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Buell Forum » 1125R Superbike Board » Archive through September 30, 2011 » Bad impression with iridium spark plugs « Previous Next »

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Zecca
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 10:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Saturday I changed the the original spark plugs by iridium..

The bike had less vibration in the engine! That makes no sense !?!!?

I felt loss of torque at low and medium rpm

the gap is 0.8

http://img8.rivercrane.jp/photo/article/35/1242457 550035L.jpg

the compression ratio could have been lessened? by the difference in electrode size and quantity

or is that irrelevant?
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Boogiman1981
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 10:53 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

wrong spark plugs... the motor was designed for the open top ones. you are not getting the same combustion properties.
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Zecca
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 11:55 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

can damage the engine?
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Boogiman1981
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 12:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

don't know enough about the difference in the combustion profile to answer that question definitely but i would get the correct plugs in there soon.
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Sparky
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 04:13 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

0.8 what units gap? Maybe you meant 0.080 inch (eighty thousandths) and if you did, why set it there?
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Syonyk
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 04:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My guess is 0.8mm.

According to The Google:

0.8 millimeters = 0.031496063 inches

A bit small for a modern ignition system... what's the stock gap?
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Boogiman1981
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 04:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

i wanna say 60thou per side? may not be remembering correctly though
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Zecca
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 05:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

original is 0,8 or 0,032 inches
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1_mike
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 06:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The Iridium ground strap is far enough over that the spark is unshielded almost as far as the stock plug.

Why the loss in power....recalibrate your butt dyno...?

The only difference is the electrons are "suppose" to travel easier in the fine wire electrode. This is the reason they were trimmed way down from their original design years ago.
Both the diameter of the center and the tip of the ground strap has also been trimmed way down.

Though....many high perf. auto ignitions recommend "not" using them in high performance applications. Not positive why except for the difficulty of the power traveling in that particular metal (note the "supposedly").

Mike
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Dennis_c
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 06:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I could go for less vibration but not less power. the answer to your question is ?,??
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Rsh
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 07:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I was trying to find some iridium plug info, I have not even found a listing for the 1125.
NGK has iridium plugs for the XB and Blast and older model Buell's but not the 1125, Nippon Denso same thing, no 1125 listing

What cross reference did you use?
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Boogiman1981
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 08:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

those are not the right plugs for this engine and it's combustion chamber and ignition system
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1125rcya
Posted on Monday, September 26, 2011 - 11:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Could someone put this spark plug issue to light..What kind of spark plugs can we use and gaps?
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Daggar
Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 01:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The OEM plus work great for me.
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Dcmortalcoil
Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 04:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

"those are not the right plugs for this engine ..."

Boggi, where did you hear this info?

If iridium plugs indeed are not proper for 1125 engine, I would take them out. Would like to know the source of this info though.

I've been using Denso racing iridium plug IU01-27 rear and IU01-24 front on since 2004 on my XB9, XB12ss, and 1125R with no issue.

BTW, IU01-27 crosses with NGK CR9EKB.

The main reason I use it is because it suppose to last longer. Iridium tip won't wear down as fast as a conventional plug tip.
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Boogiman1981
Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 06:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

the shape/type of electrode that the stock plugs have are what the engine was designed to use. i don't have the research at hand at the moment. however the shape of combustion chamber the compression ratio the ignition advance curves fuel timing and power output all go into making a choice on the style of plug. there also could be in our case given it's a 4 valve head and indexing issue they ran into with a standard style spark plug that didn't allow for full power and/or detonation issues. if i can find an iridium/platinum/yttrium plug with the same shape as ours i am all over it due to the longevity that those precious metals would bring until then i will keep what Rotax/Erik found was best for the helicon engines.

as for where i 'heard' it i didn't i know enough about IC engines from building and modding them for the last 15yrs to know that when a designed/engineer chooses a spark plug he does it for a reason. the brand is easily explained via marketing etc but the heat range and tip style in my experience are not due to compromises of the marketing type.
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Kicka666
Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 07:40 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

CR9EIX no probs here, it sparks & ignites the fuel on the compression stroke thats all I ask of it......
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Zecca
Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 11:15 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

we put the bike on the dyno today!

117.8 ~ 118.5hp. max torque 62 ~ 62.5
with iridium

119.9 ~120.8hp. max torque 65 ~ 66.3
using the used original spark plugs

let's do more tests using a bigger gap on the iridium! I'll post the results tomorrow..

**I remind you that all fuel in Brazil have 20 ~ 25% alcohol mixed!

may have different effects for the U.S. fuel?
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Boogiman1981
Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 11:36 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

never said bike wouldn't run however it will have an effect on it. will it ruin your engine? hopefully not.

personally changing plugs really isn't that big of a deal. about every second oil change adds maybe 30 mins to the deal.
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Zac4mac
Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - 08:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I'm at 27+k miles on Loretta.
Little riding lately but the CREs last about 10-15 k miles.

They actually wear out from the spark..

Personally, I think if you shim to "loose" with the cam shims. do a 25k service interval, not 12k, but the plugs only last 12k.

Z
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Skntpig
Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - 04:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The iridium plugs have a smaller electrode which increases the combustion chamber area.

You are lowering your compression ratio a small but measurable amount by using the iridium. I'm sure it runs a bit worse because you used the wrong plug.

(Message edited by skntpig on September 28, 2011)

(Message edited by skntpig on September 28, 2011)
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