Friday, February 18, 2011

DIY Spark Plug Torque Tool

DIY Spark Plug Tool

Most of my repair manuals have a torque setting for spark plugs, but the stock tools have no way to attach a torque wrench. I wanted a way to use the stock tool without buying the expensive factor version.

On some of my bikes, I have been lucky and use a setup like below, but with my BMW the spark plug sockets are too wide to fit inside the cylinder head. A new solution was needed.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

Here is the stock spark plug tool on my 2001 BMW R1150GS. It’s mainly used with a screwdriver through the holes to turn it. It is simple and works well.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

Here is a junk 7/16” 3/8” drive deep well socket I had laying around. My bikes are metric, so I don’t need it. Besides the insides were stripped.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

I used my Dremel to rough up the surface, so I could drill a hole through. The drilling was a bit challenging, and I found the dremel’s tapered grinding tip worked much better on the tough steel of the socket.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

First hole complete, now for the other side.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

Both sides done now:

DIY Spark Plug Tool

Originally, it was a tight fit. After about sixty seconds with the Dremel’s grinding wheel I removed a bit of material from the end of the socket and it fit perfectly.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

Perfect fit:

DIY Spark Plug Tool

I found a small bolt and nut in my jug of spare hardware. I trimmed the end off with the Dremel as it was a bit long.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

I bolted it up and added two washers to get it more tight.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

DIY Spark Plug Tool

The finished product after about 20 minutes of work. I used the bolts instead of welding, so I could remove the adapter and use it with other stock plug tools such as the one on my SV650, WR250R, or Ural.

DIY Spark Plug Tool

Works great!

DIY Spark Plug Tool

5 comments:

  1. Dom: Thanks Dom!

    Bash3r: They are also fun to do. It was also nice solving the problem without leaving the garage or opening the wallet.

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  2. Dear Chris:

    I too clicked on the DIY spark plug tool. I am so lame in the garage department, that I was compelled to look up "DIY." I really like the handle on that torque wrench of yours, and will look for one just like it. Torque wrenches are so friggin' expensive.

    Nice blog today.

    Fondest regards,
    Jack • reep • Toad
    Twisted Roads

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  3. Dear Jack: LOL! Torque wrenches are expensive, but I feel like this is one area where it pays to get a high quality tool. After looking at lots of them, I noticed each had it's "error range" ie: might be off 2%, 5%, etc. Stripping bolts is time consuming and maybe expensive to fix depending on where.

    I splurged and went with the Craftsman Digitork 3/8" Torque Wrench. It was on sale, I think I paid $100 for it. I like that it is easy to set and read. It clicks nicely when the torque is reached too. I had some of the over lever gauges, and found them a pain to use. My other 1/2" wrench (also craftsman) wasn't sensitive enough and didn't go down to the 8 N-m required for some BMW maint.

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