cleaning iridium sparkplugs

I have my 05 600RR apart for cleaning/maint. getting it ready for this season. It has 4500 miles on it (2700 track) so I know the plugs don't need replaced and thank god at $21 each. :wow:

It has NGK iridium tipped plugs in it (factory ones) and I want to clean some of the carbon from them. Of course I'm not going to use sand paper on them but what about spraying them with electrical or brake cleaner? Any suggestions? Thanks. :up:

 

If your going to do it do it right. Change them.

 

They don't need changed at all. Prob not even cleaned but i figured while I had it apart, I would touch them up a bit.

 

If your iridiums have carbon on them, with a few thousand miles, half of them track miles, you might want to ask why your bike is running so rich. After coming off the track they should be ash or tan colored with NO carbon. Any carbon from the street riding should be surface only and not important.

 

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/tech_support/spark_plugs/faqs/faqoldplugs.asp?mode=nml

 

they are a brown/bronze color. No dark gray or black. No big deposits, they just don't look "new".

 

I googled and found that link too. I didn't think sand blasting iridium tipped plugs would be a good idea. I think that is for regular plugs. Maybe not.

 

not for nothing, but that link didn't say anything about the iridium plug. May just be for regular plugs? As small and fine of a tip that the iridium plugs have i wouldn't be using any sand paper on it.. maybe a toothbrush and brake cleaner and dry with a rag. If ya had the money for em in the 1st place, run a season and buy new again?

 

Pic sucks but you can see the color.....I need a new damn camera.

 

These things are good for 25000 miles though. Not track miles but not like replacing the one in the lawn mower every spring.

 

Mike if you're doing regular maintenance you can use the CS replacement plugs and not see ant performance loss. Those will ast ya about 20 bucks for the set.

 

Set the camera on macro. It should have flower icon for this setting.

 

OK, try these. One pic without flash, one with.

 

Track only bike. Make any difference?

 

The first pic without the flash looks WAY worse than the actual condition of that plug. It looks black with deposits but that is not the case. i used some brake cleaner and my wife's toothbrush and it cleaned up some. It has a nice brown gold color to it.

I am going to go get some more brake cleaner and another toothbrush. One for her and a hard bristle one for the plugs. Her toothbrush was Soft and I think a medium or hard would do a better job and still be gentle enough. Boy is she pissed

 

WOW that plug looks like A$$. No you can use the lesser plugs no worries.
I think you need to dyno it and see whats up.

 

No really, that is not what the plug looks like. Not even close. I should delete that pic and try another one. My camera is junk and takes distorted pics. There is absolutely NO build up, and the color is brownish. That pic looks all oily wet, black and corroded when in fact, it is not.

 

FYI...iridium coating is designed for one thing and one thing only, longevity. They last longer but actually shields energy. You'll make more power with a standard CR9-EH9 NGK. Rick Hobbs told me this years ago. Use the non-iridium.

 

BTW, your sig was originally quoted as " Racing is 90% mental, the other half is physical " and I think Malcolm Smith said it.
And ditto on the CR9EH9 plugs per Hobbs and BB929

 

Good to know. Thanks.