All 4 spark plugs were finger tight, normal??

[Vaughn]

Hello

I've just replaced the plugs on my newly acquired 400,
I replaced the originals with iridium ones.

Now every time I put my socket and extension bar on one of the old plugs they just turned with 2 fingers, they were really loose as if someone had just done them up with an extension bar by hand and forgot to tighten with a ratchet.
All 4 were like that.

I used to be an apprentice mechanic in a car garage many moons ago and we would never have left them like that.

Is this cause for concern??
I'm worried that this could be a way they have masked a major problem??
Maybe left them loose to lower compression or something??

Here's a picture of the plugs if that helps

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370452732.139050.jpg

As you can see they are all a bit oily and the 2nd one from the left has a dry brown electrode. Sorry about the picture quality

I have put the new plugs in and left them finger tight for now just in case that's how they are meant to be, I'm new to this bike mechanics lark.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[RedexRobB]

As rule you dont want to overtighten them so you dont ruin the thread, on the other hand you dont want them too loose. Theres a figure in the manual for the correct torque so i would advise going with that figure.

As for why they put them in like that, who knows, maybe they just clean forgot? Only thing i would be worried about is if the thread is damaged and they are finger tight not to ruin it any further, might be worth just checking for piece of mind?

[Vaughn]

Thanks for your reply.

So hopefully shouldn't be anything to worry about then??

How would I go about checking the threads without stripping the bike down too much??

I don't have a torque wrench but I have read to tighten them finger tight then give them 1/4 turn with a wrench, so all being well and the threads are good I'll probably do that
Thanks

[banner001]

for slightly less than the cost of a new cylinder head...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000RO1ZCG/r ... wo=&hvqmt=

bikes are precision items, if you choose not to do the simple things, then it will cost you in the long run. i have 3 torque wrenches, the above for 2-24Nm, a nice teng one for 19-110Nm and a swing indicator one for 100-300Nm, do it right or dont do it at all.

the torque figures are in there for a reason, and steel teeth into a soft aluminium head is one of those reasons.

[Vaughn]

Good answer cheers banner.
I'll get one ordered up ASAP.

I used to have one but it ended up getting wet and rusty so no use to man nor beast.

[Vaughn]

Thanks guys.
I've just been in the garage and found my rusty old torque wrench but it's beyond repair.
While I was digging around I found a long bendy torque wrench as well so I'm chuffed.
I have ordered the one you shared in the link anyway, I've also ordered another set of plugs, this time standard CR9EK
I read a thread about iridium ones so ordered a set, since then I've read about all the problems so I'll get rid of them.

After digging around in the manuals I now know that the zxr400 spark plug torque is 13N-m (1.3kg-m, 113 in-lb)

[Vaughn]

for slightly less than the cost of a new cylinder head...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000RO1ZCG/r ... wo=&hvqmt=

bikes are precision items, if you choose not to do the simple things, then it will cost you in the long run. i have 3 torque wrenches, the above for 2-24Nm, a nice teng one for 19-110Nm and a swing indicator one for 100-300Nm, do it right or dont do it at all.

the torque figures are in there for a reason, and steel teeth into a soft aluminium head is one of those reasons.

Torque wrench arrived today, happy days
Just waiting for a compression tester now which should hopefully be here tomorrow then I can get cracking.
Going to do a compression test on all 4 cylinders then got a brand new set of plugs to go back in all gapped and ready to go, gonna do away with the iridium ones I just put in there.
Got a meter of blue ht lead on it's way too.
Then I just have to oil the air filter and put it all back together, can't wait to get her running again.

[Vaughn]

Got my battery charged up yesterday ready for the compression test as well so as soon as that tester turns up it's all systems go