Cleaning And Renewing The Spark Plugs - Ducati SPORT 1000 S Owner's Manual

Cleaning and renewing the spark plugs

(fig. 61)
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
E
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 running order.
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÷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.
64
0,6÷0,7 mm
Clean around the spark plug seating in the cylinder head,
taking care not to drop any foreign material into the
combustion chamber.
Refit the spark plug in the cylinder head, screwing it fully
into the bore. Tighten to a torque of 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.
fig. 61