My 1198 has been a pita recently to start, the RAC guy who picked me up tried everything bar changing the plugs. I have changed the front one today and managed to get it firing, (the one that came out was black and wet on the end). I got it out using this socket i have bought recently - SPARK PLUG REMOVAL TOOL SOCKET FITS DUCATI 1198 S SP 2009- | eBay However to get the new one in i had to use the tool that came in the little toolkit with my 749, as the external thread was too big for that other socket. Does this mean i have put the wrong plug in for the 1198, or does it mean the plug i took out was too small and could contribute to the hard to start issue? Or does it just mean it has a different thread?
shouldn't be a different thread, or you wouldn't be able to get the plug near the threaded hole. likely that it is just the AF (Across the Flats) size that is different. I have the same issue with my various vehicles (son's car, GF's car, my cars & bike), i.e. each seems to need a different plug spanner due to long reach/narrow diameter lead-in hole/different AF, etc the black would say it's running rich (or it hasn't had sufficient time to burn off the carbon by getting up to temperature), the wet would say you have been squirting fuel at it for long enough to saturate it and the HV is shorting through the damp carbon. try just cleaning and getting the right gap, and it should be fine.
Thanks mate. Just to be clear, the thread that goes into the engine to hold the plug is the same size on both, it is just the thread that you grip to to tighten was different. Me not being that mechanically minded i wasn't sure if that meant a smaller plug with less sparking power was incorrectly put in there.
the thread into the cylinder head is the important bit - if you were to try and put the wrong one in there, it would either drop in up to the hexagon if too small, or just spin on top of the hole if too big. Some plug manufacturers will use a different size hexagon to others (what I was calling the AF) not sure why, but I'm sure somebody will be able to confirm this sort of thing. also, some will be able to explain the coding for plugs, i.e. some will run hotter than others to deliberately burn off carbon residue, some will have longer or shorter reach to optimise ignition or avoid collision with the moving piston, etc
Alos (just remembered) the plug i took out, at the end that goes into the coil it was a rounded dome almost, whereas the one i put in had a mini thread on it. The coil looked like it took the thread so i proceeded. Am now just googling how to change the plug under the tank. Have the workshop manual for the 848 and it has no instructions on how to do it, strangely.
The aperture the plug goes into has a taper to it. NGK plugs have the hexagon further down the body of the plug, so an ordinary plug spanner fouls the taper and can't reach the flats properly. You need a thin-walled plug spanner
yes, the adaptor at the top should screw off the old one and on to the new one - hand tight with a pair of pliers is plenty (some plugs have the dome thing fixed on with no way of screwing off). older bikes had plug caps where the contact was made directly on to the threaded section, so the threaded section plus screw on dome fits both methods. as for 848 tank removal - sorry, can't help there.
As far as I know Ducati only used two thread sizes on their sports bikes. The early 748-9** up to 996 used a larger diameter for the plug thread. From 998 0nwards they have a smaller diameter thread. The only other threaded part is the top of the plug, some plugs have a threaded cap that will unscrew and some HT leads need not to have the threaded cap on or they won't fit. Others need the cap fitted. Some plugs come with this cap moulded into the plug and it cannot be removed. Others have already noted the fact that the plug hexagon that allows the plug to be tightened can differ and may be a different size on different make plugs. As also mentioned a thin walled plug socket or a standard socket machined down will allow you to get the correct purchase on the plug to undo it. If you use stock Ducati plugs you may want to try Iridium plugs as these often work for many, although not everyone likes\uses them, personal preference come into play here. They work very well for me, but I use a large plug gap as recommended. I use them on all my bikes apart from a 748R which uses surface discharge plugs. It could be your starting technique that is causing flooding and a dead engine through soaked plugs. Another thing it also could be is an indication of a problem with the sender that sends the engine temperature to the ECU. I had a faulty one and my bike kept flooding and not starting, or starting and then flooding up as soon as the throttle was blipped when cold. A new sender sorted out the problem. You can sometimes find that plugs that have been flooded and taken out and cleaned a few times can go "duff" as they sometimes don't like the removal and cleaning which seems to damage them after a while. Hope this helps a bit.
The one under the tank was pretty easy to be honest. Changed that too and it fired up, so left it running. Battery showed 14.4 as the engine was on. Turned it off and then straight on again and lo and behold, wont start. Can hear the fuel pump come to life but the bike does sound quite 'wheezy' from the clutch area as it is trying to go. Not sure what to try next.
Have you checked to see if the spark is strong enough. I had an issue once where although the battery was showing the correct voltage it did not have enough amps to turn the engine over quickly enough and then it would flood. Check all your earthing points and that the solenoid is clicking in correctly. If you have flooding then it seems your fuel pump should be working fine, but no harm in checking. It sounds as though you could possibly have problem beyond just the plugs being a bit below par. If it's not the plugs then going over the whole fuel and electrical system would be the next step, check all connections, clean etc.
The starting system on older Ducatis is marginal at best and once you have a bit of a problem it becomes distinctly iffy. The starter and starting circuit can draw too much of the available current and leave insufficient for the ignition system
I just went round to my bike and noticed I had forgotten to leave it on the Optimate from yesterday. Started first time (starter button held, no throttle). Turned the ignition off, went to start it again. No chance, wouldn't fire again. Think I have to get a new battery with a high CCA and see if the problem persists. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Its an 1198 we're talking about. I recommend Yuasa as the solid, dependable but still affordable choice. Get them from your local BBS depot - about 50 squids for the 999 one.
I have a Yuasa on, but am picking up a Motobatt one in the morning from my garage of choice. Fingers crossed it is the cure.
When I was researching, I found that Motobatt were like Marmite - people either love 'em or hate 'em in equal measure. Whereas everybody just seems to appreciate the Yuasas as the sensible if slightly unexciting choice. I reckon keeping them on trickle could be a mistake though. Charging them more occasionally seems to work better as long as you never allow them to become seriously discharged.
