Forum

[nigelphoto]

Beezablokey, if that rather barbed (garbled) post was aimed at me, its not about 'airing wisdom' or 'marvellous hindsight', its about trying to help the fella . . . the problem with a Forum is that all have their own pet theories and its very hard for someone trying to get correct information to sort out what is 'opinion' and what is a fact. The fact is that Hitchcocks recommend the Bosch plug and even NGK state there is no exact heat range equivalent.

[Presto]

We need to be a bit careful here or the gent's engine may end up seized solid! The ELECTRA X engine does not take a NGK 6 - that is the Electra EFI. The ELECTRA X should take a much harder (colder) plug - a B9ES or maybe B8ES. A '6' grade will run far too hot for safety.

[Beezabryan]

Someone completely misses the point with his supercilious "armchair brigadiers" comments.
I and others try to help folks
I do not take lightly sarcastic responses
And please note folks, I was never a Private let alone a feckin Brigadier , armchair or otherwise.

[nigelphoto]

Bryan, so glad you don't identify yourself with the armchair brigadier division but can I point out that neither for the Electra nor the Electra X is an iridium plug the recommended fitment? To set the record straight; for the Electra (which Graham is talking about as per his original post) the standard plug is the BOSCH WR7DDC4 (Long Reach Twin Electrode). Indeed, one plug manufacturer's website carries this warning “The standard plugs are already a performance or enhanced design. Fitting an aftermarket Iridium plug may actually result in a drop in performance and service life”. NGK themselves say they have no equivalent to the Bosch plug and Hitchcocks posted this statement in Technical notes “The standard plug is an Indian made 'Bosch' item (WR7DDC4) with two side electrodes and a unique heat range. There are websites that suggest equivalents as replacements for the standard item. Having made detailed enquires with the world's leading spark plug manufactures we have been told there are no equivalents currently available. Our own tests confirm this, with alternative plugs producing poor performance - or worse!". Personally I'm not interested in 'airing wisdom' nor do I claim 'marvellous hindsight' (wtf thats supposed to mean!) but merely sought to point Graham in the direction of the advice from the acknowledged experts in this particular subject. I know that if I was having trouble with my Electra engine eating plugs I think I'd rather receive some sound advice from a) the engine manufacturer b) the spark plug manufacturers and c) the foremost spares supplier pre-eminent experts on pre-2013 Royal Enfield Bullets namely Hitchcocks - and not from someone who knows everything about BSA's!

[Presto]

Graham stated on 22 March that the bike is an ELECTRA X 2005 - he has not mentioned an Electra EFI. The plugs for the leanburn engine ELECTRA X type are harder grades - fitting a softer grade [such as a '6'] could be catastrophic in that engine. Provided the heat range is correct an Iridium plug would be perfectly suitable for the ELECTRA X. Maybe it would be best if Graham himself ended the confusion - someone needs to or people will be taking very unsound advice from this thread!

[Bullet Whisperer]

Could it be a bit of wet sumping that is snuffing the spark out? I have had this happen on the 'classic' type Bullets many times and cleaning the plugs usually sorts it. I know the Electra X's are prone to wet sumping too, so maybe that is the cause. Each to their own where plug types are concerned, but I just use the basic types - the fewer letters and numbers on them the better [and usually cheaper] Regards, Paul.

[Graham43]

Well thank you all. Lots of advice - yes mine is a 2005 Electra X so I will order the Bosch WR7DDC4. Also it could have been wet sumping in this case since it started quickly ran for a few minutes then stopped - long enough for the plug to be oiled up? Just to add to the information being circulated, after the plug failure I replaced it with a cleaned NGK B9ES but still no start. A new NGK B9ES worked instantly. Any way I will get the recommend plug and see how I get on - the grand-kids are still here

[Graham43]

Just to add to the ideas I see that Hitchcocks sell NGK B9ES for the Electra X and show Bosch WR7DDC4 as standard fitment for EFI ?

[Frank]

The B9ES is the standard for the Electra X. I've been running them in mine with no problems at all in 11years, just changing on a service for the sake of it. The problem is it is the standard recommended for a standard engine. If things like the carb, air filter and other mods have been done the parameters will have been altered and may no longer be the best choice.

[nigelphoto]

Graham - so sorry but I fear it was my post which may have mislead you. The Bosch WR7DDC is NOT the right plug for your bike, its for the Electra (EFI post-2008) engine. You wrote in the start to this thread that you had an Electra and thats why I replied that the correct plug is the Bosch. However, in your second post you mentioned that you run an Electra X combo and I assumed it was a second Bullet you owned and that we were still talking about an Electra. The correct plug for the 2005 Electra X (lean burn) is the NGK B9ES - as I feel I am partly responsible for this confusion then if you have already bought the WR7DDC from our hosts I will buy it from you at whatever you paid for it as i run an EFI engine. Fair do's?