Wrong spark plug socket?

CDNRatMan · March 19, 2013, 17:43:22 PM

Mr. Greenbarn Sir:
please look here;

http://www.ronayers.com/Fiche/TypeID/26/Type/Owner's_Tools/MakeID/3/Make/Kawasaki/YearID/40/Year/1999/ModelID/3426/Model/Canada_Only/GroupID/95710/Group/Owner's_Tools

this is what the original tool kit should contain. part 9211OB is a 16mm box wrench
part 9211OG is a 12mm box wrench,
now I have checked out my tool kit with this page and I have them all. Not sure what happened to your set.

greenbarn · March 19, 2013, 17:25:32 PM

Quote from: chief on March 19, 2013, 17:19:03 PM
FYI... the first letter in the sparkplug number tells you what size...

ie C= 16.0mm ; D= 18.0mm

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/sparkplugref.html

That's good info Chief - thanks.

Also, I almost forgot - I found something out doing a little measuring...

The porcelain on the CR7E for the 800 is definitely smaller than a std. auto plug porcelain, explaining why it won't stay in the "normal" plug socket. I measured the diameter of the porcelain at the top and bottom, compared to a motocraft and an autolite at work today.

NGK CR7E - .370- .392"
automotive plug - .422-.428

I noticed the tool-kit plug socket actually has rubber way up inside the socket that seems to grip the "terminal" (little threaded part at the very top where the plug wire fits on), rather than gripping the porcelain itself. I had not noticed this method prior to this.

chief · March 19, 2013, 17:19:03 PM

FYI... the first letter in the sparkplug number tells you what size...

ie C= 16.0mm ; D= 18.0mm

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/sparkplugref.html

greenbarn · March 19, 2013, 17:10:52 PM

Quote from: John Hopkins on March 19, 2013, 15:11:47 PM
Over here we have double ended box (plug) spanners at most hardware shops, they are the cheapest spanners we can buy..I drop the correct size over the plug and fit a socket over the top end so that I can torque the plug to the correct 10 ft lbs.

I found several places on line that have a universal-type "spanner". I guess I'll either order one or see if Iron Pony has one next time I'm in there. Another option, I wonder what Kaw wants for one, as I need to do some work on my fuel petcock, and I may end up buying OE parts for that, so maybe an "original" Kawa spanner would be "fitting" (pun intended).

John Hopkins · March 19, 2013, 15:11:47 PM

Quote from: greenbarn on March 19, 2013, 07:59:36 AM
Hmmm. Didn't think of that.

I see the 1500 takes the DPR6EA-9 plug. No specs on NGK site, but I verified with my parts store that the DPR6EA-9 is indeed an 18mm hex.

So do you suppose this came from factory that way? Like most factory tool kits, I would say this one has never been used.
Does anybody need a plug wrench for a 1500?? I'll trade you for the little one for the 800.....

I imagine that the original dealer just picked up a 'Drifter' toolkit and put it with the wrong bike..or a previous owner bought one off ebay without knowing they were different..

Over here we have double ended box (plug) spanners at most hardware shops, they are the cheapest spanners we can buy..I drop the correct size over the plug and fit a socket over the top end so that I can torque the plug to the correct 10 ft lbs.

It's too easy to damage the thread on the head..

For spanner read wrench..

John.

Drift1 · March 19, 2013, 14:40:32 PM

That's not a good sign my good friend.....I'm just saying

CDNRatMan · March 19, 2013, 11:26:35 AM

Got my tool kit out of the bike last night and forgot why....lol...have to check now once I get home.....

greenbarn · March 19, 2013, 07:59:36 AM

Hmmm. Didn't think of that.

I see the 1500 takes the DPR6EA-9 plug. No specs on NGK site, but I verified with my parts store that the DPR6EA-9 is indeed an 18mm hex.

So do you suppose this came from factory that way? Like most factory tool kits, I would say this one has never been used.

Does anybody need a plug wrench for a 1500?? I'll trade you for the little one for the 800.....

Troll · March 18, 2013, 16:47:15 PM

Sounds like you have the plug socket for a 1500...

greenbarn · March 18, 2013, 16:37:45 PM

Yeah, I've used the rubber hose trick many times. But I prefer just using the plug socket as designed.... only thes plugs are too small to grip the porcelain. The rubber is actually supposed to grip the plug tight to remove / insert the plug. Many cars have the same design, with the plug way way down in the head like the bikes do. Some sockets work better than others....

Quote from: chief on March 18, 2013, 10:00:42 AM
Yeah, what jmbo said... the rubber inside the socket is a "helper" to insert and retrieve the plug. and to help prevent "cocking' the socket and breaking the plug. It doesn't need to fit to insert or remove the plug ... but it certainly helps.
If the socket doesn't fit the hex part... that's a whole different situation. It's 18mm.

The hex size is a whole different story. The (tool kit) socket I have is 18 mm, but the hex on the CR7E plugs is 16mm (5/8). The tool kit socket (18mm) won't even fit down in the head - it's too big. So since 2002 did NGK change the hex size on the plug (i.e. used to be 18mm)?? But why won't the 18mm socket fit into the head? There is no way this could ever work, regardless of the size of the plug hex???

49Reo · March 18, 2013, 11:01:16 AM

I use a piece of rubber hose to start plugs that are difficult to get started due to their location. It grips it tight enough to keep from dropping it but not so tight you will cross thread and mess up threads.

chief · March 18, 2013, 10:00:42 AM

Yeah, what jmbo said... the rubber inside the socket is a "helper" to insert and retrieve the plug. and to help prevent "cocking' the socket and breaking the plug. It doesn't need to fit to insert or remove the plug ... but it certainly helps. The plug wrench I got from Kawasaki doesn't even have the foam stuff inside. You can always make your own.

If the socket doesn't fit the hex part... that's a whole different situation. It's 18mm.

jmbo · March 18, 2013, 08:54:15 AM

Are you are taking about gripping the plug porcelain in order to retrieve the plug or start threading the new one? If so then here what I do. I use a trick left over from my Triumph T-bird days. I bought a deep socket from Ace hardware. It had an extremely thin wall so it would fit in the plug recess. Once the plug was loose, I then I used a piece of rubber tubing to slip over the porcelain to retrieve the plug. I use the same tubing to start the new plug. Hope this helps.

CDNRatMan · March 17, 2013, 23:57:02 PM

0100, just got homeand I'll have to look at mine in the morning to see what it has in there...

greenbarn · March 17, 2013, 20:18:54 PM

Yes, but this plug CR7E, (I think) has too small a diameter on the porcelain for the socket to grip it. I tried two different NEW sockets as well, two different brands. Same thing.

49Reo · March 17, 2013, 19:15:56 PM

Doesn't your 5/8" spark plug socket have a rubber insert in it to hold the porcelain?

greenbarn · March 17, 2013, 18:44:17 PM

Doing some projects/ maintenance on the 800 and thought I'd change the plugs. No idea how old they are, but I have the tank off (that's a good enough reason to me) and they had some wear. Ok, so I took them out with my 5/8" ( ~16mm) plug socket from my toolbox, but the diameter of the porcelain part of the plug is too small for the socket to grip it properly. So I thouht I'd try out my handy-dandy plug socket in my Drifter tool kit. First thing I noticed was the socket is bigger than the hex dimension on the plug. I measures about 18mm, like it would fit the larger-sized spark plugs. This thing won't even fit into the hole in the top of the head, where the plug goes into.

SO do I have the wrong plug socket in my tool kit??

Does anyone have a socket set-up they carry on the bike? This one obviously won't work if I was stuck along the road....