How to remove sparkplug wire ends.

I have some new plugs from when I got the bike 5 years ago but never put them in because some of the sparkplugs had their tip stuck up in the wire and others didn't. The new plugs seem like they'd break if I tried to unscrew the tip and just use the ones that are stuck up in the wire. The bike runs good but I think it will run better with fresh plugs but I don't want to break anything trying to do this. If the plastic end of the plug comes off, I could try to get the sparkplug tips out.

 

If you have the correct spark plugs, the tip should just unscrew (NGK have been putting them on tight lately & I've had to start them off with pliers), you should be able to see the hole in the very top of the tip if they're removable, if the tops are solid they're usually fixed.

Is it possible you have different, mismatched plug caps & what you see stuck in some caps is not the tip but a spring clip that the threaded part pushes into? There was a thread not long ago where this was the case!

 

The spark plug caps screw onto/into the wires. There is a threaded spike inside the plug cap that bores into the center of the wire.

If you remove them, lop about 1/4" ~ 3/8" off the end of the wires so when you screw them back on, they get a good, fresh "bite."

Also, be careful in the caps themselves. Inside the cap is a resistor core that screws in, they can and do work loose. There are screwdriver slots on either side of where the tip of the plug goes; gently ensure they're not loose.

 

Good info & worth doing if any of the caps feel loose on the wire, I think from reading the original post although not the clearest, that the issue was with the fat "car type" tips on the spark plugs themselves? (the title was wire ends granted, b ut the post seemed to be asking about the actual plugs themselves) :?

I read it as, a couple of the plugs currently on the bike having these and the other 2 with them removed to expose the threaded "bike type" end that uses the original resistor type of plug cap :?

 

This is the thread I was thinking of, worried for a moment thought I was losing it!

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=4 ... +caps.html

 

Yeah there's a few pics on there

 

What they ^ said and only two of the caps on the 650 have the screw in resistor core in them at 2 and 3. Don't do like I did and destroy a cap trying to remove a resistor core that's not there. The difference is easily noticeable once you remove the caps and shine a flashlight in the hole. You should see the slots that BF described. Unless PO has put automotive caps or something like that on your bike once you remove the caps you should be able to take a pair of needle nose and pull those tips out and insert the threaded tips on the plugs. Hope this helps.

Gary