Cleaning And Renewing The Spark Plugs - Ducati SPORTCLASSIC GT 1000 TOURING Owner's Manual

Cleaning and renewing the spark plugs

(fig. 58)
Spark plugs are an important part of the engine and should
be checked at regular intervals.
This is a relatively simple operation and provides a good
indication of how well the engine is running.
Pull the spark plug caps off the spark plugs and remove the
plugs from the cylinder heads using the wrench supplied in
the toolkit.
Check the colour of the ceramic insulation around the central
electrode: an even brown colour is a sign that the engine is
in good condition.
If the insulation is any other colour, or if there are dark
deposits, renew the spark plug and describe the condition of
the old plug to a Ducati dealer or Authorized Service Centre.
Also check the central electrode; if it is worn or glazed,
renew the spark plug.
Check the electrode gap, which must be:
0.6 to 0.7 mm.
Important
Take care when bending the side electrode to adjust
the gap. A gap outside the specified limits will adversely
affect engine performance and may lead to difficult
starting or erratic idling.
Thoroughly clean the electrode and insulation using a
wire brush, and check the condition of the washer.
Clean the spark plug seat in the cylinder head, and take care not
to allow foreign objects to fall inside the combustion chamber.
Refit the spark plug in the cylinder head, screwing it fully
into the bore. Tighten to 20 Nm.
If you do not have a torque wrench, tighten the plug by hand,
then give it a further 1/2 turn with the spark plug wrench
supplied in the toolkit.
Important
Do not use spark plugs with inadequate thermal
rating or incorrect thread length.
The spark plug must be tightened correctly.
0,6÷0,7 mm
E
fig. 58
61