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Spark Plug interval is 18k miles and new plug wires

7K views 21 replies 7 participants last post by  93Octane 
#1 ·
I had some back and forth with my local dealership, my owners manual and finally Ducati North America.

The owners manual indicates that the spark plugs are replaced at 9000 miles, the Ducati Transparent Maintenance Guide indicates that they get checked but not necessarily replaced at that same interval, and at my dealership their service writing software (provided by Ducati) indicates that they are to remain untouched until the desmo service at 18,000 miles.

According to Ducati North America the service writing software is correct, and both of those documents have been recently superseded but not yet updated on the website.

This is exciting because it essentially moves all of the invasive maintenance (outside of warranty work) to that one big service. Everything else is essentially chain maintenance, oil changes annually, plus periodic fluid changes (hydraulic at 3 years, coolant at 4 years).

Being the anal retentive technician that I am, I insisted that the shop still perform the plug change per the owners manual so that it's documented correctly until the updated documentation is released; the shop was happy to take my money and the tech happy to have a bike on the lift. Today they told me that the plug wires I have installed have a known likelihood to break when disconnected from the plugs and are superseded with a new part number (suffix D is the update, suffix B came on the bike). I wonder if this is the issue that @Triple S was having with his vulcanized HT leads. The updated part numbers are around $60 each, $120 for the pair.

On my 2017 bike, the part numbers according to the parts diagram are
Horizontal head: 67110601B
Vertical head: 67110591B

The new part numbers are listed as OEM installation on the 2020 parts diagram:
Horizontal head: 67110601D
Vertical head: 67110591D
 
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#2 ·
I'd wait for valve adjustment service.

Modern plugs will go forever with computer controlled, liquid cooled, fuel injected engines. Valve service is opportune since the plugs are removed anyway. Labor being a big part of cost.

Has anyone here had a fouled plug?
 
#5 ·
Assume that 10 is a cooler plug than the factory MAR-9? I can only say that I've done maybe eight days riding 350-500 mile each day. Seems to run fine. Have about 11k miles on the bike now.

What benefit is expected with a cooler plug?

Is there an iridium replacement?
 
#6 ·
I had some back and forth with my local dealership, my owners manual and finally Ducati North America.

The owners manual indicates that the spark plugs are replaced at 9000 miles, the Ducati Transparent Maintenance Guide indicates that they get checked but not necessarily replaced at that same interval, and at my dealership their service writing software (provided by Ducati) indicates that they are to remain untouched until the desmo service at 18,000 miles.

According to Ducati North America the service writing software is correct, and both of those documents have been recently superseded but not yet updated on the website.
Yes, we discussed this a while back on the Forum, and the manual is wrong. In fact, we have on the Forum a post of the plugs being pulled at 18,000 and they still looked really good, surprisingly.

Btw, I just had my 9000 mile service done (with 13,000 on the clock), and did not have the plugs replaced.
 
#9 ·
In terms of the ignition cables (coil to plugs) what brand do you suggest. When I planted the 1200 into the SS I had to mix up the cables from a 1200 and the SS. The 1200's coils are twin spark, meaning two plugs per cylinder.
The coils positions are different, using a different bracket, and as such the horizontal centre cable is a bit tight. Been thinking of upgrading them anyway but I'm unsure what's best for a motorcycle.
 
#17 ·
Well glad I found this thread. So today I was doing a short ride. I went to pass a car ON A DOTTED LINE and as I was passing my bike lost significant power. I could hear a sound difference immediately. Within the next min I noticed a heat difference between my legs. I’m like WTF!!!!! I didn’t want to pull over because I didn’t want to be stuck on the road. I road the bike home and got home safely.
Turns out, the ignition plug on the left side came off. When I turned on the bike, I saw the electrical current coming out of the rubber. I plugged it back in and it fired up fine. I’ll let it cool down and call my dealer tomorrow.
Has this happened to anyone?
 
#20 ·
So sorry for the delay, came home put the bike away and went out on the lake all day. You guys are great for responding right away.

This plug(left side), I think its the ignition coil popped off when I downshifted to pass the car. I didn't know what happened until I got home. Again, sound changed and the engine temp changed. I didn't see any oil, no fluid leaks. It was so weird. When I got home, I saw the electrical current, I then shut the bike off and plugged it back in. Started it up, I'm pretty sure its ok now. The sound was a lot louder and I felt more air coming from the exhaust. Im not sure if a cylinder head shut down or what. Interestingly enough, no check engine light came on, the engine temp didn't increase. No feedback from the dash. Still under factory warranty and Im buying the Red or Ever Red by the end of the month.

41285
 
#22 ·
It was nerve wrecking to be honest. I’m still at a loss as the check engine light never came on. I didn’t want to ruin Fathers Day cause I’d never hear the end of that one. Remember the time you came home late cause your bike broke down!
I am hoping this experience will be of some value to others out there incase this happens to you.
 
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