Spark plugs...what do you swear by?

SniperX · 1 Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Tue Apr 18, 2017 4:25 pm

SniperX

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Number of posts : 171

I am finally changing my spark plugs next week. The stock Bosch is incredibly hard to find locally so I'd love to get an NGK or something I can get locally. If the stock Bosch is the best to go with what number do you use?> I forgot what is in mine when I had it apart last year for the timing chain...I also remember getting a set of NGK (which I still have) for it and found out they no longer come with the tops and the tops are scarce as hens teeth so those are out. BTW the NGK I got is the D7EA but has no ferrule or whatever you call that screw on tip for the threaded end of the plug. Anyone know where to source a set of those tips or ferrules or what the hell they are called? I'd buy a case of 10 if needed. I use to throw them away!

Laitch · 2 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Tue Apr 18, 2017 5:24 pm

Laitch

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Number of posts : 3262

SniperX wrote: Anyone know where to source a set of those tips or ferrules or what the hell they are called?

Terminal nuts. Trade them for cigarettes, walnuts or whichever medium of exchange local mechanics are using.

TacKler · 3 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:04 pm

TacKler

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Number of posts : 1349

Sniper,

If you have no luck locally for the ferrules, send me PM and I will post some out for you.

I raided a good friends car workshop a couple of years ago and he said, "The orphan spark plugs box is over there. Take all you need." So I did..... I took them all. We are still friends.

If you have a look at the euromotoelectrics website in the US they have Bosch plugs there. The Bosch plugs are getting harder to find in Oz whereas the NGK are readily available. Bosch X5DC or NGK D7EA for me.

Dave.

Last edited by TacKler on Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:35 am; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : EME reference)

Snod Blatter · 4 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:16 am

Snod Blatter

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Number of posts : 488

Just as a little FYI if you look up the K100 on NGK's website they recommend the D8EA plug instead. If your engine still has the original Bosch plugs please do compare the length of them to whatever you're replacing them with - I have fitted D7EAs but the old Boschs looked a little longer to me.

Also, in other bikes I have tried copper NGK, copper Denso, Iridium Denso and Champion (for a laugh). Nothing lasts half as long or is as well behaved as the normal boring copper NGK plug.

Oh and I've been calling them nipples.. Laughing

Rick G · 5 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:23 am

Rick G

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Number of posts : 12058

Bosch X5DC in the cardboard packet, they are made in europe, not the blister pack as they are made in Brazil and wont last well or NGK D7EA

92KK 84WW Olaf · 6 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:59 pm

92KK 84WW Olaf

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Number of posts : 7967

Quite a few places here also go for the D8EA in the Ks, including some BMW experts. Not sure of the physical differences but from 2 stroke days I have a feeling that the difference between a D7EA and a D8EA will be the running temperature, the 7 being hotter than the 8. I have used both and also the Bosch and also Champion and can't say there is a very obvious difference. Apart from the fact that with the NGKs a few times I have had plugs fail after a few hundred miles.

Thanks to BAE there is a box of D7EAs in my shed......

Dai · 7 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:34 pm

Dai

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Number of posts : 5721

D7EAs. Dunno what Olaf is up to but I've not had an NGK fail yet in any bike and I've run some for six or seven years at an average of 15K miles a year before remembering to change them. I have noticed that the K is sensitive to the gap; BMW state a gap of 23thou but as the nearest feeler gauge I have is 25thou... Once it wanders passed about 4thou too wide (IME) the engine starts to protest on warmup.

BobT · 8 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:56 pm

BobT

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BMWs were built metric and therefore the plug gap should be 0.6mm (+0.1/-0.0) with a maximum wear limit of 0.9mm. Measure in thou if you want but you speedo will not measure furlongs so make life easy and buy a set of feeler gauges that are metric (£5 or less).

Point-Seven-five · 9 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Thu Apr 20, 2017 12:17 am

Point-Seven-five

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Number of posts : 4223

BobT wrote:BMWs were built metric and therefore the plug gap should be 0.6mm (+0.1/-0.0) with a maximum wear limit of 0.9mm. Measure in thou if you want but you speedo will not measure furlongs so make life easy and buy a set of feeler gauges that are metric (£5 or less).

Uh-oh, beside gapping my spark plugs in thousandths I have been buying oil for my BMW's in non-metric gallon jugs. Am I unwittingly damaging my engines???

Rick G · 10 Re: Spark plugs...what do you swear by? Thu Apr 20, 2017 12:28 am