My beloved ultra reliable Wave, now has a misfire..

[AllanB]

Almost 6 years we have had this machine and it has run flawlessly, but just recently it took 2 kicks to start it instead of the usual one, but still ran faultlessly.

So we took it to the little man down the road to fit a new plug (it's first), a new air filter, replace the front shoes and check the oil. When I picked it up, it started and then stopped when I put it in first gear, I asked him had he fitted a new plug and he said nothing, but then fitted one and charged an extra 60baht. ..Cheap I thought.

I rode off and the bike didn't seem right and on tickover it would misfire slightly and then eventually cut out.

Any ideas what this guy could have done in the 10 minutes I was away?

This is a bog standard 110 injection manual box.

I don't trust Thai mechanics, but hey changing a spark plug and air filter, what could go wrong?

[vogie]

"What could go wrong" was what the guy said when he tried to kill a spider with his lighter whilst refuelling his car.

[abhaya]

Dunno- check the gap in plug.

[Garnethoyes]

Well if he didn't change the plug how do you know he changed the air filter or checked the oil ? Have you used him previously ? Has the oil been changed regularly ? (by him ?) if not the engine wear can affect the timing and hence cause backfiring.

Yes check the plug gap first. If no pleasure take it to Sanya Panit opposite Prince Royal School and let them look at it.

[emanon]

Check in your instruction book the value/number of the sparkplug, what belongs to your Honda Wave, and adjust the gap at the right value.

A wrong sparkplug can damage your engine.

[AllanB]

Well if he didn't change the plug how do you know he changed the air filter or checked the oil ? Have you used him previously ? Has the oil been changed regularly ? (by him ?) if not the engine wear can affect the timing and hence cause backfiring.

Yes check the plug gap first. If no pleasure take it to Sanya Panit opposite Prince Royal School and let them look at it.

He didn't change the oil, he said was clean, he did change the air filter, showed me the old one.

The engine was the same before and after the new plug and it was misfiring not backfiring, but yes, checking the gap is the obvious. He won't have a feeler gauge, but I do.

Otherwise I am thinking a break in the HT lead which after it was disturbed opened up the break??

Use this guy all the time for changing the oil, fitting new shoes and putting air in the tyres. Never had anything else done in 25k km.

[F4UCorsair]

Check there is actually an air filter installed. The symptom you describe can be caused by no air filter. I've seen it.

[Lokie]

Your post infers that in six years of ownership you have had the first prob with your wave and now had the plug changed... hopefully you mean that you have always changed oil and filter when required, then basically a wave should run near dam forever... Sounds like the bloke up tye street has been doing good honest job for you so why question his competance? the bike had a prob you ask him to sort, so a new plug (it needed that anyway after six years) I would renew the HT lead anyway as they do not last forever (you already anseweard that yourself) then see if still have prob? really sound like the bike needs a full service and bit of TLC lol, are you just running into the ground? or do you look after it... Just asking like

the misfire could be fuelling (not been using bottled fuel recently - water contamination, dirty fuel) also check exhaust gasket, is gas tight (could have hit/caught somthing and unseated the exhaust pipe) Sounds something or nothing hope you sort it Waves last forever, 6 years is nothing for one

Edited September 28, 2015 by Lokie

[Happy Grumpy]

The only thing he did while you were away was probably fill the tires up to 70psi.

[anon4546543]

Drain the fuel tank and flush. Check the type of plug and the gap. Check the airfilter was replaced correctly and is the right one. Change the HT lead. Change the oil, clean looking oil does not mean it has the right viscosity. I also suggest you check the brakes and transmission, even though this has nothing to do with engine misfires. Check the chain and tension and lube it. Because you have done little to service this bike for 6 years, check it all out. For your own safety and because these Hondas will last for many more years with a little loving care.

[TeaMonkey]

Had a car that ran badly like that until I changed the oil - I think the old lot had become too thin.

[itsmylife]

He fill the engine oil using the plug hole

[jomcondo]

don't even turn your back on these so called mechanics

[silent]

Well if he didn't change the plug how do you know he changed the air filter or checked the oil ? Have you used him previously ? Has the oil been changed regularly ? (by him ?) if not the engine wear can affect the timing and hence cause backfiring.

Yes check the plug gap first. If no pleasure take it to Sanya Panit opposite Prince Royal School and let them look at it.

And although the cost of most "mechanics" in this country is cheaper we all know the adage. I'd strongly suggest taking a little bit of time and learning to do these minor things yourself so you know it's been done right. Or at least you know whats been done, hasn't or shouldn't have been.

I wish to hell they had the internet years ago because it truly makes everything so much easier than a service, Haynes or Chilton's manual.

For an added bonus, there's a whole You Tube section on at least the 125 that you'll find, I think under a bike called Innova or something like that. As I remember that's what the wave was called in Europe, a little like the Toyota Soluna is primarily theTercel in the North American Market. Just don't use it for the steering rack and with a little bit of practice, Voila better than that average Thai class act level mechanic.

[Phaeton]

One thought is that the plug may be a counterfeit one. Whatever it says on it, it is not really that. A Thai friend told me that is common here. But who knows. Making sure you are using the right plug for the Wave, and that whatever you buy is genuine, is probably a good first step.

[MadMac]

It does not misfire because you forgot to change the oil. Check that gap as in #3.

[duanebigsby]

Had a car that ran badly like that until I changed the oil - I think the old lot had become too thin.

Changing the oil regularly is crucial to long term maintenance of an engine but has absolutely no effect on performance unless there isn't any at all.

The wrong viscosity will affect engine temperature if it's too thin, but it won't make an engine "misfire"

Edited September 28, 2015 by duanebigsby

[duanebigsby]

don't even turn your back on these so called mechanics

I have had nothing but fantastic experiences with Thai motorcycle mechanics.

They've almost always sussed out the issue and promptly, correctly fixed the problems.

When I first took it in for repair the guy looked at the old brake shoes and said "China shit" He put proper Honda replacement parts in.

Every time since then, at many different shops, I've had decent proper service.

I come from a family rich in mechanics who have always maintained their own vehicles although I'm not mechanical myself.

Sometimes I've made the call home for advice and every time my family supported the mechanics diagnosis.

I'm running a 27 year old Wave.

[TheKnave]

Beware of counterfeit spark plugs. Buy at the dealer, pay the few extra baht.

Lots of knockoffs, poorly made, will foul or arc over in a very short time.

I made the mistake of sending a moto taxi to get a plug for my Suzuki, and he came back with some hooflungdung Chinese junk, instead of the NGK I asked for...

Another time, I bought what looked like NGK, but upon closer inspection, the box was clearly a copy. Plug was shorted, out of the box.

Bought an in-line filter; you could see the element was there, but you could also see through the thing, end-to-end...

I found an honest guy in Saphan Kwai who had Honda OEM NGK plugs. Not a pleasant guy, but he had the goods...

[DrTuner]

I reckon a soi dog crawled up the intake while Somchai was changing the filter for the oldest one he could find in the corner of his hovel.

Want to do it right, do it yourself. Get the parts from eBay or if feeling ultra rich, from a brand shop. After a series of bad and worse experiences with "mechanics" I now do as much maintenance myself as I can, only going to shops when I absolutely must and even then, keep an eye at the butchers without blinking the entire time.

[wantan]

Allan, now the damage is done. Your third Honda messed up by thai mechanics. You should have known better

[uptoyoumyfriend]

the bike has a manual choke for the wintertime push it in all the way

[uptoyoumyfriend]

the bike has a manual choke left handlebar push it in all the way

[macknife]

What we have here is an alternate load on the resistor. The resistor is getting negative feedback from a leaking diode causing a surge on the alternating arm of the central oscillator. As the centrifugal force is now out of sink between the oscillator and stabilizing piston dampers, this is causing the problems you are having.

The solution is a new bike with built in chin guard.

Edited September 28, 2015 by macknife

[jacko45k]

If he is a particularly bad mechanic and keen to mislead you, he may simply have cleaned both the filter and plug. If he cleaned the air filter with water, duh, you will have problems like that.

Find a good workshop, I have one nearby and service is cheap, friendly and reliable.

Not good to watch though as you wonder if they will bother to get all the parts back in.

[AllanB]

The mechanic is just a fitter a such and like most of these back street guys they think you want a cheap bill. I didn't see the plug he put in but assume it was a "Joe Bloggs" make with the gap set at whatever, so that is where I will start. I am sure an NGK plug costs more than 60baht.

I was busy yesterday and really bloody hot and this guy normally just fits some new oil for a few baht, likewise with the brake shoes and I watch him do it, yesterday I didn't.

I guess this is a case of "trust but verify"........

He is essentially an honest man, with 3 spanners and an airline.

Edited September 28, 2015 by AllanB

[godden]

he might have sold you a 2nd 3rd or 4th hand plug

[cornishcarlos]

don't even turn your back on these so called mechanics

I have had nothing but fantastic experiences with Thai motorcycle mechanics.

They've almost always sussed out the issue and promptly, correctly fixed the problems.

When I first took it in for repair the guy looked at the old brake shoes and said "China shit" He put proper Honda replacement parts in.

Every time since then, at many different shops, I've had decent proper service.

I come from a family rich in mechanics who have always maintained their own vehicles although I'm not mechanical myself.

Sometimes I've made the call home for advice and every time my family supported the mechanics diagnosis.

I'm running a 27 year old Wave.

27 years ? Not bad for a bike that was introduced in 1995

[In the jungle]

The correct spark plug for a Wave 110i is an NGK CPR6EA-9S.

Honda part number 31916-KWB-601

Cost THB 89

[minikev]

Change the plug and HT lead (About 150 baht all in) Denso plug I DIDN'T CHECK IF YOURS IS 125 MODEL BUT IF NOT JUST SEARCH DENSO HONDA WAVE AND YOU WILL KNOW WHICH PLUG

WAVE125, DREAM125, NICE125,WAVE-I U20EPR9