A bit of maintenance

[Tcontrol]

pulled starter… cleaned and polished… re-assembled.. changing spark plugs..about 26K on these plugs…

i am pretty happy with my jetting…

changing enricher cable… gonna change oil and filter… and i need to change my accent light switch… (it fell apart.. 12 years old… )

i have been running a mustang seat w/ back rest… a buddy gave me a corbin seat so i started using that… the switch was a rather tight fit with the corbin.. hence… the switch disintegration… i have mixed feelings on the corbin seat… the leather seams a bit more slippery than the mustang seat… i need to take it on a 300 mile run before i decide if i like it… so far… not enough saddle time..

[scotcher65]

my Clymer manual recommends changing spark plugs every 8000 miles, do you agree?

[MidnightRide]

I'd never change mine at 8k. Looking at Tcontrol's plugs at 26k, I'd leave those as well. They look great. But plugs are cheap, right? I think I run them 100k in my cars...

[MikeyC]

Only time I changed plugs was at 100,000 miles Why fix what ain't broke Performance started to decline is why I finally changed them.

[sta-lor]

I have run Iridium plugs for several years now (pointed centre electrode) and no issues or visible wear after 35K miles

[Tcontrol]

The OEM Owners manual does not list the spark plug change interval for the periodic maintenance chart… basically says check the gap and the electrode for wear and replace as needed…

the OEM service manual for the 1700 also does not list a spark plug change schedule…

8000 miles seems a bit excessive in my opinion regardless of what the clymers manual says… i would be of the opinion that clymers meant to say…“inspect” the spark plugs every 8000 miles… not “replace”

if you examine the picture of the spark plugs… you will notice a light tan color on all plugs indicating that the jetting on the carb is most likely correct… very minimal wear on the center electrode and slight wear on the outer electrode… this is after about 26k miles on the spark plugs… i really do not see a need to replace at 8000 mile intervals… not if my spark plugs are any indication of “wear”…

so i would have to disagree with what your Clymers manual states regarding the “replace” interval…

of course my bike is pumpless with the AIS system removed. It also has a Barons Big Air Kit and Vance and Hines Long Shot exhaust. The jetting of the carb has been modified from a stock set-up as well to correct the fuel mixture for an open filter/ open exhaust set-up…

Maybe a bone stock roadstar would require the noted plug change interval… my bike does not seem to require that replacement schedule if these pictures are any indication…

[Kmartcivic]

I know snapon service manager pro lists to Remove and Replace every 8k miles

[roadiemort]

The OEM Owners manual does not list the spark plug change interval for the periodic maintenance chart… basically says check the gap and the electrode for wear and replace as needed…

the OEM service manual for the 1700 also does not list a spark plug change schedule…

8000 miles seems a bit excessive in my opinion regardless of what the clymers manual says… i would be of the opinion that clymers meant to say…“inspect” the spark plugs every 8000 miles… not “replace”

if you examine the picture of the spark plugs… you will notice a light tan color on all plugs indicating that the jetting on the carb is most likely correct… very minimal wear on the center electrode and slight wear on the outer electrode… this is after about 26k miles on the spark plugs… i really do not see a need to replace at 8000 mile intervals… not if my spark plugs are any indication of “wear”…

so i would have to disagree with what your Clymers manual states regarding the “replace” interval…

of course my bike is pumpless with the AIS system removed. It also has a Barons Big Air Kit and Vance and Hines Long Shot exhaust. The jetting of the carb has been modified from a stock set-up as well to correct the fuel mixture for an open filter/ open exhaust set-up…

Maybe a bone stock roadstar would require the noted plug change interval… my bike does not seem to require that replacement schedule if these pictures are any indication…

http://www.werder.ee/Manual/XV1600.pdf

[Agpilot]

NGK Iridium in mine for 10 years and beau coup miles. When I owned and operated an aircraft shop the Mechanics always said if it is running good don't waste the time and money they will tell you when they need to be changed. Plugs in todays vehicles will last longer than an old coot like me will.

[Tcontrol]

I stand corrected on the schedule as pointed out…

now if you want to look at the picture of the spark plugs that i included…. The color of the insulator and electrode indicates a well adjusted carb… the wear on the plugs is minimal for 26 k miles…. If you guys want to change your plugs at 8000 mile intervals… thats up to you…

the point of the initial post was to show a before and after pic of the starter cleanup and to show a set of plugs that had been in the bike for 26k and what they looked like…

now this has devolved into a “one upper” knowledge base for several members…. Kinda detracts from the point of the pics…

[roadiemort]

That's why I didn't comment just posted what you stated wasn't in the manual, not correcting anybody just trying to educate others that might read these posts, you are free to do as you see fit as do I, I finally bought some spark plugs for my 2010 F150 with just over 150,000 km's on it.

[Lug Nut]

plugs last a long time but if you're going to do your yearly inspection it's not very hard to pull the tank, blow off the rollover valve pull the plugs and inspect and they're cheap enough just to throw a new ones in. Iridiums are expensive but do tend to last quite a while. On the road liners I have I use Iridium because they are an absolute pain in the ass to get in and out. I hope I don't to change those for 50,000 mi.

[Brad_G]

Tcontrol thanks for the pics of your maintenance. I've not taken a Road Star starter apart so it was good to see what things looked like inside. This is a project that I probably should do sometime in the not too distant future. Seems like a good project for this winter.

[Tcontrol]

if you observe the attached pic….

A trick to use during re-assembly… use toothpicks to hold the brush springs back and you can easily put the starter back together.. with spring tension reduced on all brushes… it makes it a easier to lightly push the brushes open and insert the armature… (one brush at a time)… you will understand the method once you begin…

observe how the toothpicks are inserted…

[Lug Nut]

if you observe the attached pic….

A trick to use during re-assembly… use toothpicks to hold the brush springs back and you can easily put the starter back together.. with spring tension reduced on all brushes… it makes it a easier to lightly push the brushes open and insert the armature… (one brush at a time)… you will understand the method once you begin…

observe how the toothpicks are inserted…

It's a pain in the ass to do that but the toothpick is definitely help. For some reason I had more of an issue with my liner starter than my roadstar starter. But it sure does make a difference when you clean out all the black material inspect and replace brush if necessary polish the commutator spray it all out with some brake cleaner real good. Pretty much good as new at that point.

[D-Fresh]

Thanks for the pics Tcontrol, I really need to do that along with install the heavier gauge wires i bought from a member here on the forum!

My only experience with not changing spark plugs in a timely manner cost a lot more than just plugs. I had an 1988 Delta 88 and the plugs had approx. 75K miles on them. The car wouldn't start so i started doing some trouble shooting. The gap on the plugs was approx. 50% or more what it should've been so it over taxed the coil pack and blew it up. Plugs would've been cheaper than plugs AND a new coil pack. Of course it died, in the dead of winter, when there was snow on the ground and i was out of town!!!

[brianmac]

use square clothespins , and cut little 2x2 lumber shaped pieces, square toothpicks? for starter brush holders works way better, use pair of dykes to cut them

[brianmac]

i hope you checked the brush plate brass underneath for cracking

[Tcontrol]

I suppose you could take the extra time to shave clothes pins down… i found that the toothpick method worked just fine for me… even with the brushes showing such little excessive wear… i considered this starter in very good condition since the bike has 50,000+ miles on it…

the brush plate was inspected for any evidence of damage… none found…

the tips and tricks that i used were sufficient for my purposes and were in no way intended to be the best method… i am quite sure other people have employed different methods for starter re-assembly… my technique worked just fine for me with very little preperation other that breaking some toothpicks in half and inserted as shown in a previous picture… minimal effort expended and it accomplished exactly what i needed to allow starter re-assembly… your methods may vary…

the point of the initial post was to encourage users to not be intimidated in performing routine starter dis-assembly, inspection, and maintenance… i also included my re-assembly technique as an example…

A picture of spark plugs that indicated proper fuel air mixture with a close-up view of the color of the insulator and electrode may allow an in-experienced mechanic a “base line” comparison to evaluate their own spark plugs when removed for inspection and replacement…

Do you think the spark plugs show too lean of a mixture?…. I have never used a fuel air meter or had the bike tuned using a dynamo… what would be the general consensus of the spark plug photo…?

[Lug Nut]

I suppose you could take the extra time to shave clothes pins down… i found that the toothpick method worked just fine for me… even with the brushes showing such little excessive wear… i considered this starter in very good condition since the bike has 50,000+ miles on it…

the brush plate was inspected for any evidence of damage… none found…

the tips and tricks that i used were sufficient for my purposes and were in no way intended to be the best method… i am quite sure other people have employed different methods for starter re-assembly… my technique worked just fine for me with very little preperation other that breaking some toothpicks in half and inserted as shown in a previous picture… minimal effort expended and it accomplished exactly what i needed to allow starter re-assembly… your methods may vary…

the point of the initial post was to encourage users to not be intimidated in performing routine starter dis-assembly, inspection, and maintenance… i also included my re-assembly technique as an example…

A picture of spark plugs that indicated proper fuel air mixture with a close-up view of the color of the insulator and electrode may allow an in-experienced mechanic a “base line” comparison to evaluate their own spark plugs when removed for inspection and replacement…

Do you think the spark plugs show too lean of a mixture?…. I have never used a fuel air meter or had the bike tuned using a dynamo… what would be the general consensus of the spark plug photo…?

Plugs are fine. We all have to remember this is an antiquated big B-twin air-cooled very simple motor. This is not a finely tuned thousand horsepower naturally aspirated race motor lol. All four plugs are probably never going to look identical. Just the design of the motor. If ever in doubt I throw new ones in since they're like $2 a piece