Ditched the E-3's
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 5
From: Coweta, Oklahoma
Ditched the E-3's
The bike hasn't been running good for the past several weeks so I thought i'd pull the plugs and take a look. Man they were all fouled over and it looked like it was a wonder they even fired at all. Replaced them with NGK iridiums and the bike runs better than it ever has before. I know that many say a plug is a plug, but i'm convinced these iridiums are better than the stock plug. Time will tell, but for now i'm satisfied.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,629
Likes: 46
From: East Hartford, CT
Harley has some antiknock feature that only works with the original plug type.
Anyway I believe you on the plugs,
My last XL1200C I used Nology silver electrode plugs that costed a fortune but worked great. After 10K miles they looked brand new with no gap change.
I have 8,000 miles on my bike and still use the original plugs, Bike runs great.
Anyway I believe you on the plugs,
My last XL1200C I used Nology silver electrode plugs that costed a fortune but worked great. After 10K miles they looked brand new with no gap change.
I have 8,000 miles on my bike and still use the original plugs, Bike runs great.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
If your having fouling problems with a brand new scoot there are way more issues besides the fouling.
Stock plugs work just as well as any so you need to have the dealer check it out. It's a warranty thing
and probably a pain in *** but get it checked asap.
Stock plugs work just as well as any so you need to have the dealer check it out. It's a warranty thing
and probably a pain in *** but get it checked asap.
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 5
From: Coweta, Oklahoma
Tim they only had about 800 miles on them. They were black and sooty around the electrode and tip. As I said it was a wonder they fired at all. The NGK iridiums have increased the bikes performance over the stock plugs by far and even better than the E-3's before they gave out.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 10
From: Suffolk, England
If you can tell the difference between 800 mile plugs and new ones then there is something wrong causing the plugs to foul.
If you Google some dyno charts from independent testers (i.e. not the manufacturers, who make up all kinds of rubbish about plugs) you'll see the difference between the best and worst plugs is usually just a couple of percent of HP. You wouldn't be able to feel this difference when riding. What you will notice though is the difference between old, fouled plugs and shiny new ones, stock or otherwise.
Its also true about the anti-knock circuit built into newer model H-Ds. It works by measuring the resistance through the coils, plug leads and across the plug gap. Mess with this and you can disable the anti-knock feature. Chances are you won't feel the difference but extra strain is being put on the engine that could reduce it's life.
If you Google some dyno charts from independent testers (i.e. not the manufacturers, who make up all kinds of rubbish about plugs) you'll see the difference between the best and worst plugs is usually just a couple of percent of HP. You wouldn't be able to feel this difference when riding. What you will notice though is the difference between old, fouled plugs and shiny new ones, stock or otherwise.
Its also true about the anti-knock circuit built into newer model H-Ds. It works by measuring the resistance through the coils, plug leads and across the plug gap. Mess with this and you can disable the anti-knock feature. Chances are you won't feel the difference but extra strain is being put on the engine that could reduce it's life.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,403
Likes: 72
From: North Dakota
Its also true about the anti-knock circuit built into newer model H-Ds. It works by measuring the resistance through the coils, plug leads and across the plug gap. Mess with this and you can disable the anti-knock feature.
The ECM is looking for some very specific values to be able to detect engine knock. My days of afternarket plugs are over.
The ECM is looking for some very specific values to be able to detect engine knock. My days of afternarket plugs are over.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 750
Likes: 3
From: 3rd Rock
Tim they only had about 800 miles on them. They were black and sooty around the electrode and tip. As I said it was a wonder they fired at all. The NGK iridiums have increased the bikes performance over the stock plugs by far and even better than the E-3's before they gave out.
Have you checked for codes?
One of my plugs fouled out once but I had "Thrown a code" for the #2 cylinder O2 sensor failed.
Just me wonderin'? Not tryin' to spook ya.
Best wishes....Tim(HT)
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 5
From: Coweta, Oklahoma
Thanks Harley Tim and the rest of you guys for educating me on these matters. I used them on my old 2009 Sportster and the Harley tech here at Myers/Duren in Tulsa didn't say anything like you guys have said. Well the ngk's are coming out today and the 6r12's are going back in. I'm glad Tim you made it out of that awful place when you served. I was in from 68 to 78 but was never called to serve there. My friends told me to never volunteer so I didn't. Got a guilt complex to this day on account of it, but am glad you made it out. God bless and ride safe.