So I know that most spark plugs come in different temp ranges. The cooler plugs actually remove heat from the combustion chamber due to construction.

Has anyone tried different plugs and noticed any diff in power or running temp? I have not seen any in different ratings.

 

Wouldn't that mess with your carb settings?

 

I think colder plugs are used to prevent pre ignition when the problem can't be managed with available octane, timing, or fueling adjustments. Never heard anyone suggest using them to "remove heat" from combustion chamber. But I learn something new every day.

 

It is not to remove heat from the combustion chamber. It controls the temperature of the nose or tip of the plug. The plug has to run hot enough so that combustion byproducts burn off and not accumulate (fouled plug) but not so hot that the plug burns up and leads to pre-ignition.

Engines that run under heavy load all the time will use a lower heat range plug. For example a boat engine will use a cooler running plug the same engine in a car. A racing engine same thing.

The way the heat is removed from the tip of the plug is determined by the length of the ceramic insulator. A cold plug will have a short path from the tip to where it is attached to the metal body of the plug. A hot plug will have a longer path to the body.

 

Pidge yes that is exactly the info I got. I am wondering if different temp range plugs are around for the hawk.

 

There are available hotter plugs from NGK (lower numbered). Since you like to run your bike even when below 0 (32f) this is something you may want to try.
Joe, we mandate you to be our guinea pig next winter. ;O)

 

No Flash, I want a cooler plug for lower summer temps. And please dont mention winter. Just for that I am gonna sleep in a tent in my backyard.

 

I'm not sure I follow your logic right now. Usually, you use a cooler plug for warmer summer temps, and, a hotter plug for cooler temps.
Unless you want the opposite, as you mentioned, then, the NGK line of plugs is what you want. DPR8EIX, or even the 7 series.

However, if you're looking for a cooler plug for very hot NYC temps, then the Denso racing may be something to look at.

DENSO SPARK PLUGS

Perhaps this is not the perfect fit, a little more research is probably required here. You may also look into Champion or Brisk plugs. But be careful with the Brisk plugs, they have a reverse logic with cooler/hotter numeration.

 

I guess a hotter plug could get smacked a piston if you're not careful

 

Smacked a piston? Huh?

So lower numbers are colder plugs. Stock is DPR9EIX9 so I gues a series 7 would work.

I am trying to find out if this would be a better choice for a city motor that runs hot. I sure may be out in left field on this but would listen to alost any knowledge. Real true knowledge prefered to banter.

 

Smoking, the temperature range of the plug will not affect the temperature of the engine. It only affects the temperature of the plug. If you are racing (running the engine at high loads wide open throttle all the time) you may need a cooler plug.


The way to tell is to look at the tip of the plug. If it is to hot it will have little to no color and may even be blistered in severe cases. If too cold the plug will be fouled with heavy black deposits.


Jerryh the length of the plug does not change only the shape of the insulator inside the plug.

 

I would stick with the oem plug spec. But still depends on your area. Changing the heat range of plugs can mess up the timing of the engine.

 

Explain how this works....

 

 

Hmm, well I am not 110% about the timing thing, but if aint gonna take some heat out of the combustion chamber, then count me out.

So much for that monster windmill.

 

Joe, the bike will not run colder with colder plugs, you welcome to try, but I can assure you that will not affect it.
I would stick to OEM, the only time I would consider different plugs using hotter plugs (lower numbers) if at all, would be if I build a race bike with hot cams, ignition advancer and so on... other then that you will not see a difference.

 

Timing of the engine? I hope you don't mean the timing chain, timing got nothing to do with this, maybe you meant something different, what it can mess up is the way the mixture of air and gas burns in the cylinder.

 

OK NaHampsha. Case is closed. My pursuit will lead me elsewhere.

I just removed my big zx7 oil cooler. It was beat and inefficient. It also was big enuff to stop airflow to the rads the way the air wants to go. Put on a new stock one for now.

It did help the motor run cooler. Maybe a newer zx7 unit mounted like a speed triple. Out in the air but vulnerable

 

Put the radiator in the tail. I rarely see my temps go over 200*F in the 115* Phoenix summer. Very rarely. Muahahahaha

 

7, do run a constant fan or thermostaticly turned on?

Also, is that a true story or an evil joke??

 

That is what I meant.

 

It's both- it's a true evil joke. It's true because it happens and it's a joke because I'm not exactly sure why.

I've been tinkering with it ever since I put it in and must have found the sweet spot. I can certainly tell you the setup and things that don't work (for instance, I'm just running standard autozone antifreeze b/c I didn't notice any difference with Engine Ice or Water Wetter).

But to answer your first question, I have the 85*C thermostatic switch. And the fans work well enough to switch off during the ride (they're not full on the whole time).

 

Ah what the heck, why not put all this in a spark plug thread

Some of this I learned from Kai Ju who was nice enough to share with me. He started out by telling me that with his final setup he was running cooler than the rc-51's and stock VTR's that he was riding with. On cool rainy days his fans didn't even kick on. It sounded overzealous (and impossible, because it would seem like the undertail setup relies heavily on fans for airflow), but the way mine has performed so far this summer, I am optimististic about the claim. We don't really have cool rainy days in Phoenix; just monsoons and it's not worth trying to navigate streets not made to drain rain on the handful of days we get them.

So, on to the setup:

>A fully bled system is essential to run right for mine. If I just have one air pocket, the temp will easily reach 220F-230F in a 15 min ride. I have to use a couple of tricks to bleed it b/c the rad cap isn't in the best location.
>85*C fan switch with two pusher fans. I think if I were in stop-and-go traffic like you, Joe, I would consider tinkering with another fan on the left radiator. I honestly have no idea how much room is in there. In lab conditions, puller fans are more efficient, but pusher fans are used in vehicles where there are space restrictions. The first fan I'm using is the OEM one, the second is a low profile SPAL pusher- (Part No VA14-AP7/C-34S). I suspect the Spal is pushing more air, but couldn't find any documentation on OEM fans. From what I've experienced, I am convinced that Honda OEM has heavy R&D and would use an appropriate fan in the OEM setting, though. The Spal is lower profile but would also restrict much more air when it is off, so I'd imagine it would not be good in a track setting. This is all just from me playing around with the units and guessing how things are working. And we all know how that goes (espeically when considering fluid dynamics). I'm honestly thinking I could go back to the 100*F fan switch.
>OEM oil cooler. I have a ZX one to mount low at some point, but it doesn't seem worth the effort. The standard one seems to be fine. I may do it for aesthetics eventually...
>Engine Ice and Water Wetter, in various combinations with distilled water and antifreeze didn't seem to be that effective, and were too expensive to replace. Back to cheap silicate free antifreeze.

So those are the basics, but here's the kicker: I've had this setup for three years, and the first two years it was performing well (and even then I wouldn't hesitate to say the setup worked). It would hover in between 200*F and 210*F, similar to a VTR with a working cooling system. This last year for some reason it has been working almost too well (so much that I tested the temp sensor), and I'm not exactly sure why. Always around 180*F, with fans kicking off intermittently in the middle of summer. I've made no changes to the cooling system specifically, so your guess is as good as mine as to what makes it work:

I've put on a new full exhaust system. Two brothers (wrapped) headers and Yoshi cans. My previous headers were wrapped so... maybe the larger profile Yoshi's cause different airflow in my tail? In an optimum setting, having a low pressure between the rear tire and tail would draw the air through the rads. This is what happens on the stock rads (the low pressure flowing over the vents in the fairings pull air through them). I couldn't even figure out how to start measuring this or making changes, so it's really guesswork. I've also re-done all the wiring in the tail of the bike. I had ridden the "proof of concept" wiring long enough to clean it all up and I'm sure it created a different airflow inside of the tail. Maybe it's dryer/wetter this summer and that changes things. Maybe I'm riding differently. Maybe I've just been more chill this last year and it's rubbing off on my ride.

 

7moore7 wrapped pipes cant lose their heat and it contributes to higher temps
Offtopic (kinda)

If you want a GOOD spark check this out

here is some guy buring distilled water


i am for sure gonna get this on my turbo gsxr : no spark blowout
and with water+meth injection high boost can be achieved without melting the cilinders.
ontopic :
i dont think this is a cool spark

 

Negative ghostrider. The flip side of the coin is that auxiliary heat emitted from the headers is contained and thus not heating the motor externally (or in the case of a car, all the doohickeys in the engine bay). A properly flowing exhaust will not flow backwards, either, so heat inside the pipes is not going to affect cylinder/engine temps. Consider that the VTR runs cooler in the front cylinder because it is exposed to more cooline air than the rear cylinder, and that a wrapped header will make that air even more cool. I'm not sure how much wrapped pipes affects temps (I'm guessing so little that it's hard to measure on a street motorcycle), but if anything, they help...

I'm too lazy to find sources, but I didn't just wrap my pipes because I like the smell of them

Edit: I added some more words.

 

also makes sense, even more so that were ive read my statement is on a turbo application and some guy ceramic coated everything and everything was getting way to hot

 

Interesting... I don't know much about turbos and heat sensitivity of the system, but ceramic coating would definitely change it... apparently for the worse for said guy...