I wheeled the car outside this afternoon to start it. It's already run, about a month ago but I've re-terminated some of the wiring and tidied it.

Today it turned over but wouldn't fire. After checking for loose connections I realised that I'd forgotten to remove the paper towels I was using to stop muck falling into the intakes when I fitted the airbox.

Now (before I chase after possibly non-existant electrical problems and partly as it's an engine crane job to change the plugs) my question is, has the trying to start the engine with restricted air intake flooded the cylinders, and do I need to replace the plugs?

Thanks,
Martin.

i wouldnt have thought there would be a need to replace the plugs if theyve got flooded. have you checked that no paper towel has been sucked into the engine on the inlet stroke tho?

I had a similar problem when trying to start my V6 - platinum plugs got flooded while I figured out a wiring problem. New plugs were the only solution in my case - £30 a set too

Not sure what the blade plug are like, but bird ones can be dried off nicely in the oven. About 15-20 mins at 130 should do the trick.

No pieces missing from the towels, so at least one thing's going right .
I'm tempted to replace them just to eliminate them.

Martin.

As a team that were trying to get the engine going for hours....

New plugs were the only answer on a new start.... fortunately for me they were free.

Only use NGK as 99% of bikers do...

It happened to me! Quite lot of time trying to start it when I realised that the air intake was bloked with tape!

Recharged the battery, tried a few more times and presto! she's running fine!

Joao

take em out and dry em off on your gas hob!!! job done!!!

Weel, no-one locally had the plugs in stock.
It took me a while to get the last 2 out as the engine needed moving to get to them. I'm guessing these are the reason it won't start anymore.

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I'm assuming they were marginal when I first ran the car and the flooding was the last straw.

Martin.

They look OK but check the gap, could just be the 'photo but they look very wide which will prevent it starting.

Flooding can disable brand new plugs ..... like mine

Given the access problems, I think I'll order new plugs tomorrow. At least then if it doesn't start I know it's not the plugs and the engine can stay put.

How dumb was I assuming a car designed to take the R1 engine would mean maintenance would be simple?

Martin.

If you have to remove the engine to fit plugs it's going to be a ball ache, can't you cut an access panel somewhere to get at them. Don't get the iridiums till you've had it running on cheap standard plugs and think yourself lucky they aren't like the Ducati the bike shop had in a few weeks back, the plugs for that were £47 each.

I can get two out no problem, and I can't remove this

Image deleted by owner

to get access to the other 2.

The engine has run, so I know it will again .

Martin.

I thought the same about the gap on those plugs - on the carbed R1s the gap is supposed to be somethiing like 0.8mm?

What kind of plug spanner are you using? The one from a bike tool kit would probably fit in there, you can use them with an open ended spanner to get into tight spaces. It's definitely not been designed with convenience in mind.