spark plugs

[lowrdr18]

whats the easiest way to change the spark plugs on an 06 599 the owners manual says to take the radiator loose and that doesnt really help

[Super Sneaky Steve]

You'll have to raise or prop up the gas tank. If you look at my coolant hose video you can see how I did that. It's pretty simple, but you may have to remove a few more items as well to get at all the plugs.

When I change mine I'll for sure make a super sneaky video!

[tx_metabaron]

When I change mine I'll for sure make a super sneaky video!
That sounds good; that and a carb cleaning video would keep me busy for a couple of WE ;)

[yeroC]

Decided i'm gonna do mine myself. Have you done yours yet Steve??

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Not yet but the plugs are easy to find. Can't miss em!

[Crow]

whats the easiest way to change the spark plugs on an 06 599 the owners manual says to take the radiator loose and that doesnt really help

The manual says that, and to set down the rear of the gas tank. That really doesn't leave much room, as I found out today. I left the job for later, when I'll have more time. My next approach will be to prop up the gas tank, and that should do the trick.

Plus, I found a very good video on changing spark plugs, this one on a Honda CBR900RR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE6MaMfhkSU

[JohnG]

4k mile inspection

Bike runs nice,any one see a need to check the plugs at the 4k mile interval?

[carlitos_92]

Does the manual say to do that at 4K?

Regardless, I think if it's running well, making good power, and getting mileage "in the accepted range" I wouldn't bother. There's plenty of spark plug fun to be had at 8K, and that'll be here before you know it, right? :grin:

[JohnG]

Quote:
"Does the manual say to do that at 4K?"

Yep, says to inspect, but it's running so good, I'm not going to do it yet.

[Billy from Philly]

I screwed up. I have 11,400. miles and never replaced the plugs. The bike runs great and has no signs of needing new plugs. Purchased a set of NKG Iridium IX CR9EHIX-9 and have to get them in sometime soon, I guess.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I generally wait till I have to do the valves. So 16K will be my first change.

[JBarx]

My bike was in the shop for the "I got whacked by a van" repairs, and I already bought plugs before that so I threw them in and said "hey, while you're at it...?" I think I had 9200 or 9300 miles on it. There was no noticeable need to do it, but I thought I might as well.

But from what I've seen, you rock the fuel tank back and that should get you enough clearance to work the plugs out.

It might be a little easier if you can get enough torque with a 1/4" ratchet and some u-joints and extensions. I have an arsenal of various joints and bars from changing ignition coils in my truck (damn coil-over-plug design). You wanna talk about a nasty plug change job? That's almost $400 at the dealer. It's awful, but saves a lot of money.

[JohnG]

Thanks, for the info. Looks like I'll wait for a while!!

[GuyD]

I'm with Steve on this as I am lame enough to have the shop guys do anything to my bike besides add the damn gas, LOL. But I have 11,000 miles on my bike and it rides like it does when it had 2,500 miles and the only thing I've done is change the oil and tires. But at 16K I'll have the valves checked and the plugs changed. I'm contemplating using iridium plugs because the increased cost is pretty negligible.

[Billy from Philly]

But I have 11,000 miles on my bike and it rides like it does when it had 2,500 miles and the only thing I've done is change the oil and tires.

I have the original Michelin Road Pilots that are still in good shape with 11,400+ miles. Is that unusual ??

[w21irving]

I have the original Michelin Road Pilots that are still in good shape with 11,400+ miles. Is that unusual ??

I'm suprised. Im nearing 9k and my tires are close to about done, planning on replacing them the moment it warms up again...How deep are your treads??

[GuyD]

Getting 11K out of any tires is pretty unusual. Pilot Roads wear well but damn, that's a lot of miles out of a set of tires. If there's no wear bars showing keep riding! I have over 4K on my pilot road 2's and have plenty of tread, i figure I'll get about 9K out of them.

[Billy from Philly]

I'm suprised. Im nearing 9k and my tires are close to about done, planning on replacing them the moment it warms up again...How deep are your treads??

They have not reached the wear indicators as of yet. I figure 2 to 3,000. miles left ??? .. maybe. I am not hard on the bike. Freeway speeds upwards of 80 or 90 mph but that’s it. Rarely go above 8,000 rpm and not much in the twisties. Sounds boring eh. I have a brand spanking new set of Michelin Pilot Road 2’s sitting in the garage ready to mount when the time comes. CycleGear had a 25% off sale at there store. Grabbed em.

[carlitos_92]

They have not reached the wear indicators as of yet. I figure 2 to 3,000. miles left ???

You should try leaning in the turns sometime. Really. It's fun. :lol2:

Just kidding. My own chicken strips are w-i-d-e.

In all seriousness, tires do have a shelf life - I'd start riding like a banshee and wear the current set out so you can get the new ones on while still they have some stickiness.

[n2citrus]

Here are some scans from the shop manual...sorry some of it is fuzzy, the darn thing is over an inch thick and hard to scan!

-Michael

http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/pp110/n2citrus/Plugs001.jpg
http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/pp110/n2citrus/Plugs002.jpg
http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/pp110/n2citrus/Plugs003.jpg

[Evil Ed]

I Just changed my spark plugs in my '06 599. I made a video and I'll post it as soon as I edit it down.

[aliensk8er]

My bike was in the shop for the "I got whacked by a van" repairs, and I already bought plugs before that so I threw them in and said "hey, while you're at it...?" I think I had 9200 or 9300 miles on it. There was no noticeable need to do it, but I thought I might as well.

But from what I've seen, you rock the fuel tank back and that should get you enough clearance to work the plugs out.

It might be a little easier if you can get enough torque with a 1/4" ratchet and some u-joints and extensions. I have an arsenal of various joints and bars from changing ignition coils in my truck (damn coil-over-plug design). You wanna talk about a nasty plug change job? That's almost $400 at the dealer. It's awful, but saves a lot of money.


what kind of truck and what year and engine do u have

[JBarx]

what kind of truck and what year and engine do u have
1998 F-150 Romeo 330 c.i. (5.4L) V8, 2v, "Triton" modular. E4OD Transmission.

[Evil Ed]

Here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWVge4ynLEc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6tjMlYRfcE&feature=channel_page

[JBarx]

Dammit! Someone else with a front yoke stand that apparently has no problems with it. I'm going to get to the bottom of this sooner or later.

[Billy from Philly]

Here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWVge4ynLEc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6tjMlYRfcE&feature=channel_page

GREAT JOB ON THE VIDEO. But I had the shop change my plugs when they installed the DynoJet kit.

[carl]

Here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWVge4ynLEc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6tjMlYRfcE&feature=channel_page

"Metal makes tedious tasks look fun"

HAHA.

[Evil Ed]

What's wrong with your stand?

[Evil Ed]

Oh and Billy, Why did you install a Jet kit? After market pipe?

[Billy from Philly]

Oh and Billy, Why did you install a Jet kit? After market pipe?

I cut 3.5 inches off the Micron (it was just way to long) and wrapped the inside pipe with metal tape (just wanted it LOUD). I figured that I screwed up the factory tune and so to make sure I was not burining up my engine, I added the K&N and went for the DynoJet kit. Otherwise, I would have just kept it stock. But it starts much easier when cold and seems to have more touque at all rpms. So all and all it was a good move.... I guess ??

[MitchAnstey]

So this afternoon I had decided that I was going to do a little housekeeping with the bike. I worked up the nerve to actually go into the more sensitive parts of my bike and replace the spark plugs.

I have to give big props to Evil Ed for saving my butt. I also had the problem of getting my spark plug nut and spacer caught in the bike in that infamous #2. I followed his instructions and everything worked out just fine. Phew! Thanks Evil Ed!

And thanks to Steve of course for giving me the courage and the knowledge to do this stuff. Without his videos, I definitely would never step anywhere near this kind of work. They're a big safety net.

These two pictures were taken by my girlfriend right when I realized what I had done.
http://img188.imageshack.us/i/img2045g.jpg/
http://img194.imageshack.us/i/img2046h.jpg/

Once I had put everything back together, I let my girlfriend take one more. That's relief in my face, not constipation.
http://img132.imageshack.us/i/img2052.jpg/

[91_4x4runner]

Funny enough, I just did my spark plugs this evening too. I fought with it for a while before I found a winning socket combination. By using a 5/8th's (3/8" drive) spark plug socket attached to a universal joint (swivel thingy) attached to the shortest 3/8th's Craftsman extention, I was able to get spark plugs 2 and 3 out without a hitch. The entire job probably took an hour and a half because of all the fiddling I did initially. I'd wager it'd take about 30 minutes next time...

[panagiotis]

took sparks out and inspected them as bike was difficult to start.. (eliminated battery & fuling first)

didnt have much of an issue especially as i had the Honda tool in my toolkit?

dont you guys have this also?

[Sundog]

yeah, I use the tool kit tool, it's just the right size for the job and has that hinge in the middle which makes it easy to get on the two middle plugs.

I haven't watched the videos, so I'm probably repeating a lot of info, but here is my plug replacing procedure:

1. At the short plastic tube that connects the left side carb to the engine block, loosen the metal band that tightens the tube onto the carb, and rotate the band down so that the tightening bolt and sharp ends of the band don't get in the way. If you don't do this, as you move the tank back the sharp corners of the band will chew up the fuel line where it connects to the petcock. This may be a problem specific to '04. You could also pull off the fuel line.

2. Remove the bolt securing the end of the fuel tank.

3. Pull the tank backwards, then lift up slightly to give you more room over the plugs. You don't need to remove it entirely, and you don't need to remove any hoses, unless you want to.

4. Pull the plug wires and remove the plugs with the toolkit tool and a small wrench. I like make sure the area is clean before unscrewing the plugs, so I don't accidentally brush crud into the cylinders. I also fill the holes with paper towels if it's windy out.

5. Replace plugs and apply 9 lb-ft of torque. That isn't much.

6. Look for the numbers on the spark plug wires and make sure they go back on right. You have to push them pretty hard to get them to pop on completely. When there isn't a gap between the rubber skirt and the metal below, they're on tight.


BTW, I recommend anyone who doesn't have the tool kit pick one up at bikebandit.com for $20. Especially if you do any long trips. The tools aren't very high quality, but they're designed just right for what they're needed for on the bike.

[JHenley17]

How many bolts hold the tank on, and where? I managed to change 1, 2 (with a lot of patience) and 4 without moving the tank, there was no way in hell I was going to get to 3.

[carlitos_92]

How many bolts hold the tank on, and where? I managed to change 1, 2 (with a lot of patience) and 4 without moving the tank, there was no way in hell I was going to get to 3.

I thought it was two, right where the tank meets the seat. Gotta take the seat off, natch.

[Sundog]

After the side covers are off, there is just one bolt at the rear of the gas tank. The front of the tank has c-shaped brackets that slide onto rubber "plugs". Unbolt, and slide the tank back with a side-to-side motion until the brackets slide off the rubber, then you can set the tank with the c-brackets resting on top of the rubber. Watch out for your fuel line if you haven't removed it - I just replaced mine because I had scraped it up while moving the tank back.

[Asphalt_in_SF]

They have not reached the wear indicators as of yet. I figure 2 to 3,000. miles left ??? .. maybe. I am not hard on the bike. Freeway speeds upwards of 80 or 90 mph but that’s it. Rarely go above 8,000 rpm and not much in the twisties. Sounds boring eh. I have a brand spanking new set of Michelin Pilot Road 2’s sitting in the garage ready to mount when the time comes. CycleGear had a 25% off sale at there store. Grabbed em.

11K is impressivo even with conservative (proper) street riding. I bet you're looking forward to those PR 2's. I put on BT016 a few months back and I was surprised at how slippery they were before a quick scrub. The rear slipped several inches on a dry surface in the middle of a slow turn, so heads up.

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_I_scrub_in_new_tires%3F

[mykel_jm]

When changing the plugs on the 599, do I have to set the gap on the plug?

[JHenley17]

It's a good idea to check it before you install them. They'll likely be within spec, but it takes 2 seconds to check them and it's the only way you can be completely positive.

[Pyxlwyz]

I changed my plugs for the first time today. I was putting it off, thinking it may be a major hassle, considering you have to move the tank, but in the end I was surprised. This thread and Evil Ed's video was amazingly helpful. I used the stock NGK plugs. The job was fairly simple and only took about 35 minutes. There were a few confounding moments wrestling the plug wires out of #2&3, but with some wiggling they came out fine. The Honda "tool" is a life saver.

Once it was all buttoned up, I took it for a test ride and WOW! :shock: The throttle response is so much better... much more snappy. It's probably psychological, but the bike feels like it makes more power. :)

PS. For the record my old plugs were nice and tan, so no worries there.

[JohnG]

2006 Changed plugs-took tank completely off and a couple of other connections, just easier with it out of the way. did not touch loosen or have to remove anything on the cooling system....btw plugs looked fine.

[Iowa599]

I've did the plugs awhile ago. I pulled the tank completely (had to drain it anyway, I was being dumb and put diesel in it, lol). I took the coils off, and just used a 3/8" extension, ratchet, and socket. No swivel/knuckle joints required. It looked harder than it was.

BTW, I cleaned up my fouled plugs and stuck them under the seat, so the next time I do something that stupid I don't end up stranded.

[a4naught]

1. At the short plastic tube that connects the left side carb to the engine block, loosen the metal band that tightens the tube onto the carb, and rotate the band down so that the tightening bolt and sharp ends of the band don't get in the way. If you don't do this, as you move the tank back the sharp corners of the band will chew up the fuel line where it connects to the petcock. This may be a problem specific to '04. You could also pull off the fuel line.

Yep. I did that when I changed mine. Had to buy another fuel line, which was a b*tch to get installed back in the tiny recesses. Even with my tiny vice fingers/hands. I discovered this moving of the sharp band corner after the fact. Didn't have the guts to pull the hard-to-get hoses underneath the tank, it was such misery with the fuel line. Tried half-heartedly, but when one wouldn't come, I had evil visions of more mishaps.:shock:

[camelgrassjuice]

I changed mine a couple of weeks ago. A lot easier than I thought it was going to be. I didn't fully take the fuel tank off I just lifted it up and that was enough clearance for me. I used the spark plug tool in the tool kit and it worked just fine. I have skinny hands which helped but I don't imagine larger hands would make too much of a difference. Overall, pretty easy.

[joeyvdb]

Is this the right spark plug tool?

http://www.bikebandit.com/motion-pro-4-stroke-spark-plug-tool

[Iowa599]

That's just a spark plug socket with a 'wobble' extension. Typically, a standard spark plug socket (snap-on, craftsman, benchtop) will work. The wobble extension might help, but I did not need it. If you think you do need the wobble extension, they are available from most tool manufacturers.

It does claim to be a 'thin wall' I can't comment on the need for that. I used my 5/8" Snap-On without problems. While Snap-On and other professional grade tools tend to have thinner sockets, I don't recall the plug-well being a particularly tight fit.

[Sundog]

Is this the right spark plug tool?

http://www.bikebandit.com/motion-pro-4-stroke-spark-plug-tool

For a similar amount of money I would recommend getting the OEM tool kit:
(click on "tools and manual", then click the diagram)
http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/2004-honda-motorcycle-cb600f/o/m1972
Which includes a good spark plug socket, #8 on the diagram. It's no snap-on, but for a tool you use less than a few times a year you don't need professional grade.