Smashed Spark plug... 1998 R1100GS
Own 1998 R1100GS..
Problem is right side spark plug electrode is getting bent/crushed by the piston.
About 2 years ago, on a cross country trip, the right side plug electrode totally was destroyed. Got the bike home and redid both side cylinder heads/seals. Saw nothing out of the ordinary(to me at least).Figured it might have been due to valves not being adjusted in a long time. replaced the plugs and ridden ever since.
Everything was fine until i just replaced both side plugs last week (Autolite 3923). Ran fine for 2 weeks and yesterday suddenly lost compression, and i limped to work. Pulled both side spark plugs and the right side Ground electrode was bent to the side. bent it back and bike was better , but not quite right(probably gap)...but again half way home started again. Pulled off and pulled the plug..bent again. Managed to get home with bike getting progressively worse, with bike stalling in driveway.
Have read a lot about the possibility of the piston bearings failing... causing the piston to be coming farther out, and hitting the plug?
Have always noticed a "ticking" coming from one of the cylinders while riding. Plug hitting Piston?
Another thought occured to me. I looked in the plug well and it seemed to be well worn, probably from having plug put in and taken out for 20 years. Maybe it has worn enough to let the plug get seated further into the well and cause it to hit the piston? This combined with overtightened plug? Could i add an indexing washer to move the plug back?
Was wondering if this might be a fix, rather than disassembling the whole cylinder to examine the piston setup, and finding all was well ...just to find my problems were caused by a worn plug well.
Any thoughts?
Chris
Own 1998 R1100GS..
Problem is right side spark plug electrode is getting bent/crushed by the piston.
About 2 years ago, on a cross country trip, the right side plug electrode totally was destroyed. Got the bike home and redid both side cylinder heads/seals. Saw nothing out of the ordinary(to me at least).Figured it might have been due to valves not being adjusted in a long time. replaced the plugs and ridden ever since.
Everything was fine until i just replaced both side plugs last week (Autolite 3923). Ran fine for 2 weeks and yesterday suddenly lost compression, and i limped to work. Pulled both side spark plugs and the right side Ground electrode was bent to the side. bent it back and bike was better , but not quite right(probably gap)...but again half way home started again. Pulled off and pulled the plug..bent again. Managed to get home with bike getting progressively worse, with bike stalling in driveway.
Have read a lot about the possibility of the piston bearings failing... causing the piston to be coming farther out, and hitting the plug?
Have always noticed a "ticking" coming from one of the cylinders while riding. Plug hitting Piston?
Another thought occured to me. I looked in the plug well and it seemed to be well worn, probably from having plug put in and taken out for 20 years. Maybe it has worn enough to let the plug get seated further into the well and cause it to hit the piston? This combined with overtightened plug? Could i add an indexing washer to move the plug back?
Was wondering if this might be a fix, rather than disassembling the whole cylinder to examine the piston setup, and finding all was well ...just to find my problems were caused by a worn plug well.
Any thoughts?
Chris