I pulled out of my apartment on my 03 954 and after getting into 2nd gear I heard a loud popping noise and my bike lost power and started to sound like a Harley. I turned it back on a couple times to try and see what the issue was and I noticed the spark plug cap moving up and down. I had a couple friends come over and after getting to the plugs they pushed the cap back on and after firing it back up the cap popped off again. They tried several times to get it to work but no luck. We then realized that the actual spark plug was not screwed in. Without having the Honda tool kit there was no way to screw it back in properly so my friends...trying to be helpful, tried to screw it back in with the cap. It didn't work. I think there help just jacked up the first couple threads because now when I use the tool to screw the plugs in i can barely get a quarter turn in and there is a lot of resistance. The spark plug does not show any signs of damage.

So that is how my weekend started. Hope everyone else is doing better. I have another friend coming over this evening that is a mechanic. I am hoping he doesn't give me too bad of news.

Not sure if the attached picture shows anything good or bad.

 

you may need to have the threads retaped which isnt the end of the world

 

It appears there are no threads to retap. The plug just moves freely where the threads used to be. This really sucks. From what I understand now I have to have a heli-coil installed.

The good news is I have a mechanic friend that I just met that is willing to help me get everything apart.

Since I have to take the heads off are there any tweaks that can be done to the bike while I'm in there?

 

Sorry to say but from the pics your threads look shot! Make sure your friend knows exactly what he is doing! POSSIBLY the threads will be OK by just sending a tap through, but once again, make sure he knows exactly what he is doing. The tap HAS to be started just right otherwise you will destroy what is left of it. The tap should go through with little or no effort, because you are only chasing the snookered part of the existing threads, good luck.

 

You are correct...threads are shot. The tap and the plug both move freely where they shouldn't be able to. We are going to have to install a heli-coil. I don't know if this is going going to be a crazy complicated job or if it will be straightforward.

 

You DO NOT have to remove the head. The heli-coil kit is designed to install in place.

It should come with a reamer/tap that you use first and then a tool that installs the
helicoil, itself. It's my understanding, from researching it, that the few shavings that
might fall into the cylinder, will be blown out without damaging the rings/seals.
This should be a 10 minute repair, if done properly.

P.S. I doubt your buddies did any of the damage, with their initial attempt to re-install it.
What happens is, the plug (once loose), starts bouncing up and down and shaves
on the threads till they're gone and then the plug pops loose.

Ern

 

You might also look into a product called Time-Sert. Take a look at this post.

 

As was said, a properly matched heli coil will get you back on track. Match the thread, pitch, and length..

 

A good trick to minimise the swarf from tapping dropping into the cylinder is to fill the flutes of the tap with grease before you start tapping and then almost all the swarf from cutting the thread is retained in the grease and doesnt drop into the combustion chamber. I have used this method when fitting helicoils into Jaguar cylinder heads and you dont want to be pulling one of those off unless absolutely necessary.
take extreme care to ensure that you are tapping square to the plug gasket seat and you will have no problems at all.
Good luck

 

Installing a heli-coil is not that big of a job, but it can be dangerous.. Like the others said.. It will come with bigger diameter drill that you'll have to dril out, then tap the bigger hole which the heli-coil will screw into. The major problem is having micrometer size chips falling into the cylinder.. Make sure you get all the debris out of the cylinder.. I did this exact procedure to a monster standby disel generator at a nuclear powerplant.. Lol just make sure no debris gets under the piston rings.