About DIY Sparkplug Replacment

[DRB NW WA State]

I completed the spark plug replacement today following directions on Warchild’s website. He posted quite well-considered comments and photos. I used the newer Iridium plugs recommended on the forum, damn the cost.

Last set were replaced at 21K miles during a valve clearance check (not done by me). I’m at 38.5K miles now, so it seemed time: the bike ran just a tad rough of late. On inspection, a somewhat-dirty air filter didn’t help, either. The new plugs smoothed things out considerably when I finished the job this afternoon.

A few comments:

- This is a couple-hour job, even with the right tools. It isn’t fun but also isn’t the end of the world, if one goes in Warchild’s way (vs. the manual’s method).

- I stripped one goddam Philips bolt head on an intake funnel. They were tight and I couldn’t easily get an impactor on-target. Warchild says use a no. 2 Philips: do this! Not no. 1, not no. 3, do it right the first time. I got it out with an EZ Out, but it added an hour to the job plus the PITA factor.

- I disagree not to remove or at least loosen the top fairing sections: I removed the coils OK, but needed more room to re-seat the airbox base plus reattach the coil bolts. With a cordless drill I had the fairing panels loosened in two minutes. I don’t think it’s worth the hassle to not do this (making more work by “saving” work).

- I had room to get a torque wrench on three out of four plugs. Maybe mine’s smaller than most (sounds like a personal problem?). Not like the torque’s much to begin with, but just the same…

- The rest of Warchild’s instructions worked great, to the letter, complete with gotchas.