Engine Noise

[Mark Crane]

Saturday I changed the plugs in my 79 CBX and it cranks up and runs good. The only problem is that now there is a ticking noise. There is no noise in spinning the engine over but when i cranks up it sounds like there is something loose, i.e. spark plug tip. I checked on the new and old plugs and nothing is missing. I checked each cylinder with a bore scope and can't seem to find if anything fell into one of cylinders. I certainly appreciate any suggestions and if something has fallen into one of the cylinders, what would be the easiest way to get it out? Thank you!

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Mark, it might be that one of the plug wires or caps has been damaged while you were changing the plugs.
You might actually be able to see the arcing if you can run the bike in the dark.

[Samelak]

Check your plug connection at the coils. I had the same problem. My #3 wire came dislodged just enough to still complete the arc, but was making a loud ticking noise.

[Mark Crane]

Thank you the responses... my second question is,if there is a spark plug tip in one of the cylinders, what is the easiest way to get it out?

[Jeff Bennetts]

Thank you the responses... my second question is,if there is a spark plug tip in one of the cylinders, what is the easiest way to get it out?

Do you have one missing? If so I would try to find it outside of the motor first before doing anything else. A magnet won't help being as the tips are aluminum, maybe use a long tip blow gun and see if you can dislodge it incase it fell where the sun don't shine.

[spencer]

. . . A magnet won't help being as the tips are aluminum, . . .

Maybe I am missing something, but are we talking about the electrode that sticks out of the ceramic center of the spark plug, inside the cylinder? If so, I just went out to the garage and tested the electrode in a spark plug with a magnet, and it definitely is magnetic. It can't be aluminum. So, maybe the idea of using a magnet might work, especially if you can find one that can flex, so it reaches all corners of the cylinder. I hope you find it, and I hope I have not stepped on anyone's toes.

[Houtman]

An other way to get small parts out of a hole is to use suction.If you have a brake bleeder and an air compressor you can put the flexable plastic tube down the spark plug hole(or other holes) and put a strong vacuum on the bleeder.This will often pick up small parts.Safe Riding John

[EMS]

. . . A magnet won't help being as the tips are aluminum, . . .

Maybe I am missing something, but are we talking about the electrode that sticks out of the ceramic center of the spark plug, inside the cylinder? If so, I just went out to the garage and tested the electrode in a spark plug with a magnet, and it definitely is magnetic. It can't be aluminum. So, maybe the idea of using a magnet might work, especially if you can find one that can flex, so it reaches all corners of the cylinder. I hope you find it, and I hope I have not stepped on anyone's toes.

Spark plug electrodes are not aluminum. Considering the heat and the erosion they are submitted to, they would last about 5 minutes, if that. That is why the spark plug manufacturers advertise "iridium" and other exotic materials.

If an electrode came loose and made it into the combustion chamber, it would most likely roll to the front of the piston due to the angle the engine sits at. There it could very well lodge itself into the small gap between top corner of the piston and cylinder wall. I would be very careful and not turn the engine.
Seriously, if this thing is in the engine, I would take the head off.

[Jeff Bennetts]

Thank you the responses... my second question is,if there is a spark plug tip in one of the cylinders, what is the easiest way to get it out?

Come on now, you guys read much? he said spark plug tip. Usually when someone says tip they are referring to the top or the tapered part of something. I took it as the aluminum screw on tip of the plug, maybe I read it wrong.

[79cbx]

Thank you the responses... my second question is,if there is a spark plug tip in one of the cylinders, what is the easiest way to get it out?

Come on now, you guys read much? he said spark plug tip. Usually when someone says tip they are referring to the top or the tapered part of something. I took it as the aluminum screw on tip of the plug, maybe I read it wrong.

I agree with you Jeff. That's the way I understood him to mean, the screw on aluminium tip may have found its way inside the combustion chamber. After all, he did say he replaced the plugs and we all know, new plugs come with that screw on tip. Anyway, good luck getting it out if it is indeed in the cylinder.

Jerry

[spencer]

Usually when someone says tip they are referring to the top or the tapered part of something. I took it as the aluminum screw on tip of the plug, maybe I read it wrong.

I wondered if that was what you meant. That's why I tried to be diplomatic about it. I was trying to find out for sure which part we were talking about.

[daves79x]

I've not seen the screw-on tip on plugs for years - NGK anyway.

Dave

[Jeff Bennetts]

I've not seen the screw-on tip on plugs for years - NGK anyway.

Dave

You may want to take a closer look Dave, just bought some NGK plugs a month ago, they have screw on tips.

[daves79x]

I, too just bought 12 to install in two bikes and none of them had the screw-ons. None I have bought in the last many years have had them and I've bought dozens of them from many different vendors. Lack of them is a real problem if using aftermarket caps.

Dave

[EMS]

There was sure some confusing terminology here. Only one to clear that up may be the original author.
Jeff is right, he could have meant the "tip" that sits on the top and connects the plug inside the cap.
Now, how the hell would you get one of these into a cylinder???