Kawasaki Vulcan Forum banner

Changing spark plugs

12K views 20 replies 12 participants last post by  oldmansalt  
#1 ·
Anyone ever changed their plugs on a 1600? I'm trying to do most of the maintenance stuff myself and this forum has been great. My wires look fine, I just have a feeling that it's time for new plugs.

Do plugs still need to be spaced or is it basically just screw them in and go?
 
#4 ·
Spark plugs are long lived items, so I have to ask what is giving you the feeling that they need changing?
I was talking to one of the Kawa guys at a dealership about service stuff and he said that they should be changed every 7,500 miles.
 
#5 ·
No freakin' way! He is just trying to make a sale. Your owners manual says to check and clean them every 4000 and that too is excessive. Depending on the type of plug you have (mine are iridium) they should last from 30K (standard) to 100K (platinum,iridium) miles. If your not burning oil they will last a long time.
 
#6 ·
My book said they needed to be changed every 7,500 miles also. Common sense to me says check and re-gap or replace as necessary. In that thought though, if I replace one I will replace all, otherwise I just check and re-gap then reinstall the plugs.
 
#7 ·
The only time I have ever bought a spark plug was on on my oldsmobile which had burned valve seals on number 2 cylinder. destroys a plug every 4000 miles. Unless you have some major issue with your engine, just pull em', clean em', gap em' and reinstall. My uncle taught me this. He is 71 years old now and says he has never bought a spark plug and that there is no need to if you service as stated above at the " replacement" intervals stated in your manual.
 
#8 ·
Speaking of plugs, does anybody know the number for E-3 plugs for a 07 Nomad, bike has 38k on it now and I don't know if they have ever been changed. I want to just for peace of mind before I do my July run up to TN and a couple other states.
 
#10 ·
I would just avoid the gimmick plugs and stick with ND or NGK.
 
#12 ·
Its not the material that's the gimmick, its those silly triple ground electrodes. The OEM plug for mine is the NGK laser iridium.
 
#16 ·
Not sure what year you have, but the parts list for an '09 shows the coil and wire as one part.
 
#18 ·
Doesn't mean nobody wanted to help, could be that the 60 people that looked at it have never taken one of these coils apart. I haven't but I know how to research parts, that's what I do for a living. I have had my Honda coils apart, but it has a removable wire.
 
#20 · (Edited)
^+1. The wires in all my bikes are original, and don't have a clue how many miles are on the Honda. Wrong gauges when I bought it, but I have put 47K on it since '07. Could have 100K miles for all I know.