Author Topic: Spark Plug insulator exploded? (Read 3845 times)

itsmemarke · « **on:** December 07, 2012, 11:56:12 AM »

Hey all,

When I went to start my CB350F this morning, I noticed the plug insulator disintegrated, and looks like it damaged the area around the plug. I don't know if it exploded or melted, does anyone know what might have caused this?

lone*X · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2012, 01:57:43 PM »

Was it parked outside? Looks more like vandalism. And believe it or not there is some old threads here about using the broken porcelain insulators as stones to break windows out of cars. Guess the porcelain is supposed to be better at it than a bolt or something. Even some videos showing how to do it. A lot easier for some crack head to get an insulator off a bike than a car since hoods are locked from inside the car. there was a rash of these on the west coast a couple of years ago.

Just found this one: How to break glass with a fragment of a spark plug

phil71 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:00:47 PM »

People use them to smoke crack. http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/27499971.html

itsmemarke · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:11:18 PM »

Thanks for the replies, I didn't even consider it could be the work of vandals/crackheads. I suppose if this was indeed the case, I can rest easier knowing that spark plugs don't spontaneously explode. But now how to deal with vandals and crackheads...?

lone*X · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:14:08 PM »

Store the bike inside when not riding. When riding and parking, park only in well lighted, high traffic areas and hopefully close enough to your destination that you can keep an eye on it and don't have to leave it for long.

phil71 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:25:45 PM »

take them with you!

itsmemarke · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:27:03 PM »

Quote from: phil71 on December 07, 2012, 02:25:45 PM

take them with you!

That's what i was thinking. Does someone make a dummy sparkplug to use when not riding?

phil71 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:40:18 PM »

you are about to take one out of your #1 cylinder. You can definitely make another. And you really only need 1 &4, because I dare a crackhead to remove with no tools what we can't even get out with a specialized socket.

itsmemarke · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:46:59 PM »

Quote from: phil71 on December 07, 2012, 02:40:18 PM

...I dare a crackhead to remove with no tools what we can't even get out with a specialized socket.

phil71 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2012, 02:48:57 PM »

Share with us what city and area this happened in, in case one of us is unfortunate enough to park our bike near the spark plug savvy crackhead.

ekpent · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2012, 03:11:39 PM »

Bummer your fins got 'cracked' also. There are some real losers out there

itsmemarke · « **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2012, 03:12:53 PM »

Quote from: phil71 on December 07, 2012, 02:48:57 PM

Share with us what city and area this happened in, in case one of us is unfortunate enough to park our bike near the spark plug savvy crackhead.

San Francisco. Same as the original Craiglist posting.

phil71 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 07, 2012, 03:13:59 PM »

what part, north beach, mission, tenderloin? Please tell me it was Pac Heights, that would kind of rule.

itsmemarke · « **Reply #13 on:** December 07, 2012, 03:17:19 PM »

Quote from: phil71 on December 07, 2012, 03:13:59 PM

what part, north beach, mission, tenderloin? Please tell me it was Pac Heights, that would kind of rule.

Haha, The Mission unfortunately. If only those billionaires in Pac Heights would get their toys messed with

singedebile · « **Reply #14 on:** December 07, 2012, 04:58:55 PM »

Quote from: lone*X on December 07, 2012, 02:14:08 PM

Store the bike inside when not riding. When riding and parking, park only in well lighted, high traffic areas and hopefully close enough to your destination that you can keep an eye on it and don't have to leave it for long.

not everyone has a garage

lostinthe202 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 07, 2012, 08:52:45 PM »

This reminds me of living in West Oakland in the 90's. I used to get my battery stolen for it's lead value on a regular basis. Finally started removing the battery every night, man did that get old! I'm surprised the crackheads of the day didn't figure out this little trick. But then that was the nineties, economic boom times for drug dealers compared to today's drug-war salvaged landscape and crack pipes were much cheaper and easier to come by. So really you can't blame them for getting creative

Quote from: phil71 on December 07, 2012, 02:25:45 PM

take them with you!

Not really a practical solution, how would your plugs (let alone your cylinder head) like daily removal and installation? Maybe try collecting dead spark plugs and leaving them propped next to the ones in your engine. Presumably they're just after the insulation and don't actually want to vandalize your bike. I know, I know, probably a 50/50 chance at best.

Good luck!

ekpent · « **Reply #16 on:** December 08, 2012, 06:09:25 AM »

Good idea,I was thinking the same thing. Tape or zip tie an old dead spark plug or just the ceramic to the frame downtube by the good ones so when the crackheads get down there looking you can make them very happy with your 'gift' and they won't go to the hassle of breaking off your good one. You could call it making it Crack Friendly $:-\$

2wheels · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2012, 06:14:36 AM »

I was thinking, but a old spark plug in the end of each handle bar. You could just leave them there.

phil71 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 08, 2012, 11:19:52 AM »

The crackheads are not selling chunks of porcelain , they rip the electrode out and use it as a pipe.

dave500 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 08, 2012, 12:23:29 PM »

put a mini christmas tree next to your bike decorated with all sorts of spark plugs?have little gift wrapped boxes of shrimp shells and doggie doo under it aswell?

lostinthe202 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 08, 2012, 06:05:41 PM »

Quote from: phil71 on December 08, 2012, 11:19:52 AM

The crackheads are not selling chunks of porcelain , they rip the electrode out and use it as a pipe.

Um... yeah... got that. Just posting a similar experience and offering a solution along with a side of empathetic sarcasm. Thanks for clearing things up...

phil71 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 08, 2012, 07:34:18 PM »

Oh good.

CycleRanger · « **Reply #22 on:** December 08, 2012, 09:33:16 PM »

Quote from: itsmemarke on December 07, 2012, 11:56:12 AM

Hey all,

When I went to start my CB350F this morning, I noticed the plug insulator disintegrated, and looks like it damaged the area around the plug. I don't know if it exploded or melted, does anyone know what might have caused this?

That would piss me off beyond redemption!!

dave500 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 08, 2012, 09:36:16 PM »

me to,id be pissed off no end!!

Duke McDukiedook · « **Reply #24 on:** December 09, 2012, 11:10:21 AM »

Sounds like another entry in the I am so pissed off thread!

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Author Topic: Spark Plug insulator exploded? (Read 3845 times)