Essential Maintenance Tips for Your Bike's Spark Plug

Experiencing a hitch while riding your beloved two-wheeler? It may be because of the spark plug. As a bike owner, you must be aware of the legal aspects like maintenance of papers including bike insurance, and knowledge of certain basic technical issues will also aid you considerably. Zurich Kotak General Insurance deserves a special mention in this respect.

Watch out for the symptoms first:

A motorcycle spark plug never stops working completely before giving certain typical warning signs. You must keep an eye open to watch out for those signs and proceed accordingly:

• If the electrode or the tip is dry, you have to reduce the gas ratio

• An oily spark plug requires a reduced gasoline ratio

• If the electrode tip or the spark plug turns a dark colour, it might be an indicator of a contaminated low gas ratio with air

• A dark spark plug with oily sediments implies contaminated fuel

• If there is a combination of dry rust and dark colouration, it indicates contaminated fuel and requires a reduction of air ratio with fuel aggregate

• If there is any sputtering in the bike, you must ease the filter element and clean the spark plug.

How to Maintain Your Bike's Spark Plug?

Be it iridium spark plugs or a glow plug, every motorcycle spark plug needs proper care and maintenance to ensure a smooth biking experience and optimum overall performance. You can utilise these few user-friendly tactics to take care of your two-wheeler’s sparking plug:

• First, remove the spark plug slowly. If it seems too jammed, you use a befitting tool to loosen and open it

• Thoroughly clean both the interior and the exterior of the plug using a clean soft cloth. But before cleaning, you must take note of the residue colour deposited in the plug. It aids in easy problem detection.

• Use a spark plug spanner to eliminate the plug and check out the current status. The plug tip, oil deposits, or the black crust indicates a blazing engine.

• You can dip the spark plug in kerosene or petrol for easy removal of the accumulated dirt and dust. After cleaning, wipe the thing with metal strings to get rid of all the mud. You can even use a sandpaper for this purpose.

• Check out the manual to determine the adequate gap that is essential amidst the electrodes. Typically, it usually remains between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm.

• Once the cleaning is complete, put it back using the spanner, but not too tightly. If you aren’t confident about it, seek help from any expert or professional.

• If there is any leakage, check the wiring too.

How often a spark plug does need replacement?

Depending on the circumstances, a motorcycle spark plug needs occasional replacement. Ideally, you can replace it after every 15000-16000 miles. However, if you experience any hitch before that, you have to replace it immediately, if the situation demands so.

Conclusion

Inspect the spark plugs occasionally as a part of your regular riding routine. Check them out right away, if you are purchasing a pre-owned two-wheeler.

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