Re-Vamping a fouled plug?

[cjreeder]

I don't know what exactly it is that constitutes a fouled spark plug (other than it don't work anymore). But if I want to ride at all in the next ten days, I need a no-cost way to talk a fouled spark plug into sparking again. Suggestions? :)

 

[Papakeith]

Soak it in vinegar overnight. Then rinse it with carb cleaner. Doing that, will remove some of the deposits and allow it work again.

 

[MikeT]

Originally posted by Papakeith
Soak it in vinegar overnight.

Hey Papa, you some sort of chemical engineer or somethin?? :thumb:

 

[atc3434`]

As far as I know, and that isn't far... a fouled spark plug never works very well again. I think its one of those, you can get it running, but its going to happen again type things. But then again, I'd try the vinegar, because I wouldn't let a fouled plug stand in the way of me riding either! 3 feet of snow is standing in my way now... and good tricks for that Papakeith??? ;)

 

[Hucker]

I think it depends if its a resistor based plug or not. If your running a BR8ES or something, forget it. But a B8ES? Might work.

 

[jboomer]

One of the big mags just did a write up on that ski you attach to your front wheel! You might want to look into that atc! Of course you would have to give us all a ride report too.

 

[atc3434`]

Its funny, hour and a half after replying last to this thread, I fouled a plug of my own! Figures huh! I knew it was a curse to come in here!!! J/k. As for the ski for the front of the bike... NO! You try it first... then I'll consider it ;)

 

[jboomer]

No snow in sunny Florida! ;)

 

[Psalm31.24]

I've had some luck this way . . . soak in fuel or premix, dry with compressed air (use your own breath if you're at the track/on the trail), sand off as much build up as possible. soak/rinse again, then dry again. It's worked most of the time for me. NExt time I'll try vinegar and carb cleaner, I always learn something here!

 

[kevinkdx]

Or if you're lucky like me, you just go to the shop and use the spark plug cleaner that runs on compressed air.

 

[cjreeder]

So does a plug have to be dry to work?

 

[cjreeder]

Ok, here's my take on spark plugs, after trying to re-vamp them.

1. Carbon is conductive. Therefore, a carbon-covered ceramic insulator is an easier path to ground than is jumping the 0.6mm or so gap. So you get no spark at all.

2. Carbon is hard. Vinegar seems to take it off the metal just fine, probably because it slowly eats the metal underneath and then the carbon flakes off. But vinegar doesn't get it off the ceramic. Scraping it with a fork has no effect either
, but a good rubbing of sandpaper (if you can get it down in there) turns your ceramic whitish again, which hopefully means it's good as new. We'll find out tomorrow if they work or not.

 

[Jaybird]

Many times you can take a fouled plug and insert it in a warm, properly jetted, bike and start it up. It will often times clean up the plug. I never trust previously fouled plugs though.

 

[bscottr]

Buy 1.5 gallons less gas than you normally would and get a new plug. :thumb:

Car Quest or Autozone….$2.25 BR8ES

 

[cjreeder]

You guys are right. My almost new looking sanded plugs spark orange instead of blue, and the bike wouldn't start :( Time to break down and buy new ones.

 

[atc3434`]

Yeah, I fooled with the one I fouled the other day cause all this talk of revamping one got me thinking... same thing... wouldn't fire up. New BR8ES took care of that though, $2.37 at Napa. RM's all set to hibernate the rest of the winter now. Drained the gas, ran it till it used what was left in the carb, then a little motor oil, just half a capfull, into the cylinder head, push it over a few times by hand, old nasty plug back in, and its time to SLEEP!. BTW, anybody have good secrets for changing the plug on a 94 RM125? I ended up yanking the gas tank, I couldn't get the new one in. :)

 

[cjreeder]

According to the NGK web site, you can clean a dry-fouled plug and get it to work again, but if it's wet-fouled you just have to buy a new one. I don't know how to dry-foul a plug (or even exactly what that means), but I'm most certain mine are of the "wet-fouled" variety.

Same thing with my 81 KX 420, it's a pain because I have to pull the tank each time.

 

[cjreeder]

So I went down to Wal-Mart and got a two-pack of AutoLite 63 spark plugs for $1.94. Do you guys know anything about Autolites?

 

[MikeT]

I know some guys who swear by the Autolites. They work fine for them. I don't think they would be any problem at all.

 

[atc3434`]

We call the slow guys at that track Autolites ;) But I actually think they work fine. I still swear by NGK, bike's made in Japan, it wants plugs from Japan. I think that fact is why it likes to dump its rider a lot, not made Japan, 100% American :)

 

[gwcrim]

Anytime I've ever used Autolite plugs, the tip corrodes and adheres to the clip inside the plug wire boot. I've ruined more than one plug wire that way. The tip of them must be steel, not aluminum or whatever other plugs use. I avoid Autolite plugs like the plague.

 

[Jaybird]

Shop for NGK's. You can get them for the same money as Autoblights.

 

[Rooster]

I get my NGK's at $2.00 a piece. I change plugs just about every time I get the chance. It's much better to change a plug in the parking lot/pits because you want to, than it is to change a plug on the trail because you have to.