| Author | Message | ||
     Swordsman |
I know people are gonna' laugh at me about this, but could they have made the rear spark plug ANY harder to deal with?!? Gotta tear the thing all to pieces, and it's STILL nearly impossible to reach. Now that I'm finally into it, I discover that my new Splitfires are some freakish size, and I don't have a socket to fit. My 5/8 is too small, and my 3/4 is too big. The sockets I have in between aren't deep enough to reach the nut of the spark plug. Not only that, but I discover while using my 3/4 socket (a bit large, but still seems to get enough grip to tighten it down) that the 3/4 socket itself is too WIDE, and now that I've gotten it halfway in, I've wedged the socket against the head because of the angle it goes in. Sheesh! I'm not cut out OR equipped for this $#!t...! Alright, you can start laughing now. But I'm not. ~SM  | ||
| Tx05xb12s |
LOL! Being a novice mechanic,I often get frustrated like that too. I'll tell you what always makes me happy when I'm tinkering on my bike - get the right tools for the job. All of a sudden you'll realize you are enjoying yourself. Try it! If you can afford to buy $10+ sparkplugs for your baby, you can go get the right socket too. Pretty soon after a few jobs, you'll realize that working on her is a snap because you have now accumulated bike-specific tools to get the work done in style. Happy wrenching! | ||
| Tunes |
I have 5 complete sets of sockets, all different gauges, just cause of things like this... and sometimes I still have to buy a special tool/socket. Don't force it, buy the right tool. | ||
| Swordsman |
Well, after a trip to Advance Auto Parts, I now have all the junk I need. Finally got everything put back together, thank goodness! ~SM | ||
| Jackbequick |
Buy a tuber, all you need is an open end wrench and either inch or metric sizes will work. :>  Going to buy more sockets? Buy the metric ones first. They go up in increments of 1mm (about .040") whereas inch sockets (with a few rare exceptions) go up in increments of 1/16" (about .063"). You can always find a metric socket that will be close enough to work. Jack | ||
| Cliff |
Always start threading spark plugs in by hand first. If you start with a wrench you are more likely to cross thread it. The rear plug is hard to reach so I attach a piece of 3/8 hose (10 inch long ) to the end of the plug . That gives me enough reach to start the plug. If it were to cross thread , the hose will just spin on the end. Before you remove the plug, it's a good idea to use some compressed air to blow off any dirt around the plug. This will prevent it from falling into the cylinder when the plug is removed. Hope some of this helps. MaTT | ||
| Firemanjim |
Alot of sparkplugs now are 18mm,as are the NGK racing plugs in my Buell and turboed FJ. | ||
| Nasty73z |
I don't understand what all the fuss is about spark plugs on XB's. It is an under 20 minute ordeal to change both front and rear. Take off left side scoop and use a wrench for the front, and take off seat and airbox cover for the rear. A swivel and an extention and presto your done. | ||
| Fullpower |
XB spark plugs are accesible, while you are sevicing the air filter, not that big of a deal. I agree that the non standard 11/16 hex autolite and splitfire style is a great nuisance, and that is why i will not buy any splitfire crap again. If you want 5/8 hex plugs, then BUY them that way. you can get several different brands that come with 5/8 hex. among them are: H-D 10R12A Champion RA6HC Denso IXU24 (iridium) And there are some more options listed in the KNOWLEDGE VAULT. | ||
| Reepicheep |
LOL. The tuber definately has some easier bits to get at then the XB, but for the record, the plugs in my XB have lasted longer then the transmission in my tuber.  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Quit jer snivelin'! You want pain. Try changing the spark plugs on a 1975 VW Beetle! Somehow, Hitler was able to manufacture the air ducting tins around the engine completely from razor blades and downed B-17s. I still bear the scars on my knuckles, forearms, elbows, eye brow, etc. AND there were four plugs, two you could see and TWO YOU COULD ONLY GET TO IF YOU DROPPED THE FRIGGIN' ENGINE! | ||
| Nutsnbolt |
I have been there and done that with the beetle. I used to own a 71 super beetle. That was mess. I totally concur. P.S. Talk about special tools for jobs, to drop the engine on the beetle you needed a 36mm socket if I remember right. Those don't come standard in your Craftsman tool set, by the way. | ||
| Swordsman |
LOL! That's funny, Ft_bstrd. I'm thoroughly curious how you managed to get scars on your eyebrows from a Bug... wielding that ratchet with your teeth?  No problems with cross threading. I can slip my left hand in just enough from the left side to get the rear plug about halfway in. I had to make a trek to get the right tools, but once I did, it didn't take very long. The one thing that will still take some time next go-round is removing the rear cylinder plug wire. I try to be as delicate as I can, but the wire fits tight, and there's no really good way to get a grip on it. Anyway, hopefully I won't have to fool with it again for awhile! Today was very productive! I got my plugs changed, tuned my suspension (been riding with the original manufacturer's settings for 10 months now!), rerouted my breather lines to a makeshift catch can (er, hose with mini-filter), and installed a set of Dynamic Studz wired to my brake light (http://www.customdynamics.com/dynamic_studz_led_li cense_plate_bolts.htm). Also fixed a rubber popping noise in the front caused by a missing bolt on the headlight assembly, which was letting the wires twist and rub where they shouldn't, and re-bundled the cables so the steering head wouldn't pinch them against the frame anymore when turning hard left. Whew! Not half bad for a non-mechanic like myself... though much of my day was spent driving back and forth to Advance Auto to pick up new pieces for each project. Next, I'll install my brake modulator! Oh, I washed it too! ~SM | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Have you seen the VW Beetle engine removal races? You have a team that runs up to a parked Beetle, jack it up, remove the mounting bolts (4) drop the engine, drop the car, and roll across a line with the engine. I think the record is just over a minute. | ||
| Crashm1 |
"P.S. Talk about special tools for jobs, to drop the engine on the beetle you needed a 36mm socket if I remember right. Those don't come standard in your Craftsman tool set, by the way." Actually you only needed the 36mm to remove the flywheel nut. It takes a 17mm socket or wrench a couple screw drivers and about twenty minutes to remove an engine from a Beetle or Van if you're moving slow. As far as Splitfires go there is no way I will put them in anything. I have found them to be complete junk. Any engine I've found them in has run like poo. | ||
| Etennuly |
My first car was a '68 Beetle, all of those razor covers had been removed before I got it. Later I had a '74 Super and found it was best to sell it before plugs were needed(I could've been injured)  . When I remove that rear plug, I put a piece of masking tape across the socket opening. It will tighten the fit so it does'nt drop out while extracting the socket. It will work going in also, if you can't find the right size hose, just remember to be very careful starting the threads. Don't forget your "antiseaze" on the threads. | ||
| Beachbuell |
I was a wrench for many years. Let me tell you that having the proper tools for any given job means everything. If I ever needed to borrow a tool from a fellow technician more than twice, I would purchase that tool and add it to the collection. Now turning wrenches is more of a hobby for me and I have all the tools I need to work on any HD, Buell or V-rod. I have invested a lot of money in tools over the years (they ain't cheap), but I will have them forever and can work on whatever. | ||
| Tx05xb12s |
I've found that the best way to get ahold of the plug boot so you don't yank the wire out of the connector is to use a pair of pliars. Reach in there with your channel locks and grab it so you don't ruin your wire yanking on it. I also lube the boot before I put it back on so it doesn't stick to the plug and make it a pain to get back off next time. |
