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Buell Forum » 1125R Superbike Board » Archives 001 » Archive through May 04, 2009 » Spark plug cleaning procdedure « Previous Next »

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Fresnobuell
Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 05:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

okay, my non-mechanical self wants to know how exactly this works? How does the spark plug clean itself?
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Dipstick
Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 05:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Fresno, as I understand it, the plugs clean themselves by firing very rapidly (many times a second). The ECM does this on its own if several successive short trips are made without reaching normal operating temp. There is also a means to do this manually using the passing lite switch, the procedure is in the owners manual. I'm sure this feature exists because you have to rotate the engine to get to the plugs! Something you ain't going to do on the side of the road. As long as you don't blip the throttle when it's cold you should have no problems. (And I thought changing plugs on my XB12 was tough!)
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Banana_man
Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 05:59 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

After completing the sequence to perform the spark plug cleaning. The ECU fires the spark plug three or four times without injecting any fuel into the system. This is supposed to generate a spark and evaporate the fuel soaking the plug.
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Fresnobuell
Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 06:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

So its really a procedure to help a flooded engine not "clean" the plugs.
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Steeltech
Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 10:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

No, fres. The rapid firing is to burn off carbon on the electrode. It doesn't make them super clean, just clean enough to keep going.

ST
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1_mike
Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 12:45 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

BUT...if the engine is running correctly...it's a useless option...right ?

Because there's nothing to burn off!

Mike
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Fresnobuell
Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 01:30 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I saw both my plugs about 11,000 miles during some warranty work and the both looked good (lean looking combustion if anything.) There is something to letting the beast warm up before riding. I did that with my XB as well--the plugs that came out of that bike looked even better.

The bike enriches the mixture significantly when cold, so I assume that revving or riding a cold engine would burn a very rich mixture, possibly fouling the plugs if done repeatedly?
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Fast1075
Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 10:17 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Does the engine use conventional plugs, or exotic metal plugs??
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Zac4mac
Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 10:52 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My plugs at 12k were shot.
Less than half the electrode left.

The electrode is round when new, mine was an oval at the top.

Zack
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Dipstick
Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 11:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Right Fresno, bliping the throttle when it's cold could wet foul the plugs. The mechanics at my dealer hate it when a salesman fires up an XB showing it to a customer and blips the throttle when it's cold, two or three times of this and they have to change the plugs. The 1125 is probably the same in this regard. I have had no problems with my 09 1125R, other than the rear tire being gone at 2400 mi.
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Sparky
Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 02:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Fast, the 1125 uses a two ground electrode plug, NGK CR9EKB.

EKB: Erik "King" Buell? How fitting, heh heh.
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Fast1075
Posted on Monday, April 20, 2009 - 03:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thanks Sparky...but where I was going with it, is if the plugs are made of "conventional" materials a substitution with "iridium" plugs would lenghten the life by a huge factor if such plugs are available...
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Sparky
Posted on Monday, April 20, 2009 - 08:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

If you are mainly concerned about plug life and high performance, check out Torque Master plugs.

I'd go with the original type. They are virtually foul-proof by design. Those are what I've put in all my previous Buells with great results. For instance, my '96 S1 has put over 60000 miles with the same set. I'm thinking about getting a set for a new 1125R.
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Bcrawf68
Posted on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 - 12:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hey Dipstick, I couldn't find the 'passing lite switch' cleaning procedure in the manual. How do you do it?
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Dipstick
Posted on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 - 03:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Bcrawf, I couldn't find it in my owners manual either, I must have read it in the service manual. When I get home after work I'll grab it and post the procedure for you.
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Dipstick
Posted on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 - 07:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

OK heres the procedure for manual cleaning of the plugs: Repeat the following sequence 3 times:1. Roll and hold the throttle wide open.2. Turn the ignition to ON.3. Wait 3 seconds.4. Release the throttle grip.5. Turn the ignition to OFF.(I was was wrong about the passing lite thing, don't know where I got that)The service manual further states that if the ECM records 5 starts without letting the engine warm up to full operating temp. that it will automatically execute a spark plug clean before starting the engine.
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Fresnobuell
Posted on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 - 08:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Passing lite is to activate the lap timer.
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Dipstick
Posted on Thursday, April 23, 2009 - 10:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thats where I got it! I read and re-read the service manual and it never mentioned the passing lite switch anywhere in the engine or spark plug section. Thought I was losing my mind. Thanks Fresno.
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