| Author | Message | ||
     Tleighbell |
From me not the bike. Thought I would change the plugs since i have done nothing but change the oil and filter in the years i have had the Uly. I have read the manual. Are they serious? I can't even find room to get the front plug wire right off. I can just about see the rear plug wire with the airbox base off but no idea how to get the plug wire off, or a plug socket or a new plug in there. Is there a trick to this (other than the wobble socket and 3/8 fuel line to hold the replacement plug)? Also, is it possible to replace the spark plug wires without removing the engine? It's always hard the first time. | ||
| Tootal |
Remove the left air scoop below the fuel frame. The front is easy. The rear plug wire can be tough. They make a forked tool for doing this or you can make one. The rear plug does require a U-joint but isn't that bad. Fuel line works good for the new plug. Also anti-seize on the threads is a good idea. | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
Do the front like Tootal suggested and remove the airbox stuff and do the other plug and wires from there. Also a good reason to clean the airbox base and filter. | ||
| Griffmeister |
And make sure you start the plug by hand and can get numerous turns in before grabbing a wrench. The last thing you want to do is cross thread them. Yeah, the front’s easy with the scoop off, the rear’s a beech. Helps to put a little dielectric grease on the inside of the boot, makes it slide easy over the plug so you can hear and feel the wire clip snap into place. Must snap into place. A long reach bent tip needle nose pliers might help with the rear, but I won’t guarantee it. | ||
| Hughlysses |
The trick with starting the rear plug is to use a length of hose. Get a ~1 foot length of gas hose of the appropriate size that will fit over the spark plug insulator, insert the plug into it and thread it into place. Like Griffmeister said, make sure it threads in straight and all the way in before you put a socket on it. I always use anti-seize, but I’ve found that too much can cause issues just like none at all. Excess anti-seize hardens with heat and can make the plugs hard to screw out. I apply a little to the threads with a finger tip and then wipe the threads lightly with a rag. That leaves enough to protect the threads without caking up. | ||
| Tleighbell |
Thanks guys. Got a spark cable puller and magnetic wobble socket with 11 inch extension and got 'er done. The rear turned out to be a breeze, the wobble socket worked much better than fuel line for threading the plug back in. The front was actually more difficult, finding room to get the plug cap off, socket over the plug and socket and plug back out. Only 1 issue on the front plug: it has a little rubber thingy that goes over the insulator, kind of like a little condom, except with a hole in the end for the metal terminal to stick out so it connects to the plug wire. The plug cap was supposed to go over it but it wouldn't go back over it even with a little dielectric grease on it. So it doesn't look like the plug cap is on there properly but I'll figure it out. | ||
| Etennuly |
Front plug is much easier with a box end wrench. The rubber plug wire boot sliding back down onto the plug insulator is a pretty important thing. It is a high amp voltage that can arc and spark a long way! It can put a whooping on you if it gets to you, and it can short to ground, not firing the plug. | ||
| Tleighbell |
Thanks Etennuly. definitely don't want that. So : 1. Is there a trick to getting the rubber plug cap back over that little rubber thingy? 2: should there be one on the rear plug (i guess it is not so close to the frame)? |
