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quadrabrick Mad Brick Rider

Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 88 Location: Quadra Island, Canada
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:47 pm Post subject: XR7LDC vs. X5DC spark plugs? |
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Maybe someone can explain this scenario: I take out my plugs from my '93 K1100 LT and they are Bosch XR7LDC instead of what the manual lists as X5DC. Bike is running well, plugs look new. But I already bought some NGK DR7EA, the X5DC equivalents. I can keep these as spares, but I had to scrounge some screw tops for them as they come with a screw top contact and not the thicker top contact of hte BoschXR7's. Are the XR7's a more high performance plug? I drove them across Canada and they look like new. As it's an older higher mileage bike, I don't push it to extremes. I can't return the NGK's. Are they fine to use for the next change? They are a touch shorter and a single electrode, not the twin.
Thanks, Brent _________________ '93 K1100 LT
'80 Honda CX500 Custom (8000 kil.)
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Scott_Anderson Site Admin
Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 3122 Location: Central Iowa, USA
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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I can't speak to the X5's but the XR7's are a double electrode plug, pre-gapped. _________________ Ride safe.
1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold) |
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quadrabrick Mad Brick Rider

Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 88 Location: Quadra Island, Canada
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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I actually made a mistake here. The listed plug is the XR5DC, not the X5DC. Definitely cooler, 5, than the x/R7's, 7. I'm just wondering if the double electrode plugs are superior.
B. _________________ '93 K1100 LT
'80 Honda CX500 Custom (8000 kil.)
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Jim Site Admin

Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 3841 Location: WHERETHEFUNNEVERENDS
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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The only difference between the X5DC and the XR5DC is the resistor - to cut down on interference.
The XR7's are probably superior.
You could try the NGK's... That's the only way you'll find out. _________________ Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000
"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed." |
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bmwmick Flying Brick Rider

Joined: 07 Jun 2003 Posts: 907 Location: Tucson, AZ
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| quadrabrick wrote: | I actually made a mistake here. The listed plug is the XR5DC, not the X5DC. Definitely cooler, 5, than the x/R7's, 7. I'm just wondering if the double electrode plugs are superior.
B. |
Brent,
The spec changed to the XR7DC sometime in 1994 or 1995. My '93 also had XR5DC's spec'd and I used them for about 80K miles but the last two sets were DR7EA NGK's. They work fine in our K-bikes. They don't last quite as long as the Bosch plugs but they are $1.25 a plug and I don't mind changing them every 12K or so. No, the double electrode does nothing for performance, they just last longer.
Mick _________________ Mick McKinnon
KOG#175
'93 K1100LT, '96 R1100RT, '84 R100RS, 2010 Kawasaki C-14
Tucson, AZ |
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quadrabrick Mad Brick Rider

Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 88 Location: Quadra Island, Canada
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:29 am Post subject: |
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Thank you.
B. _________________ '93 K1100 LT
'80 Honda CX500 Custom (8000 kil.)
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LordGondor Big Brick Rider
Joined: 19 Jan 2007 Posts: 58 Location: Bernardsville, NJ
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:09 am Post subject: |
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Any idea why the NGKs don't come with the terminal? I tried several NGKs all came only with the screw stud and I couldn't get the screw tops separately so I couldn't use them. _________________ 93 K1100RS
60K miles now. 30K by me. |
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Jim Site Admin

Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 3841 Location: WHERETHEFUNNEVERENDS
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:49 am Post subject: |
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Buy cheap plugs for the screw tops... _________________ Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000
"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed." |
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bmwmick Flying Brick Rider

Joined: 07 Jun 2003 Posts: 907 Location: Tucson, AZ
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:56 am Post subject: |
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| LordGondor wrote: | | Any idea why the NGKs don't come with the terminal? I tried several NGKs all came only with the screw stud and I couldn't get the screw tops separately so I couldn't use them. |
WOW! Never thought of that. Top section of the rollaway, third drawer down from the top on the right side, about a dozen old screw caps.
I'll bet you could pick them up at any real auto shop. They just throw them away with the plugs.
Mick _________________ Mick McKinnon
KOG#175
'93 K1100LT, '96 R1100RT, '84 R100RS, 2010 Kawasaki C-14
Tucson, AZ |
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Phil Marvin Rider in the Sky
Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 1389 Location: El Paso, Texas, USA
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:22 am Post subject: |
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Hi,
My '95 and '96 K1100LT's came with Bosch XR5DC plugs. I changed plugs - once - and used, again, XR5DC's. I balked at the $6.24 each for the plugs from the dealer. I next used the NGK DR7EA plugs. Then I read something from the late Rob Lentini about Autolite 4163 plugs. I found them, on sale, for well under $1 each. I have been using them ever since, for probably 10 years, on both K1100 and K75 bikes, and have never had a problem with them. I change them every 12k-15k. They may not last as long as the Bosch plugs (and they may - I have never tried to run them a loooong time), but at (now) $1.25 each, I can afford to change them! And unlike the NGK plugs, the Autolites come with the required caps.
Ride Safe, _________________ Ride Safe,
Phil Marvin in El Paso, TX
'94 K75A/3
'95 K75RTP |
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Flying Duck PsyKotic Waterfowl

Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 10102 Location: Bumf***, WA
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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I'm thinking about trying some DR7EiX iridium plugs. Cost about the same as the Bosch but supposedly last for 10s of thousands of miles and have good performance charcterisitcs. I found some dyno reslts on them on cars and they actually improved performance a wee bit. I'm sure nothing I could feel on the old butt dyno but I'd like to put them in the RS and ot have to worry about them for a while. _________________ 93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE |
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jaaars
Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 19 Location: Ashland Oregon
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:10 am Post subject: |
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I have been using the iridium plugs for over 50,000 miles with no problems. I did replace the plug caps with NGK caps as my cap resistors were out of range. _________________ Boot and Saddles |
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Flying Duck PsyKotic Waterfowl

Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 10102 Location: Bumf***, WA
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:56 am Post subject: |
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| jaaars wrote: | | I have been using the iridium plugs for over 50,000 miles with no problems. I did replace the plug caps with NGK caps as my cap resistors were out of range. |
What brand/part # are you using? I looked at the NGK site. They have a chart that shows the NGK heat factor 7 = Bosch 5 and the 8 = Bosch 4 so I'm looking at the DR7EiX as that's comparable to the Bosch XR5DC and it doesn't look like they have an equivalent to the XR7LDC. _________________ 93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE |
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RAL88 Flying Brick Rider

Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 736 Location: New Mexico Land of Enchantment and 365 days of riding USA
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Flying Duck PsyKotic Waterfowl

Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 10102 Location: Bumf***, WA
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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Nice write-up. Thanks for the linky.
I'm definitely going to do it now. _________________ 93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE |
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