First post from a newbie..
Bike has been running fine since I've had it, but out of the blue decides it doesn't want to start.
Turns over but won't fire.
Pump primes and I can smell petrol. It's been on an optimate all its life.
So I started with the the plugs.
Plugs are all wet and the gaps are too big.
Bought a new set of plugs.
3 go in fine, but the outer front cylinder one will not bite the thread. So I start thinking that the previous owner has cross threaded the plug. Try it really carefully by hand, but it just won't go in.
Options are to get the bike to a garage to try and re cut the thread, or buy a back-tap threading tool. But looking at the space above the cylinder and the average length of a back-tap tool, it ain't gonna fit.
I'm suddenly thinking " ugh the head has to come off". Engine out of the frame
So it's all getting really expensive in my head.
My home made thread chaser wouldn't bite the thread either.
As a last resort I was trying to think of a way of cleaning the threads without dropping a load of ***** into the cylinder head, and I came up with this, which worked
Get some cotton buds, and a thin paint brush, and sellotape a bud to the end of the brush. Then coat the bud with some grease, and very gently dab the threads, so that the grease acts as a magnet for the crap in the threads. Don't brush, just lightly touch it. Then change the bud and repeat, until less muck is on each bud.Be patient, if you rush it the dirt will fall. What you want is the grease just to pick it up. Anyway, long story short, it worked, I cleaned out all the remaining grease, put in the old plug and it bit straight away. In went the new plug.
Just need to explain to my missus where all the buds went.
Bike has been running fine since I've had it, but out of the blue decides it doesn't want to start.
Turns over but won't fire.
Pump primes and I can smell petrol. It's been on an optimate all its life.
So I started with the the plugs.
Plugs are all wet and the gaps are too big.
Bought a new set of plugs.
3 go in fine, but the outer front cylinder one will not bite the thread. So I start thinking that the previous owner has cross threaded the plug. Try it really carefully by hand, but it just won't go in.
Options are to get the bike to a garage to try and re cut the thread, or buy a back-tap threading tool. But looking at the space above the cylinder and the average length of a back-tap tool, it ain't gonna fit.
I'm suddenly thinking " ugh the head has to come off". Engine out of the frame
So it's all getting really expensive in my head.
My home made thread chaser wouldn't bite the thread either.
As a last resort I was trying to think of a way of cleaning the threads without dropping a load of ***** into the cylinder head, and I came up with this, which worked
Get some cotton buds, and a thin paint brush, and sellotape a bud to the end of the brush. Then coat the bud with some grease, and very gently dab the threads, so that the grease acts as a magnet for the crap in the threads. Don't brush, just lightly touch it. Then change the bud and repeat, until less muck is on each bud.Be patient, if you rush it the dirt will fall. What you want is the grease just to pick it up. Anyway, long story short, it worked, I cleaned out all the remaining grease, put in the old plug and it bit straight away. In went the new plug.
Just need to explain to my missus where all the buds went.
