| Author | Message | ||
     Tornado |
I was planning to upgrade the coil on my 1999 M2 to a Screamin' Eagle. I noticed that now the sparkplug recommended is cooler than what was stock on my bike due to overheating issues. Would this cause the bike to run hotter? I've done the standard carb tuning mods as well as putting on a Force air cleaner and exhaust. Thanks! | ||
| Reepicheep |
I don't believe you will see any performance improvement from the high power coil. To get much more power from an M2, you would probably be best off saving your money and getting a set of ported heads and modified cams. Do you have the updated front exhaust mount, the updated primary shoe tensioner, and are you running your belt "scary loose"? Those were the best performance improvements I made to my Cyclone (as when it is sitting in the garage covered in penetrating oil, it ain't going nowhere fast)... | ||
| Djkaplan |
A coil capable of producing more voltage won't cause your engine to run hotter. It will, however, wear the sparkplug electrodes out faster. | ||
| Buellistic |
Shorten the sparkplug wires as much as you can ... Gap your sparkplugs to 0.030 inch ... Run the right heat range sparkplug in each cylinder ... Use electric grease ... The econo "PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT" which saves the BIG $$$.$$ !!! | ||
| Hans |
Buellistic: There you are saying something: "Gap your sparkplugs to 0.030 inch." That was exactly the gap of my Bosch plugs, right from the factory. I did my best to bend the side electrode in a nice curve, regapping them to the recommended 0.40 inch. I could get them only in a full 12 piece box and I spend some time to regap them all very precisely till 0.04 inch. Why now 0.30 inch ? Another thing: The direction of the gap toward the inlet makes a difference. My rear cylinder needed always e few turns before it fired, while the front cylinder fired already at the second turn. I found out that the plug in the rear cylinder was placed exactly with its "back" to the inlet. The side electrodes are placed at random, looking at the beginning of the screw thread. Swapping the front and rear plugs made my bike a better starter. None is now exactly pointing with its back to the inlet. Aaron had already tested that the placing of the gap makes no difference in power. Good. But I keep my point, that starting can be approved by avoiding the most unlucky situation: With the gap looking precisely away from the inlet. Hans | ||
| Buellistic |
Hans: "DISCLAIMER": IMHO The direction of the gap(curved electode on sparkplug) towards the inlet(INTAKE VALVE)makes a differance ... "YES", it does an that is called "INDEXING"(remember the DEVEL is in the DETAILS) ... "CHAMPION SPARKPLUGS" are the BEST ... "BUT", if "i" can not get the heat range needed "i" am not beyond going to another sparkplug manufacturer ... They can be bought at any MOM & POP AUTOMOTIVE PARTS STORES in the U.S.A(they know and will get you what you want) ... H-D sparkplugs are made by "CHAMPION" ... You can even buy the HOTER HEAT RANGE sparkplugs from Wal-Mart which are made by "CHAMPION" if you know what you are looking for ... In BUELLing LaFayette | ||
| Tornado |
Thanks for all the good info! I guess that means I save $50.00. I've indexed my plugs for years, although I've never been able to tell the difference either. | ||
| Buellistic |
Tornado: It is just one of those small details(indexing) ... | ||
| Bomber |
indexing will show up at the strip, if the rider is consistant enough (I'm not either ;-} ) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Isn't indexing the part where you burn your finger prints off your index finger because you were not patient enough to wait for the motor to cool before replacing your plugs? I've done that for years as well.  | ||
| Djkaplan |
"I've indexed my plugs for years, although I've never been able to tell the difference either." I never noticed a difference either, but I bet it helps in higher performance applications. Nice to hear from you, Hans! | ||
| Ryker77 |
index washers come in flat or tapered. I assume flat washers is what I need to buy? | ||
| Hans |
Ryker77: Yes, flat washers. But as written: You can just swap front and rear plugs. The exact position doesn`t matter, as long as the plug is sitting not exactly with its "back" to the inlet IMO. Hans | ||
| Jayvee |
"Run the right heat range sparkplug in each cylinder ..." This implies the front cylinder has a different spark plug than the rear? Is that what you're saying? What's the number (spark plug model) that is recommended? My other question is, what direction is the intake valve? (I've never had my heads off...) Is there any easier to locate reference point visible from the outside? | ||
| Hans |
Rear and front cylinder have the same plugs. But the side electrodes are placed at random, looking at the beginning of the screw thread. So, if one is sitting in the most unlucky position, swapping front and rear will give you big chance that none is sitting now in the unlucky situation, with its back to the inlet. You can mark the plug while still in the cylinder. When you pull the plug you can see the position of the gap in the cylinder. The inlet valves are where the mixture enters the cylinder: From between the cylinders. So: At the front of the rear and the back of the front cylinder. Best advise in any case: Buy the Service Manual for your bike model : It is worth its high price. The advise for the spark plug has been changed since the Cyclone in 2000 came out. It is now: 10R12. See next Service Bulletin http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/bulletins/Overheating.pdf There are alternative brands of course, but I have not a list by hand. Hans | ||
| Buellistic |
Save the 6R12's because if one of the cylinders runs too rich or the 10R12 is too cold you will need one of them ??? | ||
| Jayvee |
D'oh ! the intake manifold ! The plug gap should point to the intake manifold, of course. I can just use a magic marker to mark where the electrode comes off the plug body, and then make sure the mark is oppositest it can be from the intake manifold. Right? | ||
| Hans |
Right. But it is already good enough when the gap is not pointing exactly away from the inlet. So you can try another plug (of the same heat range of course), when the gap is pointing exactly away from the inlet. The ground electrodes are welded at random on the plug body: So plugs of the same kind are not identical. Hans |
