[Pauly]

So i rode the G5 to work yesterday, but on the way home she started sputtering and stalling on me, the visions of having to walk the whole mile and a quarter home haunted me

through some skillful clutch slipping and engine revving that i"m sure my neighbors will thank me for later I limped her home.

visions of worst case scenarios played with me all night last night.

Got up this morning and got right to it, step one, check the spark plug, yup, fowled to all hell.

went and bought a champion to replace it(whats the NGK part # by the way?) and installed it.  guess what, everything is fine.

so, crisis number one is over, but I am curious as to why it fowled, the bike now has 414 miles on it, i know when i changed the oil last weekend i did get it a bit to full, it"S a little over the max line, so i figure this is what fowled it, or just all the low speed riding during break in.

Also, can someone tell me what my moth to a flame like compulsion is to touching hot exhaust pipes?

Pauly

[Ducati Scotty]

Probably the low speed riding.  It's not the oil.  I would also check that the TPS is set properly, you can have the shop do that in 10 minutes.  If it's set too high that could foul things too.

If it's just the low speed riding a hotter plug could help until you're through break in.  The NGK plug most folks use is the BPR6EIX.  if you swap ES for EIX you get the regular one instead of the iridium tip, performs just as well and costs about 1/3.  I use the 7 instead of the 6, it's a little cooler but that wouldn't be what you're after.

Scott

[Pauly]

thanks scotty, the dealers a long way off, but i seem to remember reading about that procedure and it seems within my grasp,

I was thinking about the hotter plug both for fowling and because a lot of my riding is in cold temps, down to 30 degees F so far, but i"m gonna ride all winter so we"ll see

[singhg5]

thanks scotty, the dealers a long way off, but i seem to remember reading about that procedure and it seems within my grasp,

I was thinking about the hotter plug both for fowling and because a lot of my riding is in cold temps, down to 30 degees F so far, but i"m gonna ride all winter so we"ll see

I don't think you need to worry about going to dealer or procedures or anything like that. TPS is rarely off to a point that causes any problems and is pretty well set by the factory. Slow speed riding will foul plug sooner than later.

As far spark plugs, buy a NGK BPR 6ES which is widely available and better for cooler or slow speed riding (it is hotter than 7ES).  It is as good as iridium for our Royal Enfield riding, because you will need to replace them more often than a car spark plug.

[Ducati Scotty]

Yeah, +1,swap the plug and go.  Don't even bother with the TPS unless it fouls again.  Sometimes I get too complicated.

Scott

[Pauly]

i do the same thing, as soon as i finish my ice cream i'm gonna go get the NGKs

[barenekd]

Might wanna look at your air cleaner, to. It shouldn't be clogged yet, but ya never know, not knowing the conditions you're riding in. Good time to get a K&N.
Bare

[fzr400]

yea you really need to keep that engine on the boil. its good for'em

[GlennF]

In my B5 I find both the NGK and the standard plug will foul with over-rich starts and too much around town riding.

I think I have gone through 4 plugs in 3500 km.

My Sydney dealer claims going up to 95 octane fuel helps avoid fouling. I have no idea why it would help but he is pretty definite it makes a difference.

[Arizoni]

Ah!
I think you didn't understand the spelling.

Your dealer, who believes firearms are dangerous is truly looking out for your safety.

By buying the high priced fuel you will be less likely to venture out into the wilds where duck hunters may be lurking thus buying the 95 octane fuel will help you "avoid fowling".   

The only reason high octane fuels might help to reduce fouling is because it often has a slight increase in detergents and other additives that might reduce carbon buildup when compared with regular grade fuels.

Whether this is worth the extra expense is up to you.
Personally, I think using one gear lower than you currently are while riding the motorcycle would do the same thing and sound better while it was doing it.

[GSS]

Pauly,
All good suggestions here. I would throw in a 6EIX and use Seafoam in the gas tank. Amazing how this stuff helps keep plugs nice and clean. Light tan plug and not a hint of deposits on my NGK plug after over 1500 miles with this combination.

GSS

[Pauly]

thanks for all the help guys, and possibly gals

didn't even realize my spelling mistake til you pointed it out, I am running the k&n which apparently lets ducks and gees through.

my ride home is only about a mile and a half, i think the lower gear is the ticket here, in my jeep i"m used to lugging it, I have always been a bit scared of RPMs.

ran great tonight and i made it a point to ride about 6 miles out of the way to get home

Thanks again for all the help

[Kevin Mahoney]

Lugging one of these engine is always a bad idea

[barenekd]

I pulled my BPR6ES last week after 8000 miles. It was clean and went right back in for another 8000 miles.
You appear to be running a bit rich at some stage. As I mentioned check your air cleaner.
You may want to tweak your big brass screw a tiny bit Clockwise
Bare

[aikischmid]

Okay, this sounds exactly like my G5's been acting. Idle's kinda iffy at stop lights, and even when I'm moving it seems like it wants to sometimes "lurch" forward and stall. Really weird. Thing is, I recently replaced the stock spark plug with one of these NGK BPR6ES plugs. But, here's the catch... I'm such a mechanical noob, that maybe I replaced the plug incorrectly?
So my question is, how far down is it supposed be tightened? All the way? Because I don't think I tightened it as far as I could. I think I just figured that since it started up without a problem, that I must've done it right.