Modern Vespa

While doing a service today on the lx125 ie 3v I thought I would change the spark and the old one came out easy it was a good colour but the central electrode had burnt back a bit. No worries a new iridium going in. Screw in nice and easy and I torque it up. Then I try to fit the plug cap and it doesn't want to fit....... Then I get the socket out again and that doesn't want to bite....... Get the torch and see the ruddy black rubber bung on the spark plug from the socket. It's deep this hole on the lx125ie 3v. That gets me thinking oh no valve cover off to get it etc. But after 20 minutes fiddling with a screw driver I finally get it off the PLUG. PHEW.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED....

should upgrade to a BV350. It's easy peazy. Insurance shouldn't go up too much either, right?

Iredium spark plugs require a special spark plug boot.

Solution: get an HT coil approved by NASA from scooterWest

Watchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis? Not on my two scoots in which I installed them. Nothing different on these from various manufacturers.

https://www.championautoparts.com/Parts-Matter/automotive-repair-and-maintenance/Spark-Plug-Materials.html

https://www.caroutfitter.com/best-spark-plugs-reviews/

I don't know the scooters you have. You don't have them on your profile.

I replaced perfectly functioning Champion plugs with Iridium plugs in a Buddy 50 and S 150.

The OP said the issue with his was the rubber friction ring from the socket getting stuck on the plug, not a problem with the plug.

(I've encountered the same problem but was too vain to mention/admit it.)

Thus I believe Iridium plugs are standard sizes and don't require special boots.

I also think Iridium plugs are statistically identical to standard plugs, and after hundreds of thousands of four-wheel driving miles have never found fault with plugs of lesser metals and marketing budgets.

Doubt I'll buy another unless I'm trying to impress somebody.

As Juan says, there is nothing different about Irridium spark plugs compared to standard plugs, accept for the electrode material and design life. Standard spark plug tools fit just the same.

I can't even get the bloody spark plug cap off! right little bugger to prise off! I gave up in the end, but someday, I'm going to have to change the plug..

Graham

You might have to spray some PTFE or WD40 around the cap for a bit of lubrication.

What? Not true, except for resistance differences you have caps for plugs with or with out nuts on the threads.

You do know the spark plug cap has a metal retaining clip holding it from coming off right?

To remove the cap, simply rotate the spark plug cap clockwise until the tail of the spark plug cap (the bit with the cable going into it) is pointing rearwards towards the back of the bike. Then with a long screwdriver placed under the tail of the spark plug cap as near to the centre of the cap as possible, simply gently lever the cap off. The screwdriver you are using should be long enough to rest against the cambox cover to act as the fulcrum lever point. It should come off easily.

There is not point spraying WD40 or anything with PTFE in it around the spark plug cap as it cannot reach the bit that is a tight fit. It needs to be a fairly tight fit.

EDIT: just noticed you have an LX125. Some of this may not apply. The above is for the GTS range of scooters...

The HT lead looks like it isn't long enough to turn the spark plug around enough... It might need a new lead going to the plug..

Graham

If you put the bike on it's side stand the engine will lower it's cylinder giving you just an inch or maybe two of extra cable. This is enough.

I'll give that a go- I had the scooter on the centre stand, and I couldn't get enough slack on the HT lead to turn the cap around, but I'll try that little trick!

Graham

It maybe that on the LX there is no spark plug retaining clip. On the GTS you only have to move the spark plug cap about one quarter turn to the rear. But the cap will come off with a long screwdriver or even very long needle nose pliers used as a lever against the cylinder head. Not too much force is required. Do not lever against any cylinder head fins as this could break them.

Your remarks are somewhat irrelevant to the original post. We're not talking about a GTS.

Yes Max, I pointed that out in my earlier posts when I realised it was the LX. But the principles are just the same. It's been a very long time since I serviced an LX.