Ngk Spark Plug Cap Wanted - $$

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello again.

After i had some success getting my chain lube, now i am looking for another thing which you can buy in every supermarket in my country, yet seemingly nowhere at all here - a spark plug cap.

I need the typical, 90 degree angel version, and i want only one brand: NGK! They normally come in yellow packages. I can't believe that here, so much closer to Japan than Germany, original quality japanese parts are so hard to find..?? I find fakes "NCK" all over the place but those are crap.

A shop owner informed me that an original NGK would cost 300-400 Baht. So what? I want one! He didn't have them, nor was he able to order them.

If anyone here lives close to a motorbike shop which sells those, or has an ability to shop online (i can't due to lack of credit card) please let me know - i am sure we will find a way how i get $$ to you so you could get me one of those. I don't care if it is in Chiang Mai, Nakhon Nowhere or Timbuktu as long as i can get a REAL NGK spark plug cap which will last for the rest of the life of my RXZ instead of falling apart every two months like the local <deleted>.

I will attach a picture of one, i need EXACTLY that version, common 90 degrees one, with the rubber sealings, of course i want a brand new one.

With kind regards......

your Thanh

[DFCarlson]

Please take a look at this web page. Are any of the listed items what you're looking for?

http://www.cyclewareables.com/pages/sparkp...s/sparkcaps.htm

[MaiChai]

Sounds like my flasher unit; burnt out after three days. The original one made by Denso rated at 3.4W, local bike shop gives me a replacement, looks the same. After burning out I see its only rated at 1.4Ws. Aaah.

Regarding your spark plug cap, I am sure you can find a better quality one for a little more money, and you dont need to resort to an expensive NGK one? I bought one some time back for my Yamaha Bell R, and I think 4 years down the road its still going well?

I live in Sapan Kwai near all those motorbike shops, when I pop in for a new flasher unit, I will ask about a spark plug cap and get you some prices. Where do you live; I go up to Sukhothai every two weeks or so, so maybe I can drop it off it you are on route? I am also poping up to Khon Khen this comming weekend.

Edited May 8, 2007 by MaiChai

[PeaceBlondie]

Hey, Thanh, it's great to hear you finally got your chain lube. I jump-started that topic yesterday when my boyfriend came home with both the VelOil lube and a can of WD40 that the mechanic-sales clerk talked him into!

Those of us who have credit cards could always order a spark plug cap over the internet, but how would we get it to him? Should I have one delivered to one of my kids in the USA and carried to Ireland later this month, and I bring it to BKK, while it keeps showing up in the airport xray machines?

[MaiChai]

If you do a search for WD-40 on the Internet, you will find very interesting info on it. Its not oil, WD means water displacement, and its not recommended if you need a fine oil because it will dry out and and not lubricate. Basically dont use it on plastics, cd play mechanisms, or anything that needs good quality fine oil. I recently repaired the DVD writer on my notebook; could not burn any cdr's, although fine with cd-rw's and dvd-rs. I did some research, and the conclusion was not to use WD-40 on the mechanism, but something like Singer oil (fine oil). WD-40 would probably ruin the mechism or eat the plastic. The Singer oil did the trick (can buy this anywhere in Thailand), and I can still burn cdr's after 4 months!

In the same vein, I would not recommend WD-40 for clutch, brake cables, etc, because it will dry out quickly and stop lubricating. Use Singer or a light oil.

[Thanh-BKK]

Please take a look at this web page. Are any of the listed items what you're looking for?

http://www.cyclewareables.com/pages/sparkp...s/sparkcaps.htm

Hello

Yes, the picture of one that i need is on that site too, i need the 90 degrees ("right angle") version, 5 K ohms, for 14 mm spark plugs (i suppose, they are the "normal size" not those miniature ones like on some four-stroke bikes). The type, judging by the table (and verified by Google) is LB 05 EP, and it seems to cost a "whopping" 3-4 us $. Not bad, that's like what 150 Baht? Which i pay for the fake "NCK" here! Now if only i could buy online.....

@ MaiChai: I do actually live in Bangkok, to be precise in Bangna, very close to BITEC. But i mentioned that because previously i was informed that chain lube (which i was looking for) is available in Chiang Mai Now i'm not planning to travel 800 kilometers to get a spark plug cap, but maybe someone could send me one via post? Of course i'd pay for the postage too! The reason why i am asking for such favour here in the forum is because i am sick and tired of wasting time driving around, asking in shop after shop after shop for a single stupid item which nobody has. Yes, there's probably "Joe's motorcycle shoppe" somewhere in Lat Prao or Rama 3 selling original NGK items, but i don't know that and i live far from there, and there's like a million motorbike shops in BKK so it's a chance of wasting a LOT of time and gas driving around searching. I have been to like 25 shops already, obviously without any success, hence my posting here.

@ PeaceBlondie: Yeah i got the lube finally from that same shop where i got the first one from - he finally ran out of excuses for his laziness/forgetfulness (law 1: Do NOT admit your fault, i.e. "Sorry, i forgot to order that"!), after telling me that "the agent lost his phone and has a new number" to "the factory did not produce enough to deliever to me" suddenly he had a whole carton there, and i bought TWO cans which will be enough for maybe a couple of years - altough this year, with the rain season starting three months early, maybe i need a lot more.

About the WD-40: Really great stuff for electrical contacts and squeaking doors, also screws that won't turn. But useless to really lubricate - it will "disappear" very quickly. I always have a can handy when fixing computers - a shot of WD-40 in the RAM and PCI slots before plugging the devices in will make it work, same can be said for just about any other connector inside a computer. On the motorbike i use it only to open a rusty screw, for smaller lubrication work i.e. clutch cable or the fiddly gearshifter thingy (gosh how i wish to throw that rubbish out with it's two joints and unprecise shifting) i actually use the chain lube spray as well as it works very good for such purpose.

With best regards.......

your Thanh

[MaiChai]

Actually by your name BKK I should have guessed you are in Bangkok. Have you thought of going into a Yamaha dealer and getting an 'original' part? These should be of good quality and not the same quality you are experiencing. Probably not expensive either. At least if its original it should be good? Just thought it might save all the hassel and running around? If they dont have the part in stock they will order it and you can pick it up next day.

Some experience of doing this with my local Honda dealer: if the part is locally made its reasonable: new side fairing for NSR150 400 baht (you can get both sides for 400 baht if you get a 'copy' part), bracket to hold faring onto main frame: 55 baht. However fuel sensor for NSR150 is a wopping 800 baht (comes from Japan since early NSRs have a combination of local parts and parts from Japan). Since that is expensive I will rock the bike from side to side, and if I cant hear the petrol I will open up the tank and have a look. If I cant see any petrol, time to visit the petrol station I saw an old NSR150 in Chiang Mai on mocyc.com for 1500baht; it looked like it had been gathering dust in a bike shop. Thought I might buy that for spares, but it went really quickly! As you probably guessed, fixing up the faring which is hanging loose on one side. Dont want to spend too much on this NSR as its old; its my upcountry run around bike. Mechanically fine though and easy to fix by me (and the local bike shop for complex stuff)

For electrical stuff (such as PCs), use contact cleaner instead of WD-40. This is ok for plastic bits. I use it all the time. Did wonders on the power on button on my kids PC monitor a couple of weeks back; contacts had corroded due to the humidity and the button is momentary type that switches on the Switched Mode PSU. Can get a can of local manufactured contact cleaner from that electical store in Fortune Centre Ratchada for about 50 baht (cheaper than the Philips equiv).

Edited May 9, 2007 by MaiChai

[lannarebirth]

Maybe you could call the Thailand headquarters for NGK and ask where is the nearest dealer to you .

Siam NGK Spark Plug Co.,Ltd.

Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate(Phase 8), 700/849 Moo 1, Tambol Panthong, Amphur Panthong, Chonburi 20160, Thailand

Phone:66-38-447155 Fax:66-38-447161-2

[Lickey]

Thaan, the picture on your post looks like a totally sealed carbon fibre HT lead and plug cap, and please would you enlighten us as to why your plug cap keeps breaking down, im interested on a personal basis, because in recent years {20+} ive never had this problem with the multitude of bikes ive owned, Thanyou.

[MaiChai]

Could be the HT lead is very old and the rubber is hard and the spark plug cap wont stay connected? In which case you might want to replace the coil (fairly cheap). Just a thought. Once had to replace the coil on the Belle R; could not get reliable running and in the end it turned out to be the coil after much carb cleaning, tinkering, etc.

[Lickey]

Could be the HT lead is very old and the rubber is hard and the spark plug cap wont stay connected? In which case you might want to replace the coil (fairly cheap). Just a thought. Once had to replace the coil on the Belle R; could not get reliable running and in the end it turned out to be the coil after much carb cleaning, tinkering, etc.

[/quote/

I can agree with you that everything is possibly old MaiChai, but the OP says this happens every 2 months, and being a qualified motorcycle mechanic, the OP should be able to explain why this fault reoccurs so often, im very interested with the answer,

Rgds, Lickey.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello

So here it goes. My bike is a Yamaha RXZ. And just like the Yamaha DT-R which i had in Germany, there is a manufacturing fauilt in it - the ignition coil sits under the tank EXACTLY in the spray water area! So this unit gets constantly doused with water when riding the bike on wet roads.

Now the spark plugs which i get here are two types - cheap NGK-lookalikes (made of plastic with rubber seals on both "ends") or the red "all rubber" ones, "waterproof" as i am assured. The first type simply won't stand the vibrations of the 135cc two-stroke - they literally break into pieces within no more than a couple of months, letting water in and thus- there i stand in the pissing rain with a misfiring, non-starting engine.

Tye second, all-rubber type may last somewhat longer (they don't fall apart at least) and they ARE waterproof - untill the rubber starts to become porous, which can be after 6 months or after 6 weeks - depending on what source the rubber mixture during production came from, those are just crap, at 35 Baht a piece no wonder. I just had to exchange one of those again yesterday! ###### rain.

Now i have been driving two-strokes, also a 175cc one, in Germany for many years and had NEVER any problems with NGK plugs and caps. The Zundapp KS 175 did vibrate a great deal more than the Yamaha RXZ but in the four years i owned that bike i only changed the cap once - on the day i got the bike, replaced the original one with the NGK. Never had a problem, drove over 60.000 kilometers with that bike.

NGK headquarters? Thank you very much for the information/phone number, however some rather usual problem arised: The first person that picked up the phone didn't speak a single word english apart from "just moment please", put me on hold - and after like 20 seconds the line was cut. That happened twice. Plus, i don't trust any "head quarter" after numerous such experiences with various companies, they tell me "where you can get that item", then i go there - to hear "Sorry, out of stock". Happened with Nokia, Samsung, Sony, Volvo, Kingston and Asus so far. Only Kingston at least delivered the product to me by messenger

@MaiChai: I have been to two official Yamaha dealers, they sell only bikes, no parts! Same with Honda btw. I get parts to a number of small motorbike repair shops (the Yamaha dealers actually send you there!) but the problem is that they also say "RXZ is too old, can get no parts". What a hassle to find an exhaust for this bike! But finally found one, non-original but no tuning, just an aftermarket-original-lookalike. I am planning of getting a new piston tomorrow, a bit noisy now (58.000 kilometers) and may throw in a new ignition coil for good measures too, they really aren't expensive and i love this bike. I hope to get the piston original.......

Kind regards.....

Thanh

[Lickey]

Thann, thankyou for your reply, not being familar with the bike i looked at some pics on web, Is that the ignition coil [yellow colour] just below the tank? definitely a built in design fault!

Being a mechanic for 40 years, have gone through no end of wet weather bike electric problems, what i would do would be go to car-breakers, prefably jap cars, petrol engined of course, and nippon denso ignition and HT leads, buy the longest HT leads available, with caps, move the ignition coil to under the seat or side panel and secure, extend LT wireing as ness, that should cure the water problem,

Viabration, 2strokes are renowed for it, but normally smooth out at certain revs, perhaps fitting a new piston will moderate this to some extent..

Good luck with whatever you do, Lickey.

[MaiChai]

Funny that, loads of RXZ's flying around Bangkok. Probably people dont replace the exhausts that often? Probably regularly replaced parts are easy to get?

I have been renovating an NSR150 and a Yamaha VRR150 (similar to TZR/TZM). Each bike has cost about 10000 baht each (including the purchase price and all parts and labour) and are pretty much finished. Much of the refurbing done by myself (no ripoffs and free labour). Now I could go on and on, but I figure these are old bikes and not worth spending too much money on. So I have decided not to go overboard in getting them fixed up. I was originally going to buy a new bike (around 40K plus), but buying 2nd hand I now have two bikes for half the price of a new one Both are Thai bikes and parts are easily found and reasonable. I would recommend you do the same thing; try and keep the maintenance in perspective with the fact that its an old bike and not worth going overboard fixing it up.

Edited May 10, 2007 by MaiChai