I get the rare chance to work on it I kind of enjoy it.  | ||
| Froggy |
Damnut had the front blow out on his a year ago. He ended up swapping heads from Hammer's totaled bike. Roadside head jobs FTW   | ||
| Dr_greg |
Yikes! I'm working in a fairly benign environment. Roadside, indeed... | ||
| Xbimmer |
Interested to see how this pans out for you Dr_greg, seeing as how you have a trip planned soon.  I've been reading through the procedures myself this past week on rotation, seems my front barrel is leaking a bit at the head joint now at 51k. Figuring I'm gonna have to get a little deeper into the Uly. Any of you veterans know whether it's wise to pull the cylinder away also and replace the base gasket, since the torque is released when the head is pulled? | ||
| Ronmold |
I had to do a plug heli-coil once and duct-taped a shopvac's blow side hose to the intake. Turned crank until intake valves were wide open causing any debries from the tap to blow OUT the tap's flutes, at quite a speed, use safety glasses! Lube with a light oil like WD40 to keep the flutes from clogging. |
