Air Filter and Spark Plugs, a few questions.

3529 Views 22 Replies 11 Participants Last post by roxynoodle, Apr 27, 2011

FutureTigerOwnr

Discussion Starter · Apr 25, 2011

I'm beginning to learn how to change these wear and tear items after 30,000 miles on my Sprint and have just a few questions for you knowledgeable chaps.

First, in removing the air filter, there was a dark mass of dirt/dust in the center of it, I recently rode through a sand storm and knew it would be dirty. I vacuumed most of it off and then side sprayed compressed air the rest of it off and am left with a filter looking like it does in the photo below, my question is; can I reinstall this filter? Is it clean enough? Should I spend the $$$ for a new filter yet? The bike has 31,500 miles and was last replaced at 25,100.

Secondly, after teaching myself how to remove the air box and then coils, and then plugs I noticed oil down each recess around the neck of each spark plug, is this normal? If not, what can cause this? Overfilling the oil a tad too much? The plugs looked dark but not bad, a cleaning and re-gap and reinstall was in order.

All in all, spending the money on the Service Manual from Triumph was a smart move. This was a fun self-taught lesson on general maintenance.

Thank you for your answers in advance gentlemen.

-FutureTigerOwnr

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1 - 20 of 23 Posts

Bruce C

· #2 · Apr 25, 2011

FTO
I replace the air filter every 6,000mi. and the plugs every 12K.
The filter is changed at that time because it's filthy(as you found out) and the plugs because I was in there to check the valve clearances.

Billbikes

· #3 · Apr 25, 2011

You could always get a washable filter.

Sent from my iPhone

roxynoodle

· #4 · Apr 25, 2011

My understanding is to avoid K&N on the 1050s. I guess they never did fit right.

Billbikes

· #5 · Apr 25, 2011

I take that under advisement. I'm new to this bike, but have used K&Ns and Uni's on other bikes.

Sent from my iPhone

Beach

· #6 · Apr 25, 2011

I have been using a re-usable air filter for quite a while. I can't remember the brand. Never had any problems with it. I'm always surprised at how much gunk is built up on it. I have a theory that its from living in a salt air environment. Or my Sprint is a heavy breather.

champ87

· #7 · Apr 25, 2011

FutureTigerOwnr said:
First, in removing the air filter, there was a dark mass of dirt/dust in the center of it................can I reinstall this filter? Is it clean enough? Should I spend the $$$ for a new filter yet? The bike has 31,500 miles and was last replaced at 25,100.

Nothing unusual there - the airflow pattern inside the Sprint airbox seems to concentrate dirt buildup in the center of the filter. Judging by the picture I would have no real concerns putting that filter back. A new filter will always be a better option but the fact that the filter has done only 6,400 miles and you gave it an interim clean should see you through to the recommended 12K replacement interval without problems.

FutureTigerOwnr said:
......I noticed oil down each recess around the neck of each spark plug, is this normal? If not, what can cause this? Overfilling the oil a tad too much?

Definitely not normal. Are you sure it's oil or could it be remnants of melted grease that someone applied to the spark plug threads or around the coil seals? Oil in the spark plug recess would most likely be caused by improper seating of the seals when the cam cover is refitted during valve checking/adjustment. If that's what it is you need to fix it soon - like now.

Pull the cam cover and check the three round seals that sit on the cam ladder. They must be rotated so the small cutouts in the seal will sit across the reinforcing rib otherwise the seal will not sit flat. Even when correctly placed it's possible to dislodge the seal when replacing the cam cover. Another, less likely, source is the o-rings between the cam ladder and cylinder head. It's possible they could be disturbed if the cams have ever been lifted for valve adjustment. I doubt if that is an issue though; it would take an incredibly incompetent individual to put those back incorrectly.

When replacing the cam cover I consider it good practice to go back and recheck after an engine warm-up as noted in item 20 in this post. It's an opportunity to check for leaks and, once the engine has cooled suffiently, I re-check the torque settings on the cam cover bolts. OK, that's not totally necessary but being so fussy is one advantage of doing the work yourself.

Make sure those three round seals around the plug recesses are correctly positioned.

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Bruce C

· #8 · Apr 25, 2011

Switcher said:
I'm always surprised at how much gunk is built up on it.

My dealer told me the excessive dirt in the center of a Sprint air filter is related to the air intake snorkel. They said the dirt in the filter center is not present on a Tiger air filter witch has a different intake tract.

Beach

· #9 · Apr 25, 2011

Bruce C said:
My dealer told me the excessive dirt in the center of a Sprint air filter is related to the air intake snorkel. They said the dirt in the filter center is not present on a Tiger air filter witch has a different intake tract.

My mechanic said my air filter is consistently the most gunked up he has ever seen on any Sprint. I couldn't figure it out until one day I realised how much salt spray and moisture content was in the air and how much household dust it causes.

Bruce C

· #10 · Apr 25, 2011

Are you in Florida???

champ87

· #11 · Apr 25, 2011

Bruce C said:
My dealer told me the excessive dirt in the center of a Sprint air filter is related to the air intake snorkel. They said the dirt in the filter center is not present on a Tiger air filter witch has a different intake tract.

I did the OnD snorkel mod to alleviate the problem. It made some improvement but dirt buildup is still focused in the center of the filter whereas the outer edges still look new after 10,000 miles.

FutureTigerOwnr

Discussion Starter · #12 · Apr 25, 2011

roxynoodle said:
My understanding is to avoid K&N on the 1050s. I guess they never did fit right.

After all the research you guys have done I will never install a K&N on my sprint.

After reviewing all of your posts, I have reinstalled the air filter and reinstalled the spark plugs properly after regapping and cleaning them. I did find oil on the threads and on the nut shape, but no higher, I found that the plugs were quite easy to remove; so I'm assuming they weren't torqued down properly. I researched the PROPER torque from NGK, ( the proper torque for these plugs on an aluminum block is 7.2 - 8.7 ft lbs. ) I chose the middle ground and torqued to 8 ft lbs.

I will run the bike for a bit and then check the plugs again, if they are "wet fouling" I'll check the cam cover as well. Thank you for that recommendation.

I might modify the snorkel like you posted from OnD, that looks fun. Also is there any harm in removing the resonator and taping off the hole left by it?

Great discussion, lets keep it going guys.

--FTO

DaveM

· #13 · Apr 25, 2011

Just what may be useless info.

I run the K & N filter on my '04 Sprint ST.
I don't ride in dusty confitions as a rule and my experience using this filter with an off road exhaust is a more crisp throttle response also have a modified off road tune.
73,000 +kms and it runs lime a top

DaveM

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Motorcycle App

mitchell1227

· #14 · Apr 26, 2011

air box

2006 Sprint ST owner with a stupid question..........where exactly is the air box on my bike??

Beach

· #15 · Apr 26, 2011

mitchell1227 said:
2006 Sprint ST owner with a stupid question..........where exactly is the air box on my bike??

Under the box that holds the go juice. Don't go there if you're not prepared for what you will find...

kubbie

· #16 · Apr 26, 2011

Under the gas tank.

roxynoodle

· #17 · Apr 26, 2011

I did put a K&N on my 955. It seems the problem is only with the fitment on the 1050s. So I'm not saying they are horrible filters (though many here disagree with me on that). But, for whatever reason, it seems they never got the fitment right with the 1050s, which allows gunk to get past the filter. I'm not trying to bash K&N as I loved it on my other bike. I was just trying to warn the OP not to use it for his 1050 based on everything I've read here. Most seem to recommend sticking with the stock one.

skos

· #18 · Apr 26, 2011

Switcher said:
Under the box that holds the go juice. Don't go there if you're not prepared for what you will find...

What would be cool is if they made an air filter that ejected like my furnace filter does. Just pull it out, clean it and push it back in.

What a pain in the buttocks on mine. You need to pull the back fairing, rear hand bar and the tank.

Calliway

· #19 · Apr 26, 2011

Use a washale filter like a UNI or a B&M because these filters need replacing almost at each oil change. It's just the nature of these beasts. They vent crankcase vapor into the airbox to be reburnt and hence the black mess on the filter.

As far as plugs, every 12K is good.

kubbie

· #20 · Apr 26, 2011

skos said:
What would be cool is if they made an air filter that ejected like my furnace filter does. Just pull it out, clean it and push it back in.

My TT's is that way, kinda. Pull the tank, pull 4 torx screws, cartridge slides right out. Clean it, then install is reverse order.

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