spark plugs

[johnbirchjar]

Well the new coils don't seem to have cured my "cooked plugs"problem (see previous post on "Bogus Plugs")so as an experiment I have taken plugs from the Classic (which must be about 4years old,so hopefully before the latest bogus plugs appeared on the market)and fit them in the Commander, I am also going to fit an extra "Earth Strap"(something Paul Rolf said ages ago about "Bad Earth's" causing sparking prob's)I will report anon,ride safe,J.B.

[johnbirchjar]

Further to my previous post,had a bit of a "surf" and found a company(Motor Cycle Spark Plugs)spoke to a very obliging young man,who looked through his "Plug Book"and seemed to think that "Champion 8654's" would be the replacement for NGK C8E's,I have ordered a couple(about eleven quid with postage,well worth a try at that price )
I have a biker rally to attend in Porlock the 1st weekend in July,will try the Champion plugs and report back,ride safe,J.B.

[johnbirchjar]

"Reporting Back" Got as far as the camp site at Porlock(just over 200 miles ) when the bike backfired and began to run on one "pot" (so changing to Champion plugs made no difference ) a quick change of plugs and back to running on two pots.
Doing a "spark test" with the newly removed plug revealed the old problem of the spark "sparking" around the inside of the plug instead of between the electrodes,"Carbon buildup in the plug is what's causing your problems"observed one of the onlookers,(of which there were a few )don't see how,45mpg on fuel(so the mixture must be about right) &about 400miles to the pint(800? to the ltr)of oil,which is better than the air cooled engine for oil (300 to the pint)and I never had a plug problem in 60,000miles ,(probably about 10,000miles per pair)one of the guys had a bit of a "serf"on his "posh" phone,found a website for "Plugs for ALL Nortons",and it recommended C7E's for Commanders(I've never heard this before but I am getting pretty desperate now)so I am going to put a couple of those in and report back.
Comments and observations from fellow Commander owners would be most welcome ,ride safe,J.B.

[andy588tt]

Hi

When we had the Commanders the only plugs we fitted was the NGK C8 cheap and reliable at about £2.20 each, give a good thrash now and then they won't whisker up, On my F1 I thought we had a bad batch of plugs because one side kept failing, about 350miles and that was it n/s stopped until a new plug was fitted. One day it stopped and my plug trick would not work, I fitted a new coil and its great again.

Happy Days

Andy

[Anthony Duffield]

John,

I use NGK C8E and CR8E

My Commander NS (left hand side) plug oils up if I'm stuck in slow moving traffic for a long time, reason is that the NS side sucks oil from the plenum chamber and the centre plate, when running at normal speeds I do not have a problem with plugs.

The OS (right hand side) plug is never a problem.

This suggest to me a problem with your OS rotor condition or set up, carbon build up could be excessive oil not being burnt fully due to a lower than normal exhaust gas temperature (that's why my NS plug oils up) you say that having ridden 200 miles the OS plug fouled up, was your ride a 200 mile blast? was the last few miles slow running? does the OS rotor do anything other than provide a vacuum for the petrol tap?

Tony

[johnbirchjar]

Hi Tony,the last 50?miles were on single carriageway and quite slow,can't comment on road conditions for the last 2000+miles since the "Plug Problem"reared it's ugly head ,except that it was "mixed"(and like you,I have always used C8E's in both the Classic and Commander engines and rarely had a problem)
Leaving Porlock on Sunday it was the fairly slow road untill the A303 and then speeded up a bit untill the M3 & M25,(and except for the odd "40 50 60" speed restrictions was a steady old 75mph cruise,)ditto the last 16miles on the A13 to my humble abode in Benfleet,so no chance for the plug to oil up,and when I whipped them out yesterday they looked quite clean,with no sign of "Carbon Buildup"
I have disconnected the "Vacuum" system for the fuel and it is now gravity fed(and has been for the last 20odd thousand miles)though what difference this would make I have no idea .
The C7E plugs arrived this morning so I fitted them in the bike,I also checked the oil pump setting and it looked to be just a bit "rich" so I reduced it a tad,I shall report on the outcome in due course.ride safe,J.B.

[johnbirchjar]

and here's something to ponder on,I did the 2017 "Hotel Rally" in Scotland ?(about a 600mile round trip) without a plug problem,J.B.

[johnbirchjar]

Hi Tony, Reading your post again,the plug that oils can be either,with no particular bias,(this time in Porlock it was the N/Side)and the comment about "Cold running" I don't think applies to my old girl,she runs at just under 100c .J.

[mickm]

Hi J B You aren't the only one to suffer dodgy plugs. The Wiz team lost a plug in the 4 hour race. On first inspection at it looked ok, but then they saw that a small crack in the porcelain. Lost an hour spotting this.

[Anthony Duffield]

John,

"Cold running" I don't think applies to my old girl,she runs at just under 100c

There is a difference between cooling water temperature and exhaust gas temperature, anyway let us know how you get on with the new plugs.

Tony

[johnbirchjar]

Tony,someone else at Porlock mentioned that "Exhaust Temperatures" had nothing to do with "Water Temp's" so how do's one test the former? (Very carefully,'cos they do run bloody hot) .J.B.

[johnbirchjar]

Hi guys,re;"Oily/Carboned plugs.
Having given the problem lots of thought,I wondered"Plenham Chamber"?so off with the n/side Carb, and sho' nuff about an inch of oil in there (scavenger pipe blocked )rectified this,sucked out the oil,and hopefully all will now be well.
I am off to Cadwell on Thursday the25th ,I will of course report anon,ride safe,J.B.