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Author Topic: Stumbling and coughing  (Read 5290 times)

Offline beemrdon

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 470
Stumbling and coughing
« on: March 10, 2016, 08:33:24 PM »
My K11 LT has been sputtering accelerating from a low RPM for a few weeks lately. It had gotten progressively worse until I was afraid to ride it anywhere. A few days ago the temp got high enough so that I felt OK with doing a little investigation.
The first thing I checked was the spark (spark-fuel-air) and what better place to start than the spark plugs. As soon as I took the outside plate off I found the problem. Three of the 4 plug caps were so loose that the only reason they didn't fall off is that they couldn't go back any further with the outside plate in place.
I changed the plugs, which were a nice mocha brown but worn, and cleaned out inside the caps with a Q-tip and a can of contact cleaner spray. Lots of build up in there like you would see on a neglected car battery terminal post.
I installed the new NGK DR7EA plugs with a small bit of dielectric grease on the cap ends and a touch of copper anti seize on the threads and then went for a ride.
The difference in power is like I just bolted on a turbo.
The moral of the story is to push the plug wire caps in there hard so that they are less likely to vibrate loose.
BTW, just for the record, the PO installed the plugs last time.     :bmwsmile
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  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline WayneDW

  • ^ SuperNatural Motobricker
  • Posts: 638
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2016, 08:44:05 PM »
Glad it worked out for you.  Addendum: some times the spark plugs don't have the screw on caps and the wires are just stuck onto the threaded bolt.  I found this out from personal experience.  If the new spark plugs don't have the caps, you need to swap them out from the old plugs.
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  • Minneapolis, MN, USA
  • 1992 K75RT

Offline beemrdon

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 470
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2016, 08:50:59 PM »
Yeah, had to use the old ones. One of them wouldn't come off so I used 2 pair of vice grips and ripped it out of the plug. I think Bosch still sells plugs with the end caps though.
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  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2016, 09:23:21 AM »
Contact NGK customer service in Michigan and mention that you need the terminal nuts for the BMW K bike plug wires.   They sent me a dozen.  If more people bothered them about the nuts, maybe they'll start including them. 
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  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline beemrdon

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 470
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2016, 10:15:39 AM »
I've thrown so many of those things out with old spark plugs over the last 33 years when changing them out on my R90/6. Never thought they'd become important. They sell on Ebay for $0.66 ea.( ? ).
I think they are still included with Bosch plugs. I bought NGK's.
I might just go back to Bosch.
According to the parts guy at NAPA, NGK used to include them. He was surprised when he opened up a couple of boxes that they were not there. I smell accountants at work at NGK.
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  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline beemrdon

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 470
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2016, 10:48:16 AM »
I just got done talking with NGK technical support. The person there told me that the NGK DR7EA is not the plug to be used but to get the DR7EB which has the cap style end that BMW uses. It is not a removable end but is built in to the plug for high vibration applications (I guess that would be a K) so that the caps can't come loose.
They are going to send me some end caps in the mail...
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  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline Martin

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  • Posts: 4475
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2016, 04:29:06 PM »
Every time I tried to by Bosch plugs I have been unable to remove the nuts. And due to this fact they are not compatible with my NGK leads.
A still doomed Martin.
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  • North Lakes Queensland Australia
  • 1992 K75s Hybrid, Lefaux, Vespa V twin.

Offline beemrdon

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Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2016, 05:51:07 PM »
Martin, just use the NGK DR7EA's with the threaded ends. :dunno
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  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2016, 05:53:29 PM »
Quote from: beemrdon on March 11, 2016, 10:48:16 AM
I just got done talking with NGK technical support. The person there told me that the NGK DR7EA is not the plug to be used but to get the DR7EB which has the cap style end that BMW uses. It is not a removable end but is built in to the plug for high vibration applications (I guess that would be a K) so that the caps can't come loose.
They are going to send me some end caps in the mail...

That's what they told me.  I wonder when they are going tp update their application data that calls for the DR7EA. 
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  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline beemrdon

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 470
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2016, 06:02:56 PM »
I asked them about that and they told me that it's up to BMW to tell them...truly a lame excuse. So I suggested to them to get in touch with BMW to set things straight. ... nothing but a very loud silence on the line. :beatdeadhorse:
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  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.

Offline Martin

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  • Posts: 4475
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2016, 11:40:06 PM »
Don the NGK's are all that I have ever used, due to the Bosch plugs not having a removable nut. I have been told that you can get them, but I have yet to see them possibly Ozzie urban myth. :dunno
Regards Martin
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  • North Lakes Queensland Australia
  • 1992 K75s Hybrid, Lefaux, Vespa V twin.

Offline beemrdon

  • ^ Proficient Motobricker
  • Posts: 470
Re: Stumbling and coughing
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2016, 05:42:09 AM »
Martin, The Bosch plugs that I use for my 1975 R90/6 have removable end caps. You might call Bosch, like I did with NGK, to see if they have a variant plug to work with your NGK plug wire set up. Otherwise, NGK are at least as good as Bosch. In my airhead, before I got a top end job, I found that they didn't foul as easily. But as they say, YMMV...
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  • The South West... best motorcycling in the US! Longest riding season = 12 months per year
  • 1996 K1100 LT SE, Aspen Silver - Now with 159,xxx miles.
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