Best way to inspect / change GRiSO Spark plugs

Gents -

My Google-Fu is horrid. I'm trying to find the best way to inspect and/or change my 2010 spark plugs. I understand that there is a "floss method" for removing the badge on the valve cover.

I simply cannot find a How-To on the subject.

Any suggestions?

NBG

If you have a look at my tappet adjusting thread on Guzzitech it covers it quite well.

1. Pry off the stupid little badge. be careful, they wash off with a steam cleaner so they don't need much prying!

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2.)Undo the 3mm hex bolt that holds on the HT lead cover and remove it.

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How *NOT* to do it... see Tech bulletin:
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3.) As you can see my plug caps are manked up. This is because they are incredibly soft, even with great care i managed to tear the rubber they are made of so the best idea would be to use forceps to remove them, I didn't have a set and paid the price. New HT leads, with caps, cost $88 a side here, ridiculous! so mine are now lashed up with silastic and insulating tape. Sure it's ugly, but it works and you can't see it. But for others who don't want to screw up like I did? Get forceps to get the caps off and then tie a loop of twine around the sealing rings on the plug cap. It can be hidden under the HT lead cover and used next time to extract the cap without risk.

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4.) Using an extension and plug socket, extract the plug.

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5.) Undo the 4 rocker cover retaining bolts.

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6.) Lift off the plastic bling and note that there are 'Tampons' beneath the screws, Yes, that's what they're called in Italian, it translates to 'Plug' There are these sealing washers under all four bolts but on the rear pair where the bling is they go ABOVE the bling.

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7.) Don't loose the front pair either.

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8.) The rocker cover can now be lifted off, the gasket is a nitrile/viton type and is re-useable.

Now repeat this opperation on the other cylinder head. Now we can get to the valve adjust.

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9.) Pry out the rubber bung from the front of the alternator belt cover.

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10.) Using a 24mm socket and a ratchet turn the nut, (Which is on the end of the crank.) CLOCKWISE as viewed from the front and wathch the valve gear. Each cylinder is a separate operation, it matters not a jot which one you start with. WAtch the inlet rocker open the inlet valves and then shut them. You now know that the piston is ascening the bore one the compression stroke.

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11.) Poke something long and clean, (A drinking straw is good, I use an Allen key T-bar but I've done this for years and know what to expect.) down the plug 'ole and feel the piston as it rises. Once it seems to slow down as you turn the crank you know you're getting to the top of the stroke, keep turning until you feel the long, clean thing start going down again, now jiggle until you feel that you are at the highest point. You CAN take the timing bung out of the RH side of the crankcase and look for the TDC mark on the flywheel if you want to be super-exact to the book but the IMPORTANT thing is that both the tappets, (Cam followers.) should be on the BASE CIRCLE of the cams. Anywhere 80 degrees or more either side of Top Dead Centre will be on the base circles but if you are within a few degrees of it you know you're pretty right.

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12.) Getcha feeler guages out. 0.1 inlet and 0.15 exhaust is the go, or 4 and 6 thou if you're an old fart like me:P

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13.) I'm using the pick to point to the lash-cap that sits on the end of the clearance adjusting screw and the top of the valve. The clearance is measured between this and the stem of the valve.

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14.) Try and slip the feeler betwixt the lash-cap and top of the valve. Because the cap *wobbles* like a ball and socket/hip joint on the adjuster it is important to give it a bit of a wriggle. If it still won't go in you need to unlock the locknut (9mm nut.) and wind out the adjuster a bit. Then turn the adjuster, by finger at first, until the feeler guage is a smooth sliding fit. You shouldn't have to brace your foot againt the bike and tug but neither should it simply slip out. I find tightening the adjuster finger tight and then nipping up the nut will usually result in a pretty good fit as long as the adjuster doesn't tighten as you tighten the nut.

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15.) If neccessary use a screwdrivee in the slot of the adjuster to hold it while using the spanner to nip up the nut.

[size=150] It is very important to remember that these are teeny-weeny little screws. They do NOT need to be tightened to buggery to hold their place. A gentle 'Nip' with a short spanner is all that is required. If you can't judge what might be suitable for such an application? Take it to someone who can.[/size]

Repeat the adjustment on the three other valves. The inlets are set to 4 thou the exhausts to 6 as the exhausts obviously run hotter and will expand more than the inlet valves.

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16.) Note that the plug orifice is sealed by an o-ring. Inspect thois carefully and have a couple of spares on hand in case of damage. You don't want your plug-ole filling with oil. Note pre-formed Viton/nitrile rocker cover gasket. I use a bit of rubber grease on the nternal o-ring just to help it slip over the *tube* in the head.

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17.)Replace rocker cover and ridiculous plastic bling. Don't forget the tampons!

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18.) Tighten down the rocker cover screws..

OK, that side is done, (You can do either side first, it matters not a jot.) you now go round to the other side, which you will of completed steps 1 to 4 on already and repeat steps 5 to 18. The con-rods share a common crankpin so TDC on one cylinder is NOT the same as TDC on the other. Just think of the engine as two single cylinder motors for the purpose of tappet adjustment and treat each one separately.

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19.) Add a bit of Nickel-coat or silver based anti seize to the plugs.

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20.) And re-install them.

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21.) Press home the plug caps and reposition the HT leads.

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22.) Re-install the HT lead covers.

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23.) Put back in the shitty little badge.

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24.) Re-install. the bung on the front of the belt cover.

Finally check that you haven't done something stupid like leave the ratchet on the end of the crank, you can account for all your tools, (None left inside!) and that all the fasteners etc are clean and tight.

Now bugger off and ride......

All this info is given in good faith. If you can't work out which are the inlet valves and which are the exhaust valves or only have three bent screwdrivers, a sawsall and a big pair of vice grips I DON'T suggest you try it but it is easily within the ken of anybody with enough mechanical aptitude to turn on a tap without hurting themselves. I DO though state that if you screw up it id YOUR fault, not mine. so consider carefully.

Pete

It's easy.

1. Use a small screw driver to remove the 'Moto Guzzi' plastic emblem (it has clips).

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2. Use an allen key to remove the screw holding the plastic cover, and remove the cover.
it has a small tang holding it at the bottom. Lift slightly towards tank and up and away.

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3. Place the blade of a larger screwdriver under the lead as close to the plug as
possible, and lever up while supporting the 'shroud' part over the plug with your other
hand. Once it pops off, pull up and remove. Alternatively, use the tie-wrap method: CLICKY

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4. Use the tube spanner in the tool kit that came with the bike to remove the plugs. There
is a handle that fits through the holes in the end for leverage.

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When installing the plugs, do not over tighten! Screw in until finger tight, then tighten
to firm, less than 1/16 turn. Firm, not tight as buggery.

There is yet another Method to remove the caps, damage free if you look at the exhaust shield (over the headpipe) you wiil see a channel that goes straight back to the plug boot. if you use a long thin 5-6mm slot screwdriver inserted in that hole you can pop the caps without ever touching the delicate rubber end where the wire is molded in. you can also do this from the TB side of the head. lots of folks have never noticed these holes.

Uzidzit wrote:

There is yet another Method to remove the caps, damage free if you look at the exhaust shield (over the headpipe) you wiil see a channel that goes straight back to the plug boot.  if you use a long thin 5-6mm slot screwdriver inserted in that hole you can pop the caps without ever touching the delicate rubber end where the wire is molded in.  you can also do this from the TB side of the head.  lots of folks have never noticed these holes.

AfuckingHA! Brilliant! I have never seen this mentioned anywhere before. What geniuses those Mandello engineers are. They think of everything, and then don't bother to tell anyone!

Brilliant! Thanks for the heads up Uzidzit. I've never noticed that channel before. Unfortunately it means squatting or bending down farther than my lazy arse wants to.




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It is about the only way to pop loose the sb05e ngk caps if you do that conversion/repair. that hole is also on the other side above the intake but is hard to use. Once you do it a time or two it becomes a feel second nature kind of thing. A factory regional tech showed me the trick, and he had seen it at the Factory, but They had not mentioned to him formally, just something they did.

The screwdriver method was mentioned in one of the 2010 technical bulletins but I prefer the zip tie method and I use a shoe lace instead of zip tie, easier on the rubber.

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do you have any other of the bulletins, I have been collecting but only have the ones from late '11 to ~july '13,  now my source is gone.  Nice to see they put it in print somewhere.  Too bad it was where no one would ever see it.

There is a rigid ring under the rubber molded into the plug, at this lower pry point....a sharp screwdriver will nick the rubber there.  but the spark will Not leak,   I had to replace my Stelvio cap on the right side from using a zip tie, that cut the rubber on the top,  up at the bend damage Will leak a spark.

I just added cause it is not an obvious way to remove the cap.

PS.   IT is REALLY a pain to carry a screwdriver long enough with you on a GRiSO

I managed to download and save bulletins from Jan '04 to Aug '13 via the URL below, but it doesn't work anymore now.

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The screwdriver method seems a better way in terms of not tearing up the cap. Anyway, I have a set of angled NGK caps, will put them on if the stock cap leaks.

Is the removal of the spark plug caps also critical on a 1100 or are these tips only for the 8V?

With the pushrod engines it isn't so critical but care has to be taken, especially with the inner caps. With a GRiSO you need to pull the tank and with any of the twin plug engines make sure you blow all the crap out from around the plug before extracting it as you don't want any of the bits of road-soil that tends to gather around them falling into the cylinder. Be firm but gentle and persistent in wriggling the caps off.

So you mean that to do the valve clearance on the 1100 I have to remove the tank? Or can I remove the cap only for checking the valves with the tank on and only need to remove the tank if I want to extract the inner plug itself?

To do the valves just remove the rocker cover protector and plug lead cover then remove the cap, lead and outer plug. After that the cover can be removed exposing the valves. 0.1 and 0.15 inlet and exhaust. Shared crankpin means you treat each side as a separate motor.

Only take the tank off if you need to get to the inner plugs

Did the valves yesterday and could remove the plugs easily. While watching the piston rise I could see Black deposit in there and on the sides of the piston. The spark plugs seem a bit dark with a white electrode. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'm in discussion with beetle to try to see if I need to tune my fuel mixture.