Spark Plugs - How to.......

I thought I'd post a "how to" for those who are willing to do a bit of spannering on their Bandit, but unsure what to do, or where to start. I'm not a mechanic, but this is how I did it........
Well, 48600kms isn't bad on the original spark plugs!! So after a trip to the bike shop to pick up a new set of NGK CR7E's at $4.70 each, it was time to put them in. The fuel gauge was flashing, so I knew their wasn't much premium left in the tank. Something to consider because you will be removing the tank completely from the Bandit. Now tools......I used the Bandits tool kit, a feeler gauge, basic metric socket set with an extension bar, and my new ratchet spanners. Make sure you have some rags handy. You may want to check the gaps of the new plugs using a feeler gauge before they go in (0.7mm-0.8mm).
 
Take the seat off. Undo the 2 bolts holding the petrol down.
Lift the rear of the tank up, and while supporting the front of the tank, move the tank rearward and up. Now you'll need to chock the tank up so the pipes and wires can be undone. Remove the 2 rubber hoses at the rear first. They should pull off. Next is the electrical connector. 
 
Push the clip down and wriggle it about. It will be a bit of a bastard if it hasn't been undone before! Last is the fuel line. 
 
Pinch the blue tabs together, push the connector in a fraction, then pull off. There might be a small squirt of fuel if the bike has been recently ridden. Now I tucked the fuel line between the throttle cables so any fuel still in the line wouldn't spill.
 
Find somewhere safe to place the tank. 
Now you can see your airbox, radiator cap, and the tops of the ignition coils. Undo the connector on the first ignition coil. 
 
Now, I got my compressor out and gave the area around the coil a good blast, just to make sure no dirt/debris fall into the top of the motor. The next bit gives your fingers a bit of a work out!! You need to pull the coil straight up and out. This was the hardest part of the whole job. I did squirt some wd-40 down the side of the coil, just to help with freeing up the seal. 
 
 
Use the longer plug socket, and slide it into the hole and push firmly over the old spark plug.
 
 I used a spanner on the top of the plug socket to undo a few turns, then used my fingers to undo the rest. The plug socket and old plug should just pull out with a bit of manoeuvring. Take the old plug from the plug socket, and replace it with a new one. Slide the new plug and socket into the hole in the cylinder head, and do it up finger tight with your fingers. Place a spanner back onto the plug socket and tighten 1/2 turn. 
Slide the ignition coil back down the hole and push down as hard as you can until you feel/hear clicks. Push the connector back onto the coil and you're done! One down......3 to go.
Now, a few things to mention. I didn't remove any body work coz my Bandit is the fast black S (half fairing 1250s!!), and I put the tank back on after each new plug. A bit anal perhaps, but I wanted to make sure the plug I'd just put in actually worked! If it didn't, I knew it was the last one I'd put in! I undid the radiator cap housing to gain access to the plug underneath.
We'll, that's it. A bit of a long winded description, but it may help you. If not, I've at least taught myself to take pics, upload them to photobucket, and post em on here.....all from a bloody fruit phone!! That was harder than changing the plugs!!

Nice write up, Sb. 
Good to be able to do your own work on your bike and help others along the way. 
Just one quick note on the fuel line connection.  Be sure that you have seated it correctly and all the way home, give it a good test wiggle.  A few guys have reported experiences of their line coming adrift whilst riding and squirting fuel around.  
Keep up the good work, mate.  

Nice one sb. That bit about blowing the crap out of the plug cavities is important. Or you can make yourself a vacuum cleaner attachment with a piece of small diameter flexible plastic tube so you can suck any crap up after you've pulled the coils out and before the plugs are removed.

That should help a lot of people who haven't done this sort of thing before.

I'd just like to add this tip from a Haynes manual, I use a piece of semi rigid plastic tube about 100mm long (it came on the top a a 1 litre gear oil bottle) it really gives you a better feel when reinserting the plug.

Another trick is to use about 100mm of injector hose over the nipple of the spark plug when removing, replacing and finger tightening. Works a treat and saves having to find a pair of Japanese fingers

If you are not sure what I mean I can take a photo and post it up.

The spark plug sockets in the Bandits tool kit have an internal rubber bush with the right hole size for the threaded end of the plug. I like the hose option......good to know.
Having Japanese fingers that can "curl" about 20 kgs would be handy!! Especially for removing the ignition coil behind the radiator cap housing.

The old plugs were only slightly out of spec. I checked them before chucking them away.   

I put a smear of copper grease on the threads to prevent seizure of the plug in the head.  I use a 14mm socket  on one of those jointed adapters and extension onto the plug tool to torque the middle two plugs, and straight onthe plug tool on the two outer plugs.  I have always been paranoid about stripping the head

I just do it until my elbow clicks. They normally have crush washers so you don't need to over do it that's for sure

Love this sort of post .

Good report SB,   Maybe Cameron can add a "How To Section" on here. There are a few good How To's already here that can go in it. Will save time searching the whole forum for a tip.

I run CR8ea's in mine. Bloody thing runs too hot otherwise.

Good tutorial SB1250.  I thought I was going to save a few bucks by buying a V Twin. Wrong !  The MT has TWO plugs per cylinder. A lot easier to get at than the Bandit S though.

Hammy wrote:  I thought I was going to save a few bucks by buying a V Twin. Wrong !  The MT has TWO plugs per cylinder. 

That's so the the other plug doesn't feel so alone and scared in those cavernous chambers you call cylinders.