Im totally sick right now. I feel like I am going to puke. I was just doing the normal routine winter maintainance installing iridium spark plugs. This machine is new to me 2007 and I got it with 1100 miles on it. As far as I know the plugs have never been touched. I was installing the plugs at 8400 miles. #1 and #2 were so seized up I couldnt hardly turn my 1 foot ratchet!! I kept after it by reversing them and working them but finally #2 had enough and twisted off the spark plug threads in the aluminum head. HOLY SHIT! NOW what do I do? This machine is out of warranty and I sure dont think I can pull the head. Oddly #4 came out just like it should.... I am totally freakin out here. Has anyone here ever heard or seen this problem before? Could this be something (praying) that the factory did? I sure cannot afford a $1000 dealership bill right now. OH THIS SUCKS
Oh Shit! OMG.....now what?!
- Thread starter SQUEAL
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
03HiYoSilver
Well-known member
Man, I feel for you. Before you do anything else:
1- Do you have the YES Warranty?
2- Either way, call 800-962-7926 Yamaha Customer Service-Cypress/CA and ask for the Regional Yamaha Service Supervisor and meet him/her at the dealer of their choice.
Perhaps they will help you with this...similar to the Oil Drain over torques... it happens.
Good Luck with your Fix & Solution.
No I bought this from a wholesaler and I have no warranty. I am calling around to dealers right now, but fear the worst. Minimum I am looking at a Heli-coil on two holes now.... #1 is siezed as well and I just left it where it is. I havent gotten to #3 yet so I dont know how it is.
yamafitter
Reigning NERDS Granite Lane Gold Medalist
It's not the end of the world. A decent auto machine shop should be able to install helicoils in-situ to repair the threads. It can be fixed for I believe less than $100 per hole. Just be sure they capture the cuttings when they prep the hole for the helicoil.
03HiYoSilver
Well-known member
Well, if you have to be doing this job, don't forget to put a little dab of Copper Anti-Seize (found at NAPA) on the threads. Has better conductivity.
Good Luck with your Fix...
Good Luck with your Fix...
FJRay
Well-known member
I believe they are 10X1.25 thread and if so I have the Heli-coil set you need. It's not rocket science to do the job so If you want to try it I can send you the stuff and all you need to do is replace the coils in the kit.
If you opt to do a re-thread, take my advice and do NOT use a heli coil brand insert.
Instead, pay the extra money for the Time-sert. These can also be done in-situ. The system is a bit more money, but they result in a much superior solid thread insert that requires a smaller enlargement of the plug hole and locks into place resulting in a better repair.
I know that it is too late for you, but for anyone else that comes on this situation of spark plugs stuck in the head: Before forcing it and possibly breaking the plug off, try squirting liberal amounts of a good penetrating oil in the plug well and let it soak overnight. Also, you can try starting and running the engine up to temperature before attempting to loosen them. Since aluminum has a higher expansion coefficient than steel, the hole should expand more than the plug does. Not to berate you for it, we all make these kinds of mistakes, but brute force is usually not the best tactic. In this case, I'm sure the plug broke off at a much lower torque than what you imagined it would have taken.
Instead, pay the extra money for the Time-sert. These can also be done in-situ. The system is a bit more money, but they result in a much superior solid thread insert that requires a smaller enlargement of the plug hole and locks into place resulting in a better repair.
I know that it is too late for you, but for anyone else that comes on this situation of spark plugs stuck in the head: Before forcing it and possibly breaking the plug off, try squirting liberal amounts of a good penetrating oil in the plug well and let it soak overnight. Also, you can try starting and running the engine up to temperature before attempting to loosen them. Since aluminum has a higher expansion coefficient than steel, the hole should expand more than the plug does. Not to berate you for it, we all make these kinds of mistakes, but brute force is usually not the best tactic. In this case, I'm sure the plug broke off at a much lower torque than what you imagined it would have taken.
HotRodZilla
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Before Helicoiling or Timeserting anything, I would get a hold of the Yamaha rep. If the bike had so many miles that the plugs had been replaced before, I could see them not helping out. However, since this is the first spark plug change, they may step up and help out. The worst they can tell you is no...Then there are other options.
Edited to add: The same thing is going to happen the first time you try to pull the bolt out of the rear caliper to replace the pads. I got lucky and had YES warranty, so they just ordered me a new caliper and replaced the broken parts.
Since you don't have warranty, the first time you have to replace the rear pads, take it to a Yammi dealer and pay them do it. That way when it strips the threads, and it will, it will be up to them or Yamaha to fix it.
Edited to add: The same thing is going to happen the first time you try to pull the bolt out of the rear caliper to replace the pads. I got lucky and had YES warranty, so they just ordered me a new caliper and replaced the broken parts.
Since you don't have warranty, the first time you have to replace the rear pads, take it to a Yammi dealer and pay them do it. That way when it strips the threads, and it will, it will be up to them or Yamaha to fix it.
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wmadoty
Well-known member
I agree. Get Yamaha's take on the situation. I would not trust a dealer to get the companies response to this situation, get it yourself. I bet they step up to the plate and repair this for you.
OK, Yamaha blew me off and told me I was SOL. It is way out of warranty and it is a "Maintainance issue". So now with one plug broke off in the head and the other seized.... I called Desert Valley powersports. I am looking at over $1600 to pull the head alone. There goes Christmas, vacation, birthdays etc..... I was very very unimpressed with their so called customer service. She said they dont deal with people; Only dealerships. 
wheatonFJR
...
Maybe if you are able to do the repair yourself with help from the Forum...no need to blow off the kids Christmas presents and birthday presents?
Good luck on your fix...
Good luck on your fix...
03HiYoSilver
Well-known member
She said there was no one by that name and they do not give out that information to people. She indicated that the plugs should have been changed at 12 months....way before I owned it. She basically told me to pound sand. Thanks anyway. But they were less than helpful.
Call Yamaha Customer Service... don't rely on a dealer response
THEN
put some Aero Kroil (AMAZING STUFF) in around the top of the remaining plugs/threads. https://www.kanolabs.com/
let it sit overnight.
if you can get it to run the next day to heat up the heads, better yet... it will run on three jugs, just shitty
GENTLY try to turn em... if no joy, let it sit again overnight.
the heat cool cycle with the kroil will move it into the threads and by the next day, after a gentle warm up, they should come out..
THEN
put some Aero Kroil (AMAZING STUFF) in around the top of the remaining plugs/threads. https://www.kanolabs.com/
let it sit overnight.
if you can get it to run the next day to heat up the heads, better yet... it will run on three jugs, just shitty
GENTLY try to turn em... if no joy, let it sit again overnight.
the heat cool cycle with the kroil will move it into the threads and by the next day, after a gentle warm up, they should come out..
wmadoty
Well-known member
Sorry to hear that. I am really surprised that Yamaha will not do something for you. I guess it is what it is and it might be time to explore some other options. Have you thought about trying to find a shop, even an independent one, that is not insisting on pulling the head to fix this problem? You might even be able to find a machine shop that will do it if you bring the bike in on a trailer or something with the tank and hoses out of the way.
If it was mine, I would first look at extracting the broken piece before I thought about drilling or sticking anything else in there. If the threads of the plug remain in the head, but the insulator came out with the plug then maybe a screw extractor could be used to remove the broken threads.
Penetrating oil would be another good option. I would let it soak on the remaining plugs for at least 24-hours before I attempted removal. I would warm the motor up as well even if I had to run it with a miss. Pull the injector lead and ground the plug wire if required.
As a last resort, after talking to a couple of shops, I would Heli-Coil it without a second thought, but I have used these things for 25-years and have had wonderful success with them. There is no way I would start learning about how to use a Heli-Coil on an FJR head.
I would also have the head pulled to fix this problem only if I became convinced that there were no other options.
If it was mine, I would first look at extracting the broken piece before I thought about drilling or sticking anything else in there. If the threads of the plug remain in the head, but the insulator came out with the plug then maybe a screw extractor could be used to remove the broken threads.
Penetrating oil would be another good option. I would let it soak on the remaining plugs for at least 24-hours before I attempted removal. I would warm the motor up as well even if I had to run it with a miss. Pull the injector lead and ground the plug wire if required.
As a last resort, after talking to a couple of shops, I would Heli-Coil it without a second thought, but I have used these things for 25-years and have had wonderful success with them. There is no way I would start learning about how to use a Heli-Coil on an FJR head.
I would also have the head pulled to fix this problem only if I became convinced that there were no other options.
Who is "she"?
"She" is full of shit. Plugs are changed based on mileage, not age. And they should not gall and seize in place
Are you sure that you talked to Yamaha Customer Service in Cypress? Did you call the 800 number listed above?
03HiYoSilver
Well-known member
I am sorry to hear that...that was not my case (But I did have a YES case that I was working). This is the Person responsible Yamaha (Dealership Service Mgmt) Service for your Area in Idaho, not in the Corp Office...
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Yep. She was the Yamaha customer service rep. I specifically asked for the Service rep... anyway she gave me the total runaround. I already Kroiled them guys. That was my first trick. Pretty hard to get an EZ out down there and get any torque on it. Remember I torqued it hard enough to twist the SOB completely apart! I thought it was coming out of the hole..Pretty hard to see down in there. Anyway. I am still open to options. The shop said he would only pull the head at last resort...So that is good.
beemerdons
Certifiable Old Fart
https://classic.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Boise&1s=ID&1y=US&1l=43.613602&1g=-116.202499&1v=CITY&2c=La+Pine&2s=OR&2y=US&2l=43.670052&2g=-121.504021&2v=CITY SQUEAL: 1) Very sorry to hear about your situation, you had a really bad piece of luck with this one.
2) Just some Food for Thought: If you are from Boise, you are only 350 miles and a six hour drive from FJRay's shop in La Pine, Oregon. If I was wearing your boots, I would trailer it over to Ray and have him fix it. There is no one more trusted than Ray S. on our FJR Forum, Seriously!
2) Just some Food for Thought: If you are from Boise, you are only 350 miles and a six hour drive from FJRay's shop in La Pine, Oregon. If I was wearing your boots, I would trailer it over to Ray and have him fix it. There is no one more trusted than Ray S. on our FJR Forum, Seriously!
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