Replacing Spark Plugs, how hard, how to ..

Okay, doing the 24K stuff to my 2001 ST1100. Got the K&N Airfilter on no problem, changed the oil with no problem (Other than getting the stupid plastic back ON, what a PITA), changed the final drive gear oil no prob. Later this week I'll be replacing the brake and clutch fluids, first time ever doing brake fluid so that should be fun. Brake pads are all doing good.

My question is that at 24K I'm supposed to replace the plugs too. NOt a problem, got four new ones and have already gapped them. All set there. BUt, according to my Clymer, gaining access to and dealing with the two rear plugs is a royal PITA. I mean, when the Clymer book says "access and removal of the rear spark plug is challenging" ... this isn't a good sign.

SO, how hard is it to replace the spark plugs? What should I look for when doing it? ANy special tools I will need? How hard are the rear plugs to get at, to remove, to put back in?

Any and all comments are welcome. Thanks!

Clair

I haven't done mine yet, but I did look it over just after I got the bike and am just due. It didn't look like a brutal job to me at the time. Looks like a deep socket (the tool kit tool is said to work well) and various extensions. The service manual shows a box end wrench with a drop to the box.

The service manual says:
Copy taken from 91-93 Service Manual, Honda Motor Company

Remove the service cover (page 2-5)

Disconnect the spark plug caps and clean any dirt from around the spark plug bases.
Remove the spark plugs.

Visually inspect.......(copy omitted deals with plug inspection)....

For recommended spark plug, see page 1-13.

Measure...(copy omitted, deals with gaping)...

Spark plug gap: 0.8-0.9mm (0.031-0.035in)

If necessary, adjust the gap by carefully bending the electrode.

Install the spark plugs.

Torque: 11N.m (1.1kg-m, 8 ft-lb)

Connect the spark plug caps and install the maintenance cover.

Click to expand...

Not much help, huh? It really does look fairly straight forward to me.

Personal note: Per your Avatar:
Did you know that the woman in your picture has her hand on your butt? I think she likes you.

Good luck!

LOL That's my wife so yeah, I'm kinda hoping she LOVES me.

It's the access to the two rear plugs that is of more "concern". YOu have to use that little "access" panel where our knees are .. and I don't know if I need an extension or not .. could be fun. I'll post a write up after I do it.

Just changed my plugs a couple days ago... No big deal... on the back two
plugs, getting the protective boot out of the hole is the biggest problem. The
wires are just a bit "short" but there is just enough to kind of "bend" the boot
enough to get it out of the hole.. there is just a smidgen of spark plug cable
that can be gained by very gently pulling (VERY gently) where the cable comes out from under the plastic.. Just enough to get the boot out of the
way... When I removed my plugs, they were not very tight at all.. Just a bit
more than "finger" tight .... I used the spark plug tool in the Honda tool kit, worked just fine....

Putt...

Clair,

Take off the access panels and go for it... if you've worked on any modern car you've had to work in tighter places.

If you're replacing with Iridium plugs use some anti-seize compound as you're going to leave them in for a lot longer than you ever have left them in before now...

Mark

Only the side access panels have to come offse the Honda tool. Otherwise a small extension on a ratchet with a plug socket on the end of a flexible connector can be eased into the space. It is just fiddly, not hard.

I am using iridium plugs, and only plan to look at the sperkplugs when I check the valves. Even standard plugs last a very long time.

Thanks for the replies. I'm doing this tonight so I'll let you know how it goes. I'm not a wrench, never worked on cars so this is all new to me. BUt I've learned I enjoy working on my bike and want to do more. I figure if I can do it I might as well, no sense paying the dealer to do it.

I believe I have the original tool kit that came with the bike ... I bought it used but it looks like I have everything. I have already gapped the new plugs so that should be all ready to go. Hopefully this will go fairly smoothly for a newbie. I'm changing the plugs because the maint period says to ... also because I have no idea if the previous owner ever did. SO, to me anyway, these plugs have 24K miles on them so I might as well change them. That way I know for certain. I'm not sure what plugs I am using ... I just went to the local MC shop were I get most of my stuff and got the right size. SO, no idea if they are iridium or not. Didn't know enough to ask about that.

Question: How "tight" do you make the plugs when you tighten them?

Clair said:

Question: How "tight" do you make the plugs when you tighten them?

Click to expand...

As Big Tom quoted from the service manual and put in BOLD text so you wouldn't miss it:

Torque: 11N.m (1.1kg-m, 8 ft-lb)

So after you did the deed, no followup as promised. Thanks for paying it forward.

Sfroza said:

As Big Tom quoted from the service manual and put in BOLD text so you wouldn't miss it:

Torque: 11N.m (1.1kg-m, 8 ft-lb)

So after you did the deed, no followup as promised. Thanks for paying it forward.

Click to expand...

You gotta stop reading old posts, but if you do, don't resurrect them.

Maybe the OP buggered it all up and sold the bike, as he seemed quite the novice and, frankly, I'd be concerned about somebody that unfamiliar with wrenching doing a brake bleed.

Sfroza said:

As Big Tom quoted from the service manual and put in BOLD text so you wouldn't miss it:

Torque: 11N.m (1.1kg-m, 8 ft-lb)

So after you did the deed, no followup as promised. Thanks for paying it forward.

Click to expand...

Seriously, nearly eight years ago! And you're bashing them to boot?


ST1100Rider on Tapatalk Pro

Mark said:

Clair,


If you're replacing with Iridium plugs use some anti-seize compound as you're going to leave them in for a lot longer than you ever have left them in before now...

Mark

Click to expand...

+1

Not really a problem getting to the two rear plugs. And spend a few extra bucks and get something better than a standard plug. I run Iridium Autolites - the price is good and they look like a good quality to me.

I recently replaced the plugs on a friends '97 DeVille with Denso double platinums - another good plug but not as good as the Iridiums. They were only $4.50 each !!! Don't know if they make a plug for the ST1100.

1/21/2018 EDIT : The Autolite Iridium's lasted only about 15K miles. The fixed electrodes worn down on all four plugs and the gaps were at about .060 inches. With Iridium's that should not have happened. I'm using NGK Iridium's now.

2/5/2018 EDIT : To be able to more easily get the Honda spark plug wrench onto the left rear plug, I snipped a bit of plastic off that made it difficult to get the plug wrench onto the plug.

I see the last posting is in 2014, so I figure to give afurther posting dated 07/27/2017. I bought my 2002 ST1100 on 12/31/2015 fromthe original owner and it had 38,681 miles on it for the price of$3,800.00. It now has 57,253 and Iwonder why it only had the 38,000 on it when I bought it, because it is a greatride. I just changed the spark plugs onit as I don’t know how many miles were on the plugs when I bought it, but Ithought it was due, even though, I didn’t have any issues with how it wasrunning. I like the way it looked betterthen how the ST1300 looked, so I wanted the last ST1100 manufactured. But I have to admin, the 2016 ST1300 lookspretty damn good. But the price I paidmakes the ST1100 still a better deal.
Changing the spark plugs was pretty easy, considering thetool kit came with that great spark plug socket that came with it. Only problem I had was with putting the panelback on as the left side bottom bolt went into the panel and it turned out thething-a-ma-jib it screws into is sort of stripped out. Consider the bike is 15 years old, I guess Iwill have to see if the local Honda shop can get me a replacement of thatdo-hickey.

I see the last posting is in 2014, so I figure to give afurther posting dated 07/27/2017. I bought my 2002 ST1100 on 12/31/2015 fromthe original owner and it had 38,681 miles on it for the price of$3,800.00. It now has 57,253 and Iwonder why it only had the 38,000 on it when I bought it, because it is a greatride. I just changed the spark plugs onit as I don't know how many miles were on the plugs when I bought it, but Ithought it was due, even though, I didn't have any issues with how it wasrunning. I like the way it looked betterthen how the ST1300 looked, so I wanted the last ST1100 manufactured. But I have to admin, the 2016 ST1300 lookspretty damn good. But the price I paidmakes the ST1100 still a better deal.
Changing the spark plugs was pretty easy, considering thetool kit came with that great spark plug socket that came with it. Only problem I had was with putting the panelback on as the left side bottom bolt went into the panel and it turned out thething-a-ma-jib it screws into is sort of stripped out. Consider the bike is 15 years old, I guess Iwill have to see if the local Honda shop can get me a replacement of thatdo-hickey.

Winfried said:

the 2016 ST1300 looks pretty damn good.

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Where did you see this mythical creature?

My last post was in July of 2017. Have been riding as always, and it now has64,356 miles on it. Now I have noticedthat when I am doing about 75 mph and then twist the throttle wide open, itdoesn’t take off like it used to, it feels like it is either not getting enoughair, or not feeding the fuel through as fast as it should be. It is only a guess, because other than that,it runs fine. I have only changed oil andspark plugs on it, so I assume I have to do a little more to get it back up tosnuff. Any suggestions?

Winfried said:

Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Start a new thread!

Winfried said:

My last post was in July of 2017. Have been riding as always, and it now has 64,356 miles on it. Now I have noticed that when I am doing about 75 mph and then twist the throttle wide open, it doesn’t take off like it used to, it feels like it is either not getting enough air, or not feeding the fuel through as fast as it should be. It is only a guess, because other than that,it runs fine. I have only changed oil and spark plugs on it, so I assume I have to do a little more to get it back up tosnuff. Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Check for dragging brakes. You may have some sticky caliper pistons.

Also check for a tear or hole in one of the carb diaphragms, if the brakes aren't dragging.

Winfried said:

My last post was in July of 2017. Have been riding as always, and it now has64,356 miles on it.Now I have noticedthat when I am doing about 75 mph and then twist the throttle wide open, itdoesn't take off like it used to, it feels like it is either not getting enoughair, or not feeding the fuel through as fast as it should be.It is only a guess, because other than that,it runs fine.I have only changed oil andspark plugs on it, so I assume I have to do a little more to get it back up tosnuff.Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

I had a similar, check the HT leads