spark plugs for xb12xt

[08ulysessxb12xt]

Hey guys I went to fire up the buell for a quick ride and its mis firing. It wouldn't rev up for crap but ran well during the fall in shop. went to carquest and the plugs in it are E3's "E3.36" and i gave them the champion number for the buell and they didn't have it and crossed it to a ngk. A standard solid core cheap plug as they didn't have any iridiums or anything else in stock. I put them in and it fired and seemed to run ok just for a few seconds and then same thing again. Pulled out plugs tonight and replaced them with same ngk's and same ****. Pulled each one out and held it on side of cylinder and spark comes out of the porceline and hits side of plug wall. They come out a little wet. All plugs do that except 1, so I'm guessing these cheaper plugs won't work? So where do I get the right plugs and I'm guess do they have to be iridium's??? Whats recommended and what are the part numbers please?

thanks
craig

 

[08ulysessxb12xt]

It basically runs like crap/dies at idle, has no power and seems to be hitting on 1 cylinder from idle to 3,500 rpms, once at around 3,500/4,000 to redline it revs out just fine. So would that be the cheap plugs? They aren't like I said Iridiums, they are just plain jane cheapos. anybody run reg plugs not platinums or iridiums?

 

[buellbradski]

You shouldn't need iridiums to run good . Ngk has dcpr8eix listed but my bike ran like **** on them. I've had better luck with dcpr9eix. And I don't cheap out on plugs for these bikes because the rear is a dick to change so I'd wrather do it as little as possible.
Check your wire connections sounds like you've got another issue . Also start the bike and let it idle with out touching the gas. They tend to foul plugs if not warmed up proper.

 

[buellbradski]

+ look into a tps reset its Farley easy on 08 and newer bikes. I beleive the platinum plug is dcpr9es.

 

[farmer12]

Like buellbradski said....run the dcpr9eix. I had the same prob with my 09. I'd be lucky to get 2 starts out of the plugs without them fouling. But mine it was usually the front cyl so it was easy fixins but still a pain in the ass. Switched to the hotter plug and its been good ever since.

 

[user_deleted]

Like buellbradski said....run the dcpr9eix. I had the same prob with my 09. I'd be lucky to get 2 starts out of the plugs without them fouling. But mine it was usually the front cyl so it was easy fixins but still a pain in the ass. Switched to the hotter plug and its been good ever since.

hold on there son. DCPR9EIX is a colder heat range plug than the DCPR8EIX. in the world of NGK the # in plug ID is heat range identifier and the LOWER the # the HOTTER the plug.
having said that i have 4 Buells including a 2007 Uly and run DCPR9EIX iridium tipped NGK's in all of them and they run perfectly. i've found 8's to be a tad too warm for my riding style here in southern PA but that's me.

 

[buellbradski]

Yeah I know we've had this discusion before. Ngk list 8's I think most of us run 9's but there are a few who say they run 8's.
All I know is that one heat range made my bike run like dog ****. So I now run 9's. it may depend on where you live or your tune[confused] but every bikes a different monster .

 

[08ulysessxb12xt]

Put a bottle of injection cleaner in there and checked the codes again and says, 36, 12, 14, 15, 16, 44, 21, 26, 34, 36 only a few lmao. Really pissed off and dissapointed checking codes now.

 

[djohnk]

When my bike threw multiple codes like that it was a cracked ECM ... have you relocated it?

 

[08ulysessxb12xt]

Its mounted by the batter but infront of it sitting flat. Not sure if thats the factory spot or not. Its all stock.

 

[djohnk]

Visually inspect it for rub marks from the seat. Both on the ECM itself and the plugs that go into it.

You can look here:

for signs of this:

If its in the stock location, your a big guy (or some big guy rode it when it got hot ... letting the seat pan heat up and flex), and it has rub marks you might have a cracked ECM.

A bad ECM definitely would cause crappy running (including backfiring and the engine quiting) and multiple codes. That's what happened to me, but the symptoms were gradual.

 

[djohnk]

By the way .... after I relocated it and wrapped stretchy tape around it to force the cracks closed my bike ran great.

It took me a LONG time to correctly diagnose, but I think that was why I got my bike super cheap - the PO couldn't figure it out.

Eventually I replaced the cracked ECM with a good used one.

 

[08ulysessxb12xt]

will go look thanks.

 

[farmer12]

My mistake on the 8 and 9. I had to go with the 8 in mine.

 

[Tacolover]

I have the 8-in my front and a 10R12X in rear. I just don't want to change the rear plug out. My EBR Race ECM had some wrong values in it. EBR fixed it and runs very strong now...

 

[Crimson04]

What exfqactly made you look at the race tune? My 08 with a ebr race tune has no power 45-60 from a roll on and I cant help but wonder if it's the tune

 

[Tacolover]

Sorry Crimson04, I looked at the Race ECM because when changed from stock that's when the problems started. Talking with Kevin Drum/Drummer exhaust he helped me isolate the problem. What sealed it is when he advised me to put the stock ECM back in it, bike fired up and ran ok but backpopped on decel, just like it did before. That pretty much isolated it back to the race ecm. Convincing EBR was tough but once I did and they tested it they knew there were some wrong values in it. EBR flashed different values in it but kept the "zeroed" value so would not have to have the tps reset again. Installed it, ran well however had 2-powerbands low was very strong, midrange there was a flatspot then came on strong/sounds like what you are/were experiencing. Took it up on the highway and ran it up to 100+ then down to 60 and cruised. Did that a few times and now just 1-strong powerband with no hesitation or flatspots. Runs great with almost no backpop on decel... Hope this makes sense

 

[Tacolover]

Takes a couple hundred miles for the bike/tune to settle in. Bike just ran better and better